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Attitude is a key factor in high sales performance.

Regardless of the number of years spent selling, or level of understanding one has in regards to sales techniques or strategies, without a strong conviction in oneself, the prospect's conviction in moving forward will not be there.

While many in the world of selling are consumed by the rejection, and high levels of negativity they are subjected to daily, the top producer never allows the prospect to steal their self esteem. Top producers take rejection and negativity and convert that into energy. Top producers don't get mad, they get even. In other words if a deal they were counting on dissolves before their eyes, they immediately set out to replace that "done deal" with another, opposed to allowing the negativity to manifest itself causing a snowball effect resulting in another bad month.

This negative economy unfortunately has created an increase in the amount of negativity and personal rejection sales people experience. This negativity in turn depletes self-esteem, which in turn reduces the sales person's "level of expectation" for success. Many sales people these days only expect to sell enough to keep their jobs. This reduced level of expectation reduces their performance level, which finally reduces the level of sales.

Can attitudes change, can they Improve? Yes! However removing the obstacles and mindset that lead to the less than positive attitude is essential.

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Comment by David Villa on May 17, 2012 at 12:15pm: Yes sir Eric...well said. We only have two choices. Work with them or without them. I personally believe Leaders are made not just born. True some characteristics of leadership are stronger in some and they are somewhat istinctual, but i believe firmly that if we light a fire within the millennial generation [or anyone else] for that matter, they will respond and step up to the plate.

I have seen it first hand...vision ignites people and they are looking for something to invest themselves into...

thanks for the comment.

Comment by Ernie Kasprowicz on May 17, 2012 at 9:55am: Attitude is indeed everything! Nothing happens positively with a negative attitude. One way to remain focused and overcome the negatives involved with sales is to have goals. It is important not only to have a goal or several goals, but they must be an exact target with clearly defined steps to get there. There are many resources available to find more information about how to set goals and I would be glad to share what AutoMax Recruiting and Training, LLC uses. Dave V., I liked what you mentioned in regard to teaching and educating the millennial generation because you have proven your point in regard to attitude. Many in our industry simply dismiss this group of people as a lost cause. The reality is they are different. WE are the ones who need to adjust and they will respond as you have seen first hand. Attitude.

Comment by David Villa on May 16, 2012 at 3:03pm: Great Ralph! I knew i liked you brother! You know successful people don't just accidentally become that way and if someone has waked a path and found an oasis at the end i want to hear about how they did it. i look forward to hearing more from you. FYI cna you be a guest on "Auto Dealer Live" two weeks form tomorrow?

Comment by Ralph Paglia on May 15, 2012 at 7:25pm: Although I am a big fan of Grant Cardone and his books, Dave Anderson is one of the most laser focused on the real world of doing business inspirational speakers I have ever watched in action... I have seen Dave working inside dealerships, and on stage at some of the auto industry's biggest conferences and his message about making waves to stimulate and advance your success has been so very true in my 30+ years of experience in the auto industry. Just doing what you are required to do will no longer provide either advancement or any measurable degree of success. David Villa, now I have to go buy Dave Anderson's book, because your comment got me thinking about it!

Comment by David Villa on May 14, 2012 at 11:25am: The Pareto Principle - 80-20 rule...it applies in many areas, but one i found extremley helpful is to place 80% of your time and energy into the 20% top performers! I used to think that i needed to give more attention to the 80% that needed that were middle performers so that i could possibly boost tham into top status. with the "Pareto Principle i found that by focusing 80% of my efforts on the 20% i was putting my best into the best. It resulted in immediate increase in business and subsequently the middle raised their game as well.

Comment by David Villa on May 14, 2012 at 11:15am: Absolutely Stan! I recommend a good book "If you don't make waves you'll drown" By Dave anderson. He talks about another challenge that relates to what you are tlaking about. How we have moved away from a merit based to entitlement mentality. I am only 40 years old and was raised to believe that you try your best and play to win...like Vince Lombardi's quote "If winning isnt everything, why do they keep score". I have 35 employees most of which are in the same generation you mentioned and i have found that if taught these principles they repsond! Here are a couple of questions we can ask of ourselves regarding our employees to help see if we have the right team and/or if we are training the right way.

1. Do you have long-term employees you clasify as "loyal" even though they haven't produced results since Moby Dick was a minnow? Don't cinfuse loyalty with tenure, because tenure can become a license for laziness. Shouldn't true loyalty be defined as "performance"---whether someone has worked for you 10 days or 10 years?

2. Do you have minimum performance standards in each quantifiable position, so that employees failing to attain acceptable levels basically fire themselves? Make sure our bonus and pay structures do not reward average or below performances. I don't want someone doing mediocre work to still ne able to make a decent living...because my pay plan is laced with entitlements that are unconsciously rewarding, endorsing, and reinforcing substandard results...thus encouraging more of the same.

I have found that even the younger generation that are not taught to think competively if trainined and challenged will rise instictively to the level and compete.

thank you for the comments Stan...

Comment by Chris Fritcher on May 14, 2012 at 9:38am: Great read David! Pessimism never won any battle.

Comment by Stan Sher on May 14, 2012 at 12:03am: Great read. You mention "most sales people today expect to sell just enough to keep their jobs". I think that goes back to the thinking of how the millennial generation operates. I wrote in last weeks blog "The Lost Art of Professionalism" about how this generation is content with making $40,000 per year and just be average. In fact, this year I downloaded an app for my mobile phone that allows me to keep track of my spending and categorizes business vs. personal spending. I was in a best buy not long ago talking to someone around age 22 and I showed them the app. They said to me "I would not want to know how much money I spent. It would be crazy".

I mention this is because our new generation (the Millennials) does not focus on being better then average or even being accountable. I am surprised at how some of these people live. I am in that generation too but I was raised different.and I know that I could not survive on making a mere $40,000 a year at this point in my life. The problem is that not only do they think differently but they are also exposed to being taught to think like an average. I am a college dropout. When I dropped out of college I did not realize that I was being taught to be happy with being average. I was going to school to land a career in a low paying profession. It was not until I saw the success people had in the auto industry that I knew that there was more to life then being content with average.

It comes down to how are you raised, what information is being taught to you, and how you are motivated. I know when I spend a weekend with someone in the industry that has made it way further then I have that I come back to work ready with a goal to get to their level. What motivates me? It is the fact that I can create success and never worry about anything again including finances.

Comment by David Villa on May 12, 2012 at 3:42pm: Also Ralph I'm looking forward to your input on "auto dealer live"

Comment by David Villa on May 12, 2012 at 3:40pm: Thank you for the feedback. I enjoy and am inspired by all of the great posts I read hear on dealer elite. Have a great weekend!