The Big-Hearted No This newsletter is different than the others. There are no business tips to help you grow. I’ve got no advice today on upselling or finding new leads. It could, however, offer you the biggest time saver of all. Learning how to say no. As a self-professed go-getter, I’ve spent my entire career saying YES to new ideas! I can highlight countless times when I have faced my fears and done it anyway. I thrive outside my comfort zone - or so I thought. I firmly believed that facing fears was about saying enthusiastically, “Heck yes!” to most things. “Yes, I’ll take that on. Oh, give me that too! Sure, I can do that for you.” The more I took on, the more I noticed that dread creep in when my words said yes, and my entire body said nooooo! What I’ve learned through experience, some of them painful is that facing fears is also about saying no. Once I learned that saying no was the fear I needed to face, an entirely new level of achievement and fulfillment opened up. The other day I was working with an Agency Owner who was overwhelmed by the amount of business she was losing because she did not have enough advisors. She also knew that to grow her team, she needed to sell less. A lot less. Her “no” challenge? How do I let go of long-time clients without offending them? Other “no” challenges I hear every week in my coaching practice?
How do I say no to low-price, low-commission sales?
How do I say no to products I have no interest in selling?
If I say no to the low-cost sale, will they still think of me for their river cruise?
Should I say no to all of the above?
The answer to every “no” challenge is the same.
If I say yes to this, what is the bigger yes I am saying no to?
Your calling is to work to your highest potential. When you are at your best, you do your best. If you are called to something bigger and continue to do what you have always done because it is easier to say yes, you undermine your self-worth. Let’s be clear. It is tough to say no when someone asks you to do something. There will always be a part of us that wants to please others. It is human to want to serve. However, as the famous author and humanitarian Victor Frankl states,
“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
Saying no graciously and with conviction is not only freeing for you, but it will also allow someone else to shine. That customer you are saying no to because he or she is not right for you might be the perfect client for someone else. Customers will always find the right way to book at a price that suits them. That doesn’t mean they are right for you. In his Book, The Big Leap, Gay Hendricks talks about finding your Zone of Genius. Your zone of genius is your unique power. It is a one-of-a-kind quality that you bring to your life and work, and it lets you do certain things better than almost anyone else. Saying no in pursuit of that power is the best thing you can do for yourself and everyone around you. What is your no challenge? I'd love to hear how opportunities have opened when you've held your ground and said no so that you can embrace the yes you have always wanted! Enjoy the journey!
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I help agency owners with teams attract and engage high-performance.
Are you struggling to find advisors?
Do you have a few superstars, but others are not that engaged?
Is time on your side, or does it feel like it's against you? Before we know it, summer will fly by, and we'll be right back at the whirlwind!
What are you avoiding?
It's the perfect time to get clarity on your business!
Book a Strategy Call! Fifteen minutes can change everything! :-)
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PS
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If you want to know more about Geraldine Ree's 2023 programs, check out: geraldine@geraldineree.com.
