Putting things in perspective

A digital marketing campaign is much more dynamic and sustainable than a general marketing campaign. What most entrepreneurs actually want but have lost sight of in the online universe is the science of these four timeless inputs that truly reflect what they desire:

• The person - Understanding and connecting with the target audience on an individual level.
• The problem - Identifying and addressing a painful, complex, and urgent issue.
• The solution - Offering a course, coaching, product, or service that effectively resolves the identified problem.
•. Creating value - Determining how the provided solution generates value for the individual, whether through its unique features, benefits, or price point.


I think by re-establishing focus on these inputs, entrepreneurs can navigate the online landscape more effectively and achieve their desired outcomes.

What causes burnout?

I think burnout is a form of stress and stress is caused by wanting to do two things at the same time. In the field of engineering, stress refers to the presence of two opposing forces acting upon an object, and they are usually pulling in different directions. For example: It’s stressful when you are in a situation where you have an obligation to do something while lacking the motivation. It’s also stressful when you are experiencing the need to perform a task proficiently while harbouring uncertainty about your ability to do so. On the other hand, it’s not stressful to be where you want to be as I think being in a situation that aligns with your desires doesn’t cause stress. Contact me via e-mail for a 1:1 confidential meeting about your stress levels.

Receive and convey information

The basic communication skills are speaking, listening, reading, and writing. I think successful communication involves a dynamic exchange between speaking and listening as it’s through this exchange that you can build meaningful connections, foster trust, and create a sense of shared purpose. The way you communicate with others and present your ideas makes a lasting impression on people by keeping them engaged. With effective communication and active listening, you will not only convey your message but also establish authentic and mutually beneficial relationships, driving personal growth and collective progress.

Fundamental skills

The ability to listen is even more effective in the personal development arena than just telling your audience to join the mission. As effective communication involves crafting narratives that resonate with your audience, appealing to their emotions, values, and aspirations. By presenting a clear and compelling story, you can inspire others to share your passion and align themselves with your goals. I think effective communication is not solely about talking or delivering persuasive messages, it also entails actively listening and understanding the perspectives, needs, and desires of your audience. The act of listening is a powerful tool in personal development and relationship-building as by attentively listening to others, you gain insights into their motivations, concerns, and aspirations. And this will enable you to tailor your messages and initiatives to resonate more deeply with their interests and address their specific needs.

The oldest tool of influence

When you believe that something is worthwhile, you not only commit to pursuing that goal but also become driven to effectively communicate and persuade others to join you in your endeavours. I think this holds true in both personal and professional scenarios. The art of communication and storytelling, often referred to as sales, becomes essential when pursuing a partner, inspiring employees, attracting investors, building a personal brand, or engaging with customers. The ability to convey your vision, values, and aspirations in a compelling manner is crucial for capturing the attention and support of others.

Be the change you want to see

What is mindful blindness?

Mindful blindness is when human beings including institutions turn a blind eye to the truth to feel safe, reduce anxiety, avoid conflicts, and protect their prestige and reputations. There are several factors that contribute to mindful blindness, these may include cognitive biases such as confirmation bias, which leads individuals to seek out information that confirms their pre-existing beliefs and ignore contradictory evidence. Other factors include social pressures, fear of consequences or reprisals, groupthink - a phenomenon where group members prioritise consensus over critical thinking - and the desire to maintain a positive self-image or protect one's reputation.


The consequences of mindful blindness can be far-reaching and hinder personal growth, impede decision-making processes, prevent the identification and resolution of problems, and perpetuate harmful behaviours or practices. In organizational settings, mindful blindness can lead to unethical conduct, negligence, and even legal violations. At a societal level, it can contribute to systemic issues, such as discrimination, corruption, and social injustice. I think that to address mindful blindness will require individuals and institutions to cultivate a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths and acknowledge the limitations of their perspectives. And this involves promoting critical thinking, fostering open and transparent communication, encouraging diverse viewpoints, and actively seeking out and considering different sources of information.

