Practice = ???

Lesson Two - Practice Does NOT Make Perfect

One of the first things that surfaced in the reality of my working world was that the age old adage "Practice Makes Perfect" was about as flawed as could possibly be. I think back to the number of times I've heard that in my years and I've officially lost count. Not that I decided to start counting until a while ago anyhow, but I'm sure you can understand my point.

The unfortunate reality of the "Practice Makes Perfect" concept is that it automatically sets us up for failure. Now most of us won't admit that we'd like to fail, and yet we set seemingly insurmountable goals such as perfection. I've practiced tying my shoes for decades, speaking in front of people for years, and attempted basketball for about six days. I've come to the conclusion I'm nowhere near close to perfect at any of them.

Sales and Customer service are the same way. Years have passed since my first true sales presentation and while growth has been a constant, you won't see anywhere in this lesson about how I've somehow ascended to a skill level beyond the rest of the waking world. I've had interactions with Customers in almost every kind of random situation you can think of, and at the end of it all, perfect is still a level that I have yet to reach. So I thought something else would make more sense in this context, and perhaps give us all something to think about from a realistic perspective.

Practice makes permanent.

That's it.

If you're confused you need simply think back to my wonderful shoe tying story a few moments ago. I am absolutely convinced that I am better today than I was yesterday at something, even if it is only something as minor as tying my shoes. Then again, tripping your way into a sales presentation or meeting isn't a great way to make an impression, so perhaps the skill isn't so minor as I once thought. Indeed as I've grown I've been able to improve in thousands of ways, some small, others not so much.

The first Customer I ever dealt with was a wonderful mother of two who needed advice about a purchase for her husband's birthday. She was conflicted about her decision, and I wasn't the greatest help in the world at the time. I hadn't practiced enough. Years later I've practiced and practiced and am now told that I talk about sales and Customer service in my sleep on occasion. You may call it obsession. I'm fine with that because obsessive practice has made improvement a permanent part of my life.

Somewhere today or tomorrow my first Customer may be out making another purchase for her husband or even herself. I have no doubts when I say that if I were to have another opportunity to assist her I would be infinately more effective today than I was so many years ago. As time passes we become better not because of our pursuit of perfection but because we grow in at least one area of our lives.

Our lives are a constant opportunity for practice. Involvement with sales and Customer service are perfect moments for practicing communication, negotiation, persuasion, and presentation. These are the skill sets which prepare us not only for life, but for the art of delivering the ultimate Customer experience. I've no idea where you are today in terms of these skills, but your current skill level shouldn't matter, provided you plan on being better tomorrow than you are today.

That kind of growth is permanent, and that is what practice makes.