Company executives set direction based upon a vision that, in turn, establishes certain critical priorities. This constitutes the why things get done, but what about the how things get done? And, which is more important? Will the end justify the means or will the means alter the end?
The answer to these questions brings us to culture where perceived expectations for how things get done results in one of two outcomes. An individual doing anything that matters will either act to cultural expectation or not. But, why not? Perhaps because it makes no sense for whatever reason. Or, because it goes against the individual’s beliefs as to what is appropriate. That said, what happens when a person makes the decision to not do something the way it’s expected to be done?
Welcome to the Monkey Dance[1]. “As the story goes, take a cage of ten monkeys and put a banana at the top of a rock formation within the cage, and every time a monkey climbs the rocks, spray all of them with a water hose. Do this many times and no monkey will attempt the climb. Then, remove one monkey and put a new one into the cage. What happens when he attempts to climb up and get the banana? The others stop him, as they don’t want to be sprayed by the water hose.”[2] In a company, there’s no cold water other than losing an important deal, but there is reward for cultural compliance and downside protection. A deal may be lost, but when management takes the view that the customer is dysfunctional or incompetent, the cold water gets turned up to warm, having avoided a problem account. This is cultural perception driving seller cognitive dissonance.
Cognitive dissonance is a kind of mental stress that in sales is based on fear. Fear of not being considered a team player, loss of stature, having decisions reversed, and losing access to resources, or worse, loss of one’s job. The Monkey Dance is all about this kind of conflict. A seller doing something for a customer that isn’t in line with company culture faces either internal resistance or must back off from doing what the customer wants or needs, sometimes losing the deal. This puts the seller in a lose-lose situation, driving big-time mental stress. Of course, backing off of what a customer wants can make sense, as it reflects loyalty to the company and the desire to protect its interests. But, what about when backing off doesn’t make sense? How does the culture, itself, respond?
“This is culture taking on a life of its own, growing in strength, and protecting itself, as any culture will tend to destroy or purge itself of whatever it can’t assimilate. The Romans 12:2 Bible verse tells us to “test” ourselves against “what is good and acceptable and perfect,” by God. As you look at what sales culture should be, test it against what customers’ feel a supplier’s sales behavior should be, in order to be good and acceptable. This brings the voice of the customer into the picture with clarity and thoughtfulness to make clear what is a good vs. a bad sales culture.”[3]
Good or bad, culture is one of the most powerful forces within a company. One that makes the sales role today not just about sales, but one of leadership, as a guiding light for good culture and the “how to be.”
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[1] Phrase introduced in Rory Miller’s, Facing Violence: Preparing for the Unexpected
[2] Excerpt from Jim Holden’s, Selling in an Anxious World
[3] Excerpt from Jim Holden’s, Selling in an Anxious World