Dare to be different

Our infatuation with violence has given rise to a culture that should not be a source of pride. This is due to the fact that violence sells, we are all familiar with the saying, "If it bleeds, it leads," but this approach does not contribute to the development of a culture worth celebrating. Instead, I think we should adopt the mindset of not caring about the number of followers we have and refrain from pressing the boost button, as our primary goal should not be to appease platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Our true objective is to create a body of work that brings us a sense of pride, focusing on cultivating a modest but dedicated audience that can provide support, be it 10, 100, 1,000, or 10,000 individuals. Once we become comfortable with having enough in a world of endless possibilities, the amount of noise we generate becomes inconsequential.

Emotion drives behaviour

Smart people often change their minds. I think that it’s unwise to assume that objective reality holds significant importance in human behaviour. What truly influences people’s actions is the interplay between objective entity, the contextual framework within which it’s perceived, the perception of that context, the emotions or significance evoked by that perception, and ultimately, the emotions that propel behaviour. Unlike the orderly mapping observed in physics, human behaviour entails a convoluted process involving four or five intermediate stages, making it anything but neat.

““In anything at all, perfection is finally attained not when there is no longer anything to add, but when there is no longer anything to take away.””
— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Sales managers vs. Sales leaders

What’s the difference between a sales manager and sales leader?

I think a sales manager is typically responsible for overseeing a team of sales representatives or salespeople. And their primary focus is on managing the day-to-day operations of the sales team, including setting sales targets, monitoring performance, providing coaching, and training, and ensuring that sales goals are met. Sales managers often have a more hands-on role in the execution and supervision of sales activities.

The role of sales leaders is not only managing the sales team, and they also play a key role in developing and implementing the overall sales strategy for the organisation. Sales leaders are responsible for setting long-term sales goals, identifying growth opportunities, establishing sales processes and best practices, fostering a sales-driven culture, and guiding the team towards achieving high-performance results. I think sales leaders should get to know salespersons and find out what drives and motivates them in their professional career and personal life. And this will make the sales leaders easier to focus on inspiring, motivating, and empowering the sales team to excel and exceed expectations.

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Clarity 3 of 3

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Do or should you care?

I think this question is crucial for individual employees and their engagement within an organisation. When leaders effectively communicate the organisation's purpose, values, and goals, employees will evaluate their alignment with these factors. Clarity in communication allows individuals to understand the impact of their work and whether it resonates with their own values and aspirations. When employees see the significance of their contributions, this fosters a sense of commitment, pride, and engagement within the organisation.

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Clarity 2 of 3

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What value does your organisation serve?

Identifying the value or purpose an organisation serves is closely tied to its mission. I think this involves recognising the impact the organisation has on its stakeholders, whether it's customers, clients, employees, or the broader community. Leaders should be able to clearly articulate the unique value proposition of the organisation and how it differentiates itself from competitors. This clarity helps employees understand the significance of their contributions and how they can create value through their work.

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Clarity 1 of 3

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Why does your organisation exist?

I think understanding the purpose and reason for an organisation's existence is essential for both leaders and employees. It also provides a sense of meaning and helps guide the decision-making process. By articulating the organisation's mission and vision, leaders can clarify the overall objective and communicate it to the entire team. This clarity allows individuals to understand how their work contributes to the larger picture and motivates them to strive towards shared goals.

An influencer

Influencers play a significant role in the fashion industry by promoting and endorsing brands and products to their large and engaged social media followers. I think real influencers move the needle, unfortunately there are far too many people who are being paid as an influencer and do not influence consumer behaviour and purchasing decisions. Kayne “Ye” West is an influencer, and his Yeezy collaboration with Adidas was terminated due to his alleged inappropriate behaviour. Adidas have admitted that they are experiencing a serious economic downturn. Read more here

Don't shoot yourself in the foot

Are you familiar with the perverse incentives?

Yes, a perverse incentive is an incentive that has an unintended and undesirable result that is contrary to the intentions of its designers. The cobra effect is the most direct kind of perverse incentive, typically because the incentive unintentionally rewards people for making the issue worse. I have seen many wonderful buildings with useless signage, for example, Heathrow Terminal 5. There are many examples of how incentives can have unintended consequences and lead to perverse outcomes, for example, paying doctors based on the number of procedures they perform, rather than the quality of care they provide as this can incentivize doctors to perform unnecessary procedures. Another example is providing subsidies to farmers for growing certain crops even if they are not in high demand, leading to oversupply and lower prices.

