SalesTV.live – Resilience is the Sales Superpower Nobody Talks About
Sales is tough - rejection, pressure, and uncertainty are part of the job. But while most sales training focuses on skills and strategy, the real differentiator is resilience. Without it, even the best techniques fall flat. So how do top performers stay mentally strong in the face of setbacks?
This week on SalesTV.live we welcome Volker Ballueder, a seasoned executive coach, bestselling author, and commercial leader who has spent over 20 years helping professionals navigate stress, overcome imposter syndrome, and build the mental toughness to succeed.
In this episode, we'll ask:
* What are the biggest resilience challenges facing sales professionals today?
* How does emotional intelligence impact a salesperson’s ability to handle rejection?
* What mindset shifts separate those who thrive from those who burn out?
* How can sales leaders foster resilience within their teams?
With decades of experience coaching executives and sales leaders, Volker has seen firsthand what holds professionals back - and what propels them forward. His insights blend neuroscience, emotional intelligence, and leadership principles to help salespeople develop the resilience they need to perform at their best.
Facts, the latest thinking, chat, and banter about the world of sales.
Come and join us for some lively discussion and debate.
Volker Ballueder, a seasoned executive coach, bestselling author, and commercial leader
Alex Abbott, Founder of Supero
Alex Abbott [00:00:02]:
Welcome back to Sales TV. The show where we dive into the real world challenges and strategies that drive success in b two b sales. Today we're tackling a crucial topic, resilience in sales. In an environment where rejection pressure and uncertainty are daily battles, resilience isn't a nice to have, it's a necessity. Joining me today is someone who knows all about this. A seasoned coach, best selling author and twenty years experience as a commercial leader, He is helping professionals navigate stress, overcome imposter syndrome, and build the mental toughness needed to thrive. We'll explore how emotional intelligence plays a role in resilience and how sales professionals can strengthen their mindset to stay on top of their game. Volker, it's great to have you here.
Alex Abbott [00:01:04]:
You've had such a diverse career, leading teams, coaching executives, writing books, about success and productivity. But before we dive into today's topic, can you share a little bit about yourself, your journey, and why resilience is such a core focus for you?
Volker Ballueder [00:01:24]:
Yeah. I mean, first of all, thanks for having me, Alex. So, I was just thinking this morning when we first met. So so so it's a bit like a romance here.
Alex Abbott [00:01:31]:
Yeah. Yeah. Was it was it and the first topic we discussed was was dashing and tattoos, I believe.
Volker Ballueder [00:01:39]:
Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. So in in in Holborn, in in a pub. So nowadays, we might meet somewhere else. But, yeah, it's, yeah, great. You know, it's been three years now, four years, I think.
Volker Ballueder [00:01:49]:
Yeah. You know, just as we came out of, lockdown. So yeah. So so resilience. Let's talk a bit about resilience. So why why why I'm so interested in that topic. So I've been since I've been coaching for many years, I've had a commercial career of twenty years leading sales teams, you know, done done the groundwork myself, moving through the ranks. And sales in particular is a constant as as you know.
Volker Ballueder [00:02:13]:
Right? It's it's probably most people listening though. It's a constant up and down. Right? It's constant management of, you know, where do I put my energy, letting go of things, moving forward, you know, building yourself up, overcoming limiting beliefs, not talking yourself down. So so it has been a constant struggle if I say for myself or for most sales
Alex Abbott [00:02:35]:
people. Mhmm.
Volker Ballueder [00:02:35]:
On top of that, I was lucky enough or not lucky enough to work in an industry that, if I say gone through a lot of mergers and acquisitions at the time I was there. Mhmm. Which meant I took seven redundancies in my career. So usually, you know, I was out of fence to my American friends, but it was American companies buying British European companies. Then after years, they did a whole restructure. They let everyone go. They rebuilds company or obligated it, which I guess from business perspective. And I think without great resilience, I I wouldn't be sitting here talking about sales.
Volker Ballueder [00:03:11]:
I would have gone off and done something different, which I kind of have because, you know, I I now coach sales leaders to do a lot of sales leadership coaching, sales coaching, executive coaching, and helping people to, you know, if I say navigate the the game of sales and, you know, the mindset of sales.
