Complacency - The Business Killer

Complacency is a business challenge that almost every sales force faces. It is not the result of apathy, carelessness or a flaw in personality. It is what happens if a task or job becomes too repetitive and it can happen without employees or managers even realizing it. Complacency can also occur when Business Owners become almost prideful and narcissistic in themselves; in other words they take their contentment in success too far.

Owning a successful business is one of the truest ideals of the World Dream, a joy and a privilege, and not to be taken for granted. Many complacent business owners have hit some of their initial goals, so they become satiated. The novelty of the business has worn off, and there just isn't that "fire in the belly" that drove the first few phases. Bear in mind that in order for most companies to get business, they have to take it away from someone else. If a business owner becomes complacent and not watchful, it will be their business that loses customers and sales.

Complacency is an intrinsic flaw that prevents people and organizations from pushing beyond the status quo to achieve exceptional successes. Success, and the resulting tendency to become complacent, often leads organizations and individuals to believe that they are very talented, have figured things out, have the answers to all the questions, and no longer need to get their hands dirty in the trenches. To avoid this issue, an organization must have absolute clarity in their sales process, with the measurements of the key activities that drive the organization's sales funnel. By defining the key activities that drive a customer through each phase, an organization can define the behaviors that are most relevant to managing sales performance. By keeping employees invested in the company goals, a manager or owner can help everyone keep their eyes on this very important aspect of performance.

Salespeople often get complacent in booming economic times, only to suffer extreme disappointment when there's an economic downturn. We've all faced this issue in our careers & we've witnessed others who get complacent. Many of our jobs are repetitive in nature, and the more we repeat what we are doing, the better the chance that we are becoming complacent without even realizing it. When complacent, the valued things that had captivated our thoughts, hearts, and energies tend to fade from priority and can even become mundane or the boring routine of everyday life. Like water, complacent people follow the easiest course -- downhill.

Complacency is a known problem and must be clearly recognized as a causal factor in killing sales and business success. It can kill entire organizations. Complacency makes people fear the unknown, mistrust the untried, and abhor the new; especially the new. In the face of complacency, Business Owners and employees resist change. They will stick to what they have always done even when it stops working because.... well it is what they have always done. Take a look around your business practices or your office. What is your company's yearly, quarterly and monthly goal. What part does each member of your team play in reaching that goal. Get your entire company or sales team invested in the goal. Only then can you and all those you work with insure that you stay at the top of the mountain rather then sliding down the easy stream to failure.