The "Semper Fi" Effect

It can be very challenging to lead people who are tasked with doing a very difficult job. When the market is down and your people face a lot of rejection it is hard to keep them motivated and sometimes it is just hard to keep them. Many managers respond to this situation by minimizing the problems the team is facing. I strongly disagree with this strategy.

Rather than deny the challenges my team is facing I use them. I use them as a source of pride to build my reps self esteem and my team's cohesion. I remind my reps of the challenges they face and tell them that I am glad to have such skilled professionals on my team. I want them to take pride in overcoming challenges that would stop lesser people in their tracks.

I call this the Semper Fi effect in honor of the U. S. Marine Corps. The marines take immense pride in the fact that they are "always outnumbered" and that they can fight their way out of the toughest situations. Their training demands almost super human endurance and mental toughness because they know this builds a highly motivated team.

When facing challenges, acknowledge and use them. Give your people a sense of pride in adapting and overcoming to the less than favorable circumstances. After a while instead of complaining, your reps will brag about how tough the market is and about their ability to persevere in the face of difficulty.

Make A Difference!

Thanks Jim Busch