Alex Abbott [00:03:31]:
Yeah. It it and it really is a a game at times and
Volker Ballueder [00:03:35]:
It is.
Alex Abbott [00:03:35]:
I think partly it's it's healthy to see it as a game, a game that you play, new tactics and strategies in the hope that that you win. But for many, it it doesn't feel like a game. And and they're stuck in the cycle of high levels of stress, struggling with with poor mental health depending on which research you, you you read.
Volker Ballueder [00:04:01]:
I mean, when so so and so so so yeah. Yeah. In terms of, you know, mental health, I think that's something totally overlooked in in terms of salespeople. Right? I mean, we talk so much about mental health and, you know, mental health in the workplace. And as as as you know, I'm I'm a mindfulness practitioner. So I know I have been meditating for twenty years, which probably helped me build this self awareness and and the resilience. I say properly, it did help me. I'm also teaching mindfulness.
Volker Ballueder [00:04:32]:
But I remember when when when I got qualified as a mindfulness trainer which was just before the pandemic twenty nineteen, taking it to companies was like, well, that's fluffy. Right? We don't really like that. Yeah. I I since added a a therapy degree to to my remit and, you know, to to work with people to say much much deeper. Right? Mhmm. But I think and obviously I'm biased in terms of that. But I think every every, salesperson should have access to a therapist and a sales coach. One, if I say, to to really navigate the mental health issues and mental health fallout almost from from the sales, ups and downs.
Volker Ballueder [00:05:10]:
Because you're you're naturally prone to that. Right? And then a coach obviously to to increase the performance and and yeah. Let's call it a game of sales. I like that. Like, I've always had this money.
Alex Abbott [00:05:22]:
Let's, if you don't mind, let's jump around a little bit because I just wanna touch on that that topic of mental health because I I do feel it's still a taboo topic in many companies or at least perhaps not taboo, but they're not leaning into it and, taking it quite as seriously as they could for various reasons. And, you know, wellness days and days off don't really cut it, I think. You know? It needs it needs to be deeper. I personally believe everyone should have someone like Volker as, you know, employed or, you know, trained to to be there to help salespeople navigate a a way forward.
Volker Ballueder [00:06:07]:
I naturally would agree, of course. But I I I think you're right because the the problem I I don't know if there's a if there's a word for it. Right? Called greenwashing maybe. I don't know. Greenwashing is more about the the the the, you know, the environmental impact. But, you know, what whatever washing it is. Right? But we we have these wellness days, you know. We we we getting people into to give massages or whatever the case might be and we go like, oh, this is for well-being.
Volker Ballueder [00:06:39]:
Right? What what really helps our mental health? That's that's a big question. And in my opinion, it comes down a lot to the culture of the organization. Right? And and and the tick box exercise to have a yoga session once a week or maybe even a mindfulness session is kind of like, yeah, we we've done something. Right? It's like a little bit diversity and inclusion, you know, or we we hired someone from a different background. Right? We we do a tick box. And then look to no. No. We if we we mentioned America twice already, but, in America, diversity and inclusion is just disappearing because we think we don't need it.
Volker Ballueder [00:07:17]:
And I'm like, this this is a step back. Yeah. So so I I I would argue for, you know, almost having, like, an in house counselor as you would have an in house coach for for most companies. So someone who comes in, and and a friend of mine does this very successfully, you know, as as a counselor, he sits in there, you know, virtually or or in real life in a company, and people can come in and confidentially have a chat. And that that's something most companies don't do yet. But I I would think it's coming. I mean, I had a I had a great discussion last week with someone. And if I say when when when I was in my heydays of sales, right, that, you know, no one talked about therapy.
Volker Ballueder [00:08:02]:
You know, the the the word therapy for me only became a thing if I say last maybe four or five years. Maybe probably because of COVID. People, you know, normalized, you know, the word therapist. When I grew up, when I went to my first sales jobs, right, working on proposals until 03:00 in the morning or, you know, whatever we did. Right? Yeah. Mental health, no no one cared. Right? You're you're you're tough. Right? You're you're you're you're pull through.
