Winning is outperforming the competition or overcoming the desire to quit. Every person wants to quit at some point. Humans are predisposed to quitting thanks to homeostasis because the exertion or stress we incur when competing takes us out of our equilibrium (homeostasis). The cells of the human body are always focused on balance. Stressors take us out of balance. The first step to winning is overcoming a physiological predisposition to pursue the path of least resistance.

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Some people have no trouble overcoming physiological resistance, while others will only act out of desperation. Key number one to winning is your mindset. Winning is a state of mind and an expectation. You won’t win every time, but winning starts with an expectation to win every time. Often this is referred to as a winning mindset.

Several years ago, we had an opportunity to compete for a major automation project. The customer was new to automation and did not know what they wanted or needed. These customers are akin to riding a bull because they are always shifting and changing direction. The customer was located in the same industrial park as our major competitor, and our facility was five hours away. To add insult to injury, we were late to the game and had to play catch up. Immediately upon understanding the obstacles, I realized we were facing an uphill battle. When my team heard about the challenges we would have to overcome, they did not want to waste their time.

Obstacles

1. New customer (for our company).
2. Customer’s first major automation project.
3. Main competitor located in the same industrial park.
4. Late to the quoting party.

Resistance in an individual is challenging to overcome, while resistance in an organization is like trying to move a mountain. How do you overcome resistance?

Tell them we are going to win and then show them how!

The first step in overcoming resistance is belief. You must believe winning is possible, not just by speaking the words, but by genuinely believing you can win. That is a winning mindset. It is a deep belief in your ability to overcome obstacles and achieve your desired outcome.

Despite my winning mindset, encouragement, and optimistic outlook, my team was doubtful. Overcoming our organizational homeostasis would require more than words and confidence. So I created a Winning Strategy (that is exactly what I called it) and took them through a step-by-step strategy for success. It included details that would require extra effort for the team. “We are going to have to go beyond our standard norms,” I told them. In the Winning Strategy, I assigned all team roles and established a timeline. During a call to review the details, I repeated the phrase, “guys, we are going to win!”

Show Them How We Are Going to Win

The value of a common goal or mission cannot be overstated. Winning is rarely an accident, and to win consistently is never an accident. Winning requires commitment, skill, planning and execution. Step two is about applying your skills to a well-crafted plan. What is a well-crafted plan (WCP)?

The WCP leverages your strengths. Too often, people and companies obsess over their weaknesses and what they don’t have. Losers are often victims and use victim speak. They focus on their shortcomings and excuses versus leveraging their strengths. Don’t be a loser. Focus on your strengths and use them to your advantage.

In the WCP, we clearly define each team role and communicate the expectations of the roles. It is essential to understand the role’s needs and not get distracted by the needs of the player. If the role requires cleaning the toilet, the person that is responsible for the role will need to clean the toilet. Define the role upfront and clearly articulate the expectations of the person filling the role. Failing to clearly explain expectations results in a toilet that never gets cleaned because the player in that role doesn’t like cleaning toilets. The mission is to win, and sometimes winning is a dirty job.

The WCP includes the vision of victory. What does winning look like? Paint the picture for the team. Alignment is more accessible when the vision is clear. What will it feel like to win? What will it mean for the organization? How will it benefit the individual?

The WCP has a timeline, action plan, open issues list, and regular communication. Failure to win can often be traced back to a lack of communication. The team needs to communicate frequently regarding the project’s status from an internal perspective and a customer perspective. We must remember that 50 percent of communication is listening. Hear the customer and create solutions based on what they are telling you and not what you believe is best for them. Each week the team should meet for a project status update. As a team leader, you must regularly check in with your team. How are they doing? Are they stuck? How can you help?

Step two above is about building the team’s confidence with a well-crafted strategy and sharing the strategy with confidence, welcoming feedback but resisting doubt. Doubt and pessimism are deal-breakers and dream crushers. We all experience doubt and discouragement, but winners immediately shift the conversation back to the next action required. Action can help end doubt and bring the focus back to winning.

Lead Them to Victory

One of my favorite sayings is “the leader sets the pace.” I had to lead the team by doing the work. I created process flow charts and worked on the initial concept (not my typical role as a salesperson). I wanted to light a fire under the team and lead by example. My tireless effort and constant action began to inspire the team, and soon they were just as motivated to win as I was. We knew our challenge and the odds stacked against us. We were the underdog against a competitor 10 times larger than us and in the same industrial park. When you are a part of a small organization, you have far more advantages than you will lead yourself to believe.

• Small is nimble — Pivot to a new concept versus the large bureaucracy incapable of embracing an out-of-the-box solution. Big often lacks creativity and exudes arrogance toward their customers. Small should mean you get what you want (as long as you are capable).
• Small is responsive — No need to run it up the flagpole. Does that make sense? Can we do it? Yes, and yes, now go!
• Small is customer-obsessed — Small companies are radical about satisfying the needs of their customers. Big companies become self-righteous and self-centered. Being customer-obsessed is an incredible advantage.
• Small is creative — Combining being nimble, responsive, and customer-obsessed leads to innovative solutions to common challenges.

Winning is a mindset. Our mindset in all situations will determine our success. It is possible to lose and win, but only if we learn from the loss. Losers make excuses for losing. Winners use the lessons learned from the loss to fuel their next win. They won’t tolerate a defeat without a lesson. They set the pace for the team.

Michael Jordan was hard on his teammates. He knew what it took to win and led by example. He was always pushing himself and his team. Many take issue with his style, but none deny his success. He was a winner with a winning mindset, and he made everyone around him better by holding them to a higher standard.

We won the project. It was a $1.2 million win. Not a single person believed we were going to win in the beginning. We succeeded because we changed our attitude, created and executed a plan, and led with accountability and a willingness to do whatever it took.

Are you a winner?

If you would like a sample of my One-Page Winning Strategy, please email me, [email protected].

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