"It's on my list"

First, before I lash out on this, a small clarification if you will.  When I refer to “list”, I don’t mean an actual list of items lots of people put together on a daily basis that helps them be more productive. I also, most definitely do not mean the grocery “list” I get from my wife.  You know which ones I mean. Those lists that I’d better get every single item on there!

I am referring to and mean that virtual, almost imaginary “list” one uses when they are really telling you – “I am quite possibly just a lazy ass and didn’t do it . . . yet.”

Now maybe it’s because of my “never really official” diagnosis of ADD, OR maybe due to the fact that I personally would rather “DO” than contemplate about it OR perhaps it is the entrepreneurial nature in me and/or a bit more laid back environment I grew up in but I have to ask…

What the hell, man?

So I am interviewing this sales person for a sales executive position. We get into a discussion around some of his challenges in his current role and he goes on and on about how the company he works for does not provide him with the support he needs or getting him all of the materials he is used to receiving, and how they don’t serve him as he expects etc. etc. etc. The guy comes from a large corporate background where he’s had a good run for quite some time and now works for a small, privately owned company.

I go on to ask him about a specific case study he was working on.  He went on to share with me how he could not close the deal yet because the entire world and their sister of course did not make his coffee hot enough for him and the color of the logo on the document was not the right color…..

So I ask him specifically about the prospect organization involved in aiding in the close of the deal he is trying to get, and since we both know the people there to some extent, I asked if he spoke to the individual who is directly involved.  He responds by saying that he hasn’t really talked to him yet, he was waiting for the account manager to get back to him and that stupid organization he works for does not even have the updated database of the positions in these prospects he is chasing and how he knows the girl that runs the office there but she is busy getting married and how there is no peace in the middle east just yet . . . to me . . . it sounded more like waaahhh….waaaahhh….sniff…sniff.

Are you freaking kidding me?

I just had to ask – “did you call the guy there to set up a meeting and start the process?”

And he says...
drum roll please….
It’s on my list!

AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!  

You just went on telling me that 3 months ago you have been setting up these goals, and you know people in this organization and yadda, yadda and to call the guy is ON YOUR LIST???  How long is your list? What is there on this sacred list that is much more important than starting the damn process with this guy?

Go back to your list and continue whining about the world. I do not want you on my list!

I think our system is broken ladies and gentlemen. The system where goals are constantly shifting without relevancy. The system where accountability is a mere long word on a poster on a wall somewhere. And the system where consequences exist for not meeting your goals are a rare commodity. The system where if you are not good enough you still get the infamous “good job” and lastly, the system where if you just do your job as required you constantly get kudos and praises.

Well, dear readers, if you know anyone, a sales person, from the kind of people I am looking for please send them my way!

I am looking for the type of people who are NOT satisfied with just the job description, the people who got told during their lifetime they were not good enough and worked harder to become better. The people who will fight and demand to meet their goals and finally…the people who simply have no list! Only because they are busy doing what they could put on a list...but already did it!