Volker Ballueder [00:08:30]:
Right? But, you know, it's it's not good, you know, and it's people. Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:08:38]:
It definitely feels like the world we live in is is changing for the better in in that respect. You you've only got to look at health generally and the fact that Yeah. Most most, you know, of the health system has been look looking at fixing you when you're broken as opposed to helping to prevent. We were talking about nutrition before we went
Volker Ballueder [00:09:01]:
What you say? Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:09:02]:
We went live. But this I think the same is true for therapy, you know, and, let's not wait until you need therapy. Let's ensure that we're taking preventative measures in the professional workplace. Look. You've worked you've worked with so many professionals that I'm sure are facing burnout and and stress, and the burnout can often creep up on on people without really knowing until it's too late. What are some of the biggest patterns that you see in salespeople that are perhaps struggling with resilience?
Volker Ballueder [00:09:44]:
It's it's it's a good question. I don't think there is a pattern as such. Right? So I'm working with a VP at the moment, which, obviously, I can't name him. But, and and then, you know, he might be listening, so I have to be careful what I say. So but it's what what you often see is is is overworking. Right? Being really involved in the actual sales process. Being emotional involved in the process. Right? Not being able to let go of, if I say, the numbers, the figures.
Volker Ballueder [00:10:17]:
So it's this it's essentially the pressure of of having to perform. Right? And whether you're a sales leader or an individual, you you you measure your own self worth based on, you know, the performance at your job. Right? And I think a lot of sales people do that. It's a I don't hit the target. If if if I don't achieve, I don't know, ten, twenty, 30 percent growth year on year Yeah. I am not good enough. Right? So then the company, maybe it's a product, maybe it's a market condition. But it's a fine line then for salesperson to go like, I cannot achieve my targets.
Alex Abbott [00:10:57]:
Mhmm.
Volker Ballueder [00:10:58]:
Course the market conditions because I don't have the support, because the product isn't ready. Because then we're looking for excuses.
Alex Abbott [00:11:05]:
Yeah. Right? Yeah. So You you know, you just reminded me.
Volker Ballueder [00:11:10]:
Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:11:11]:
One of the things that I used to do I I think this might be beneficial to our listeners. Yeah. One of the things that I used to do when, you know, I wasn't hitting the, the KPIs, whether it's a pipeline number that's often picked out of the air or a revenue number that depending on which company you're at, it's often picked out of the air as opposed to scientifically looked at based on territory size Yeah. Opportunity generation rate, average order value, etcetera. What one of the things that I used to do was have my own measures that were kinda lead measures that I was going in the right direction. And I would often use those to defend my position with my boss to say, I'm on the right track. You might not realize it. You've given me all of this negative pressure which isn't helpful, but let me tell you I'm on the right track.
Alex Abbott [00:12:06]:
It would make me feel good that I was going in the right direction. I think every salesperson should have those measures so they can defend their own position. Believe that.
Volker Ballueder [00:12:17]:
I I I think every manager should have those measures. Right? Because if you, there's another person I worked with recently. He he now left the company, funny enough. And, again, the the HQ decided this year, we're not gonna pay out any bonuses because the company, you know, needs to save a little bit. Right? They I don't know if they wanted to go public about it. They they wanted to increase their numbers, basically. So so no bonuses. So in order to avoid bonuses, they ranked everyone down in the performance review.
Volker Ballueder [00:12:48]:
So you so the person I was working with, he was an over performer. He was ranked, you know, what whatever ranking they had. Right? I don't know. ABC ranking was ranked really low, so he wouldn't get his bonus. Totally demotivates him, of course. Right? And and he just decided to leave. Whilst his boss tried to obviously keep him. Right? And what you just described, I think, is such an important thing to do as as a boss.
Volker Ballueder [00:13:13]:
And that's that's where we're coming to emotional intelligence. Right? Mhmm. Working with the individual, being being an authentic leader and say, listen, We know we can't achieve. I don't know. It's a million target. Right? But you are on the right tracks. What you're doing is the right thing. And I can send that to the top by, you know, going through with you on the pipeline.
