Rebel in a Business Suit

I’ve been asked what is the difference between leadership and selling. How are they different? The reality is that, in my view, they are not.

I was interested to learn once that the word for selling derives from a Scandinavian word - ’selje’. This word is meant to mean service. Selling therefore is about ’service’ and how well we do is determined by how well we serve our clients.

For me the leaders of the new age must also serve - they serve our internal customers - our personnel. They must be able to sell the message of the business and it’s vision and quest in order to get the willing co-operation and involvement of their teams.
As a child, my father once told me that ‘a leader never asks someone to do something that they are not willing to do themselves’. The old age of command an control is over.

Both sales and leadership professionals require a huge degree of skill in connecting, involving and engaging with people. The idea of viewing communications training as a ’soft skill’ is antiquated and out of date and voiced now only by those who are being left behind as the people and the organisation changes around them.

Both sales and leadership professionals also need to inspire their ‘clients’ - they must raise the energy within them that encourages people to committ to a course of action.

Service and inspiration. Leadership and selling.

So far so good - the book is continuing apace. Only about 3 chapters left to write now and we’ll be all set. Of course, there is extensive revision to be done on what is there at present but we are working according to plan and should make the April deadline that I’ve set myself.

After revision of the existing chapters I will be placing them on the site within the next week.

Next conversations with literary agents. Originally I wanted to look at publishing the book myself but on reflection (and advice) I have decided I should at least see if there are agents who would like to discuss the project and who can bring their unique skills to bear.

My last book (The Business Coaching revolution 2001) taught me a lot about how the publishing business works and the things one can expect (and not…) from a publishing house. A good agent might make things a little smoother this time.

I’ve borrowed this term from the book : Edgewalkers: People and Organizations that Take Risks, Build Bridges, and Break New Ground by Judi Neal,

Judi is the founder of the Spirit at Work network and defines these Edgewalkers as someone who walks between worlds, builds bridges between different paradigms and realities, and has a global vision for a better world. A good description of one of the traits of the new rebels.

The new rebels may not always have been seen as “rebels” either. They didn’t join Amnesty International or have a picture of Che Guevara on their student walls. They may not have been seen as radical or risk-takers. Maybe a little strange – but not radical!

You see, they didn’t fit into the usual rebel image either. They are their own people and walk their own way. That’s always been their rebellion. They may have had a foot in many camps as they grew – fitting in, being accepted but never fully a part of the scene – they were seeking their true selves.

Over their lifetime they matured and evolved into the new rebels for the new age and they are continuing to evolve, their numbers growing. That is what makes them powerful.

Rebels understand the value and power of balance – understanding that balance is never static – it is always dynamic and that everything is a question of the odds, that life is never certain. Rebels walk the edge of change. They understand that risk is an important part of reward and they like rewards.

They appreciate that there is a little bit of good in the worst of us and a little bit of evil in the best of us and that life is enriched by such extremes. Sometimes they’ll argue or do the opposite of something they agree with just to get another perspective. Sometimes they see the value of the stick as well as the carrot.

Rebels know that in the development of themselves and the accomplishment of worthwhile change, there is a dark side as well as a light.

It is not something they run away from but something they come to embrace as much as that of the light. As “Edge Walkers” their appreciation of this duality of things gives them a unique perspective on the world.

They don’t always follow the rules and will happily break them if they consider them to be too restrictive. Rebels in business suits value order but they will not accept constraint.

Today, rebels are the ultimate “Edge Walkers” as they straddle the change of Ages with a foot in both worlds – the old age and the new, the material and the personal.

Rebels are not afraid to take on responsibility.

They understand that this may mean additional challenges, more work and effort, it might upset a comfortable position they may have and it might mean that they stand out from others and attract unwanted or unpleasant attention - but they do it anyway.

They understand that someone has to step forward to do the ‘tough stuff’, at some point someone has to lead the way. However they don’t do it just for praise or recognition or even power - although they may come when they are successful - they do it because they realise an important thing about responsibility - it is done out of love and a desire to be of service to others.

Rebels will not act out of ‘duty’ - they understand that too often ‘duty’ is used to co-erce people into doing things they would rather not do - and therefore they end doing it without commitment or desire. They are not engaged with the work or the task.

Rebels understand a simple principle of leadership - never to ask someone to do something that one is not willing to do oneself. Therefore they will always seek clarity because they understand that to be succesful a person needs to know clearly ‘what’ needs doing and ‘why’ it is of direct value to the person expected to do it.

Rebels lead by being an example, by being willing to be the first to ’step up’ when needed and never to give into their fears.