If you’re a parent you are familiar with asking your kids to do the chores or complete their homework only to have them respond I’ll do it later. This often frustrating response is due to a child’s need for instant gratification to continue what fun chosen activity they are doing. On this week’s show, Mark and fellow MindsetGo trainer Joseph Lyman discuss why leaders and managers struggle with delayed gratification and how much that struggle adversely plays a factor in motivating, developing, and supporting the teams they guide. The mere connotation of the word instant feels wonderful for impatient people while delayed feels long or arduous, not to mention encourages procrastination in the world of busyness, bottom line, and strict deadlines.

Segment 1:

Too often, we find ourselves expecting instant gratification largely due to the ease of access allowed to us through technology, which inadvertently makes assessing ourselves through delayed gratification more difficult. How can we properly self reflect on our abilities to determine our effectiveness as salespeople?

Segment 2:

In a number of cases, the needs of our team tend to come second to personal victories and instant gratification, which often eliminates opportunities for learning and development. What makes self-control and time management so difficult and how can we overcome that?

Segment 3:

Setting goals for ourselves and our team brings up questions around trust in our ability to sustain success over the long term. How can we set goals for our team that push for long term success? What strategies can we use to motivate and develop our team moving forward?

Segment 4:

Networking events provide opportunities for collaboration and mutual benefits for salespeople, but our mindset going into these events may not complement our approach towards seeking potential relationships. How can we take advantage of networking events without the mindset of instant gratification to create more opportunities for referrals and sales?