Volker Ballueder [00:13:34]:
And I try to get the most out of you because it will affect your managers, if I say performance as well. Right? So if you don't hit your targets, he won't he won't hit his target, their target. And then ultimately, the company won't. And I have an excellent boss like that. We you know, many, many years ago, now ten ten years ago, unfortunately, he he passed away a few years ago, but he he was human. Right? So we we were sitting down and going, and the reason I say human by the way, there's a great discussion I'm just taking case with, taking part in in on LinkedIn that's more about authentic and and being human at work and and just being. So if you follow me, have a look what I comment on. But then this this authentic leadership, this, you know, going in and saying, listen, Volker, you know, we we do the best we can.
Volker Ballueder [00:14:22]:
Right? How can we move forward? You're doing okay rather than, oh, you're not doing okay. You're not hitting the numbers. The pressure's on, and so on. And I used to have a boss like that as well, and I told him quite frankly, I told him to fuck off. I I remember he called me, like, 07:30 in the morning. Yeah. Sorry. Apologies.
Volker Ballueder [00:14:40]:
Am I allowed to swear on you?
Alex Abbott [00:14:42]:
I guess so. I guess so. I'm not gonna stop you.
Volker Ballueder [00:14:45]:
You know, so so, you know, he caught me up at 07:30 in the morning trying trying to tell me, you know, how I had to do my forecast. And I'm like, you know what? You can f off. It's just it's not gonna happen.
Alex Abbott [00:14:55]:
I guess that works as long as the, you know, the the manager is assertive enough to, tell them when they're doing the wrong things and help help coach them through or direct them depending on their level Yeah. To do the right things. Now you mentioned in the opening, you've been through seven We've done direct acquisitions. You must have seen some, quite a bit of change in your time. Can you share a moment from your own career where resilience played a key role in your success?
Volker Ballueder [00:15:31]:
I mean, in in terms of sales, I mean, there there there are several examples. But in terms of sales, you know, when when you have a deal, you know, you're working on for, I don't know, six months, twelve months. Right? Enterprise size deal. And you you think you ticked all the boxes. Right? Yeah. The background check, the proposal's all there, the pricing is alright, you know, the the internal buyers. Okay. Right? Procurement signed it off.
Volker Ballueder [00:15:58]:
So you're you're on this winning streak. Right? You're you're ready. You're just waiting for the signature. Yeah. And, you know, a, ghosting is you know, I think ghosting becomes more and more popular. I I have clients, you know, sales clients that ghost me. And I'm like, just tell me. You know, you don't have much to come up with an excuse, but don't ghost people.
Volker Ballueder [00:16:17]:
I think that's rude. Yeah. Wrong tangent. But then, you know, the the client started to to ghost me. Right? Not getting back to me. And I'm like, you know, you have a gut feeling. Right? Yeah. Something's wrong with that deal.
Volker Ballueder [00:16:30]:
And eventually, they I think they had a budget cut or whatever it was. So, you know, that deal of of several hundred thousands, you know, didn't didn't come through,
Alex Abbott [00:16:38]:
you know.
Volker Ballueder [00:16:39]:
And what what are you gonna do? Mhmm. Right.
Alex Abbott [00:16:42]:
You
Volker Ballueder [00:16:42]:
can sit there and if I say cry and, you know, beat yourself up and and get annoyed. But the problem is there there was no way you could have, you know, predicted that. You know? So there was no warning sign whatsoever. So it was I don't know. Call it unlucky. Right? Which which is why you're trying to have more than one of those deals at any one point in time, but they they take a lot of time and invest them. And then it comes back to resilience. Right? Picking yourself up.
Volker Ballueder [00:17:12]:
You know, you might you might go for a few pints. Right? I mean, not that I encourage anyone to drink, but, you know, you you reset yourself. Right? You go like, okay. Mhmm. All aligned on that, but let's move forward. Right? The next deal will work better. You know? What? Reflect on it. Right? What what worked well? What what are the shortfalls? Talk with us.
Volker Ballueder [00:17:32]:
Talk with your colleague. Go through it and go like, okay. Did we miss anything? Was was there a warning sign I didn't spot? My boss didn't spot. Right? Talk to the clients. You you'd be surprised how often the the client, especially the main contact, might actually help you as well to go through it and say, you know what, Volker? Nothing to do with you. There were budgets cut, new boss over in in HQ. Right? And they just put everything on hold. Mhmm.
