Assumptions Can Be An Enemy: How It Affects Your Performance

By: Tom Heinmiller of Heinmiller Consulting. A seasoned fractional sales manager serving Dublin & Columbus, Ohio. His expertise is among Sales, Sales Training, Prospecting, and most importantly revenue growth for all companies he works with.

As coaching professionals, one of the ways we help our clients’ breakthroughs to the next level of sales performance is to raise their awareness of the assumptions that may be limiting their performance. Many times, salespeople are not aware that they begin a sales call believing they already know the client’s needs. Which results in guiding the client toward these pre-determined needs. Removing any emotions that might otherwise be expressed by the prospect. Remember: A large part of every buying decision is based on emotion.

When we begin a coaching assignment one of the first things we do is determine: “what are you as a salesperson assuming to be true before engaging with a client”? Any time you operate on assumptions without adequate discovery or without exploring what the client really needs, you can self-sabotage your sales results. Many of these assumptions remain outside your conscious awareness, operating in the background and sabotaging your efforts. As these assumptions are reveled, most sales people are amazed at how they have been undermining their own success.

Awareness proceeds choice. When we are aware of assumptions that might limit us, we have the ability to shift and reframe our thinking. However, a word of caution: this is not always easy to uncover; if you do not devote time and effort to learn what your own limiting assumptions are, they will remain outside of your conscious awareness, operating in the background. This seldom produces positive results.

Uncovering these assumptions is not always easy, it often takes a structured program and a trained coach to guide you.

It is important to note – these assumptions are driven by your inner beliefs and beliefs are absolutely necessary – they are why we are motivated to succeed. Unfortunately, not all are unconscious beliefs have a positive effect – they are buried deeply within us and held unconsciously- they were formed for a specific reason that is no longer relevant. However, they still have a direct impact on performance. It is therefore of utmost importance to become aware of are assumptions and begin to consciously take control of our thoughts to avoid sabotaging our sales efforts.

Once we have completed this step, we can begin to create the systems, structures and processes that will support your selling efforts.