Often, when we encounter problems in the role of Business Development, it’s because we’re working on the symptoms of the problem, rather than the real problem. Getting to the root, or First Cause, of any real challenge, rather than just dealing with the symptoms, is what counts. This ability to delve deeper not only makes us successful in our roles, but also provides value to the prospect in helping to uncover their real issues.
As we challenge ourselves to improve, we tend to work diligently in constructing our process, refining our skills, establishing our goals and working our plans. These are all good left-brained, quantitative approaches. However, we need to work on the right-brained side of the challenge too. This means learning to risk and to fail, maintaining a healthy self-concept, communicating our purpose early, establishing our long-term mission in life and continually measuring ourselves against our principles, values and ethics.
In order to uncover the real cause of any problem, you need to understand yourself in both short-term and long-term thinking. You must also possess the ability to be a left-brained, quantitative individual as well as a right-brained, qualitative individual. Business Development Professionals understand that their success is a combination of who they are as individuals, the application of their knowledge competency and what they do mechanically with that knowledge. The strongest driver of success in the role of Business Development is not the left-brained, short-term mechanical perspective. Rather, it is the right-brained perspective that takes into account both long-term mission and your short-term purpose in the role that ensures your success.
To be successful in the role of Business Development, work as hard as possible on the problem, and even harder on yourself.