Volker Ballueder [00:18:00]:
And,
Alex Abbott [00:18:02]:
you know,
Volker Ballueder [00:18:02]:
you could be the best salesperson in the world. There's nothing nothing you can do. Right? You can just hope that you have a really good relationship with the main buyer and decision maker. That person goes to the next, you know, company and gets in straight away. But yeah. Yeah. These are the moments you need to be resilient to pick yourself up because if you can't, don't work in sales as soon as that.
Alex Abbott [00:18:26]:
Yeah. Right. So let's dig into resilience a little bit Yeah. And understanding resilience. How would you define resilience in the context of b two b skills?
Volker Ballueder [00:18:41]:
So so so resilience, and and I wrote that definition down, is to be able to adapt, recover, and then face, you know, adversity. Right? Face rejection. So in sales, it's all about facing rejection. Right? And it's it's just be able to move on from that, you know. Not as I said earlier, right, don't don't personalize it. You know? Analyze it, but don't personalize it. You know? Don't think, oh, you know, it it was me. You know? It was all my fault.
Volker Ballueder [00:19:14]:
Right? As as soon as you think that's that's the case, you know, you might as well pack your backs and go and get a different job.
Alex Abbott [00:19:22]:
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:19:25]:
What I said earlier is that there's a detection of self worth, right, from the outcome. Mhmm. You know, this self worth isn't, you know so some people this deal I just described. Some people would go lose that deal and go like, oh, I'm shit at sales. I quit sales. You know, this is just not for me. Mhmm.
Alex Abbott [00:19:42]:
Yeah. That's people.
Volker Ballueder [00:19:43]:
I think people are doing that because they they couldn't handle it because their self worth was associated to that deal.
Alex Abbott [00:19:51]:
Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:19:51]:
It's not you.
Alex Abbott [00:19:53]:
Yeah. That's an important point actually and and certainly for me in my own career early on, I I didn't have the self self worth. I mean, it was attached to my performance, my success, and, yeah, maybe that helped me become a high performing salesperson, but it didn't help me, you know, be the person that I could be, become the person Yeah. I now am today. And I think that's an important, I guess, element of the therapy or the coaching is to help people identify, you know, what's important to them, what what makes up their core values and beliefs that they can they can stand true to when things are good, when things are bad.
Volker Ballueder [00:20:39]:
%. I mean, it it reminds me of of, let's say, another example of my career. So that was actually my second ever job. So you you don't find it. I think I I think I took it off LinkedIn on my CV. I wanna be honest in case anyone's listening, any HR people. But it's essentially, I I I work for a telemarketing company, selling conferences. I did really, really well, you know, but after eighteen months, I kind of got hit the ceiling.
Volker Ballueder [00:21:08]:
And and my boss said, we we work something out. We want to keep you, you know. And I was young. Right? I'm like, you know, Anthony, if you're listening, I'm really sorry. No. I should have stayed. But anyway, I decided that that the grass is greener. Right? I can join the start up.
Volker Ballueder [00:21:22]:
I'm selling business information in emerging markets. Little did I know as a person who owns the company, he he was a quite frankly, he's a maniac. So if you listen Right. Let's not say that. He hired and fired me three times in one morning, you know, like, coming you know, googling things, oh, you didn't do this, you didn't do that, you know, you're shit. And, you know, I
Alex Abbott [00:21:45]:
one of those bosses.
Volker Ballueder [00:21:46]:
Well, I actually made a mistake. He says, oh, you you hired. You know, you can come back. Back and forth literally all morning. Yeah. And Givna was quite young in my career. I'm like, what the fuck is happening? Right? And it was the same day we were supposed to have lunch, my wife or or now wife, you know, to to discuss to move to Dubai with him. Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:22:07]:
And, I walked out of his office and literally five minutes later, as if nothing has happened, he goes like, you know, his PA came through and says, you know, we we we are now ready for lunch. And I'm like, I'm not. I said, I'm taking the afternoon off. And, I went to the next Nero. So I remember that very vividly on on Victoria Street in in London, and I sent him a message from my, let's say, semi smartphone, and and I resigned. And, you know, because there there was no emotional intelligence. Right? There was setback because I was so associated my career with with that company, you know, and and selling things. I sold things.