I think that in these turbulent times we should all be aware of perverse incentives as they can arise in various contexts, including government policies, corporate cultures, and social norms. Stay vigilant!

You just never know

Sometimes it’s hard to behave with patience when the rest of my life is run on efficiency. If you understand yourself then it should easier to put yourself in somebody else’s shoes, for example, if they are having a tough time or are angry, it’s a good idea to not just dive in and respond to their behaviour. It makes more sense to stop and think about why this person is behaving like that and ask yourself where this behaviour is coming from? Understand it, and if they are just responding emotionally to something and you respond emotionally in return, this behaviour will not get you anywhere. So, it makes sense to hold back, wait and find out the real reason for their outburst.

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Maintaining inner peace

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Sales can be a high-pressure job, and dealing with rejection and failure can take a toll on one's mental resilience. I think that failure is a natural part of the sales process. Rather than seeing failure as a setback, try to view it as an opportunity to learn and improve. Take your time to analyse what went wrong and use that knowledge to refine your approach and become more effective in the future. Success in sales requires a combination of mental and physical resilience, as well as a willingness to learn and adapt.

 

It's important to find ways to maintain your mental and physical well-being to avoid burnout. Staying physically fit can definitely help you maintain mental resilience. Exercise can be a great way to release stress and boost your energy levels. In addition, finding activities that you enjoy, such as listening to podcasts or reading books, can help you relax and recharge. Ultimately, by taking care of yourself and continuously improving your skills, you can overcome the challenges of the profession and achieve your goals. Everybody’s energy comes from different sources, I attend the morning Church service in central Copenhagen and I can highly recommend it.

Memory loves meaning

When we try to understand something deeply, it's important to ask why it's true and how it relates to other things we know. I think this helps us to organise the information in our minds and make connections between different pieces of information. This is known as "elaborative rehearsal" in psychology, where we try to relate new information to our existing knowledge. And when we understand the connections between different pieces of information, we are more likely to remember them in the long-term, because our brains can retrieve related information more easily. In my case, this is why it's more effective to learn a concept or idea in context, rather than simply memorising a list of facts.


I have found it helpful to break down complex ideas into smaller, more manageable parts and then focus on understanding each part before moving on to the next. I think one effective way to improve our ability to understand and remember information is to practice active learning techniques, for example, summarising information in our own words, creating mind maps or diagrams to visualise connections between ideas, and then testing ourselves regularly to reinforce our memory. What about you?

Feel good factors

Tirana 2023

The more someone tells you how strong they are the less likely their strength is real. The more someone posts images of their perfect body the less likely they feel perfect in it. I think people should focus on winning their inside game because once you open the faucet of external validation it never fills.

““Your value does not decrease based on someone’s inability to see your worth.” ”
— Professor Richard Feynman

Routines are necessary

What do top salespersons and elite athletes have in common?

Both salespersons and elite athletes require discipline, focus, and the ability to perform consistently at a high level. No matter where you go on earth, when you meet top salespersons regardless of the industry, they all have a routine. Most sales days are unstructured so if you don’t have a routine, it’s easy to drift off into things that are trivial  or “important” but they make no impact and add no value. Perhaps, I’m biased because I come from the sports world, but I have observed regardless of where you are in the world, the one thing all elite athletes have in common is routine. They all have a routine that they stick to, whether it’s a practice routine, whether it’s a game routine, they all have a “go to” routine that they always stick to. I think routine helps to eliminate distractions, builds good habits and will increases your chances of achieving success.

Do we add value objectively?

As humans we don’t perceive or value things objectively, as the context of something determines our reaction to it. Therefore, if you want to make something more valuable you can either change the thing itself or you can change the content. I think that there are only two ways to produce a valuable product innovation and marketing.

1.          Find out what people really want and then work out a clever way to make it.

2.          Find out something you can make and find out a way to make people want it.