Yesterday I was trading notes with my business manager Lynn, when she shared that she was entering the Dirty Girl mud run competition with a group of friends.

My first reaction: “That looks intense.”  Her response: “I think it’s as intense as you want it to be.  But you know that I will be the first one among my friends to cross the finish line – even if we are taking it casual.”

Lynn loves competition, she knows what it means to hustle, and she hates to lose.  She hates it so much that she refuses to lose.  It is precisely why she has a clear advantage in any complex, highly competitive sales engagement.  It is also what moves her beyond mediocrity and makes her flat-out extraordinary. Lynn doesn’t miss her number.

What about the other critical competencies? Industry expertise, sales process, presentation skills?

Great sellers check those boxes.  All things being equal, the relentless competitor has the edge because they are simply more willing to put massive action and iron will into every opportunity.  If you want to build a world-class sales organization, you need people that love to compete, like Lynn.

Ryan Estis & Associates is a training and development organization helping companies, leaders, sellers and individual contributors embrace change and achieve breakthrough performance in the new economy. We offer keynotes, live classroom training and online learning that blends interaction, energy and actionable content designed to elevate performance. Contact us for programming inquiries and assistance determining the curriculum that could best support your learning and development objectives.