Volker Ballueder [00:22:44]:
I mean, I was best performing salesperson within no time. And it's it's this overcoming that and go like, you know what? It was the situation I was put in. I need to get over that and I need to move on. And and I remember my next job, great manager I had, you know, and and he was so confident, so outgoing. And, like, I I wanna be back there, you know. I wanna be like him again. And it it took me a while, you know, to overcome that. Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:23:12]:
It's it's it's it's able to to overcome this adversity. And, you know, if if I say just just move on, you know, and and not go. It's it's not personal.
Alex Abbott [00:23:22]:
Yeah. No. It's a great story. It's a great example of you having the emotional intelligence to make the right decision for for you and your future wife. Yeah. Exactly. So I heard Arnie in the background. He's saying Arnie's first appearance on sales TV.
Volker Ballueder [00:23:42]:
There we go. It's a good message. Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:23:46]:
So what what, so moving on, we've we've, you know, we've got maybe five minutes left. Okay. What what are some simple daily habits that sales professionals can implement to strengthen their resilience?
Volker Ballueder [00:24:02]:
Where do we start? I I think reflection. Reflection is such an important thing. If you say it's personal or not, a daily journal. Yes. I think so so I journal twice a day. So in in every morning, I sit down for ten, fifteen minutes and go, okay. What are the three things I want to achieve today? So I can measure myself on, you know, getting the important things done.
Alex Abbott [00:24:28]:
Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:24:28]:
Right? So if if I get these things done, sending out a proposal. So so after this, I have to send out a proposal actually today. I'll do some safe coaching this afternoon. I need to prepare for a therapy session. Right? These these are important things.
Alex Abbott [00:24:42]:
Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:24:42]:
At the end of the day, sit down and reflect what what went well, what didn't go so well. Right? Reflection five minutes. I actually do a gratitude journal every day as well to to really focus on the positive things. Right? Because that's how you train your brain. Right? It's a positive sparks. You know? What what was good today? And if you had a really shitty day as a salesperson, right, let let's say every person you called, every email you got was negative, rejection, rejection, rejection. Plus, you know, you have a roof over your head, you have a toilet. Right? You you you're better than I think, is it 95% of the population? May maybe that's the wrong fact.
Volker Ballueder [00:25:20]:
Right? But the majority of the population don't have that. Right? So there there's always something to be grateful for. And hopefully, it's something like, oh, I had a really good conversation with that customer. I moved this deal along. You know, just focus on the positive things. Right? Don't don't let yourself be down. And what helps and I'm not saying everyone should meditate, but have a mindfulness practice. Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:25:44]:
Be at the moment. Right? I mean, as I say, I've I've been meditating for over twenty years. I do twenty minutes every morning. Right? That's part of my morning routine. Yeah. The gym every day. I have an hour in the gym every morning just just to work out. I mean, to stay fit.
Volker Ballueder [00:26:00]:
In our age, we we have to stay fit. Right? I mean, if if some younger sales people listen, you know, it's it's also about looking good. Right? Looking great when when you sell. But these these things, because they help with self awareness, they help with, emotional regulation as well. Right? I mean, we haven't even typed into emotional intelligence. But but being able to, you know, to understand your emotions, understand what's what's boiling up. Right? Whether that is during a sales call, and we all know that as well. Right? When the other person tabled something where you're gonna, oh, shit.
Volker Ballueder [00:26:31]:
You know, how do I react react with that? To after the sales call. Right? Mhmm. There, in in terms of emotional regulation, one one of my former colleagues, through a fax machine through an office, many moons ago, obviously, it was a fax machine. Right. Many offices with fax machines left. Yeah. That shouldn't happen to anyone. Right? You should never be in an environment where people throw a fax machine or computers, laptops through the office.
