“We’re clear on that point, right?” asked the sales person. I could only meet for 30 minutes, not the full hour he was hoping for, so he was rushing through his pitch. It was clear he was trying to fit an hour of content into half the time instead of adjusting his approach.

Then things began to spiral. When the slides weren’t moving at his pace, he laughed nervously and said “My internet is as slow as my brain today.” His mindset only made things more awkward. I couldn’t wait to end the call.

When we hung up, I wondered how he thought the call went. Maybe he thought “She just wasn’t talkative” or “At least I got through my pitch.” Had he listened instead of rushing forward, he would have learned what I needed quicker and I would have stayed engaged.

If I could have coached him, here are three things I would have told him to do differently:

1. Manage your mindset: I can almost read his mind. It was some version of, “I have to get through everything in half the time.” As a result, he was rushed and frazzled. Instead, let the voice in your head be one of quiet confidence. For instance, “If she feels like I understand the problem she's trying to solve, she’ll be more likely to want a second call.”

2. Get curious: Ask questions that draw out my perspective and knowledge. Instead of “We’re clear on that point, right?” ask a curious question that shows your interest in learning more about my needs. For instance, “How have you been solving the problem so far? What’s working?”

3. Stay on my track: Let go of your agenda and ask, “What do you want to get out of our time right now?” In this case, we would have narrowed in on my priorities and he could have tailored his answers to my needs. Instead, he chose to stay on his track and lost the sale.

When sales people are good at those three things, they create a connection that can lead to better results.

Therese Miclot is Proteus' Director of Facilitation Excellence. She delivers – and teaches others to deliver – dynamic, interactive, world-class learning experiences.

Proteus and Koppett set the standard for facilitation excellence. We’ve defined what great facilitators do, so you can assess facilitator performance accurately and consistently benchmark with world-class organizations. Our approach supports people at all levels with individualized feedback and targeted coaching to expand their range and increase their impact. Proteus International.com