Critical thinking is always a valuable skill. People tend to unconsciously defend their choices by attributing them to their good instinct or skills (when it goes well) or outer factors and information asymmetry when it goes wrong. Information asymmetry anyone?

In sales information asymmetry is everywhere. The more value in the deal the more judgement you have to exercise to filter the information. Ultimately – it is you who owns your portfolio revenue and leading Client’s through buying journey with your company. And here cognitive dissonance comes into play.  It occurs when inconsistency between what you believe and how they behave motivates people to engage in actions that will help minimize feelings of discomfort. 

My sales version of it occurs when despite having the warning signs, you believe in good intentions of the Client and value of your product and your skills as a salesman are leading you to successful closure. Of course there are other concepts you can connect to it: Polyanna effect, tendency to rationalize your actions, above-average effect etc. This is not an academic research.

Bottom line – you thought you were doing great and you and up with a loss. My manager used to tell „Salespeople tend to have happy ears” – prioritizing good things they hear and feed their hope of closure. On the other hand being too critical will lead to question everything and kills positive energy and hope needed to be successful in this profession. 

How to not become mad as a hatter?

I have few things I consider useful:

1. Make it project management. Outline the steps, assign the role and tasks, assess deadlines. Organization brings peace of mind.
    
2. Validate or don’t make assumptions – it is hard but the less thing you assume, the more you are on the safe side. Validate and confirm as much as you can during the conversation with different stakeholders and Partners. What comes handy is „triangulation” – ask three people on their view of the situation. Truth lies in parts that are mutual for every story.
   
3. Reason through logic. Do you actually have any kind of evidence – note, confirmation, date, event – which proves that the process will go as you think it will? Remember – argument must be supported with evidence.
   
4. Seek inspiration in diversity. Reading poetry can help in sales. Take some time-off to think distance yourself and do things you rarely do but like. Than come back to your pipeline or certain opportunity and think again.
   
5. Be fair to yourself. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Do not assume that you are above average in with your sales instinct. The more you do, the more stick to point number 2.
   

In generally what makes you stand on your ground are the structure – the more you know and the more you organize that knowledge around a deal – the easier it is to see the roadblock and problems. And act upon it. 

When you don’t you stay in the dark and best of your wishes will not charm the reality to bend to your side. Use things above, I tried to prioritize them.