Volker Ballueder [00:26:58]:
Yeah. And if you're in such a sales environment, get out of there. Right? Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:27:03]:
Reflect
Volker Ballueder [00:27:04]:
on it. Move on. You know, so so being able to to regulate yourself, I think, is is is key. And, you know, journaling, mindfulness, you know, meditation, if if if you want to, I think are are great. And and the findings of work life balance. Right? Being able to switch off your laptop. Mhmm. And and some people and, you know, I I'm lucky enough.
Volker Ballueder [00:27:27]:
I have an office. Right? Half a garage, a box as I like to call it. Who who does to a friend of mine who has a box up in Manchester. We always call it the box. It's you know, we we are lucky. We can close the door at the end of the day. But, you know, young younger sales people, they might just be in a in a flat share in London. Right? They work at the kitchen table.
Volker Ballueder [00:27:47]:
Find a routine, you know, whenever, 06:00, six thirty, shut down the laptop, go for a walk once and once a block, go to the gym. Right? And and find a work life balance and go go back afresh, you know. Don't don't think about your work after whatever that whatever time you decide. Right? If it's six Yes. Whatever. Yes. The the these are some some key key elements because you you wanna have a life. Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:28:13]:
I don't what makes a job your life. I think that's biggest challenge most salespeople have. So because we we want to win. We we wanna make that money. That's that's what drives us on. That doesn't mean we are the product, you know. We you know, I'm I'm not my, you know, the the boss I just described. Right? I'm I'm not like him.
Volker Ballueder [00:28:33]:
Right? I'm not the person that wants to work with him. Right?
Alex Abbott [00:28:37]:
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Some great tips. Having the discipline to to stick to them, I think, you know, is is so important.
Volker Ballueder [00:28:46]:
Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:28:47]:
So, we're coming to the end now. Yeah. Where can people connect with you? Where can they learn more about you if they've heard the show this morning, they want to learn a bit more. What's the best way to get in touch? The easiest is LinkedIn.
Volker Ballueder [00:29:01]:
I'm I'm on LinkedIn probably all day. So
Alex Abbott [00:29:04]:
Yeah. If if
Volker Ballueder [00:29:05]:
you if you if you search me on LinkedIn, you know, my my email, my mobile number is on there. The link to my website, which is Obnatus, so Obnatus.us. So yeah. Just you you find me anywhere online. It's a it's an easy name to find. I have some information on my website about what what I do in terms of leadership coaching and and executive coaching and therapy. And, yeah, just hit me up. I put lots of content out there.
Volker Ballueder [00:29:31]:
So can't miss me. Thank you.
Alex Abbott [00:29:34]:
Some great videos I've seen. Thank you. Hey, mate. Volker, it's been great having you on. Thank you for sharing just a small piece of your insight and your experience with us. Hopefully, next time, we'll be able to dive into emotional intelligence a bit more.
Volker Ballueder [00:29:52]:
We we have we've hardly scratched the surface on on on emotional intelligence. And, so, yeah, there's there's lots lots more to talk about. So thank you for having me, Alex.
Alex Abbott [00:30:02]:
Yes. My my pleasure. There's there's only so much we can get through in in half an hour. Yeah. Next time. Thank you very much. Thank you to our audience. Rachel, it's, it's lovely to see you as always.
Alex Abbott [00:30:18]:
Have a great week, everyone. Until next time on Sales TV. Take care.
#Resilience #MentalToughness #SalesPerformance #Sales #Pipeline #LinkedInLive #Podcast
SalesTV.live – Resilience is the Sales Superpower Nobody Talks About
Sales is tough - rejection, pressure, and uncertainty are part of the job. But while most sales training focuses on skills and strategy, the real differentiator is resilience. Without it, even the best techniques fall flat. So how do top performers stay mentally strong in the face of setbacks?
This week on SalesTV.live we welcome Volker Ballueder, a seasoned executive coach, bestselling author, and commercial leader who has spent over 20 years helping professionals navigate stress, overcome imposter syndrome, and build the mental toughness to succeed.
In this episode, we'll ask:
* What are the biggest resilience challenges facing sales professionals today?
* How does emotional intelligence impact a salesperson’s ability to handle rejection?
* What mindset shifts separate those who thrive from those who burn out?
* How can sales leaders foster resilience within their teams?
With decades of experience coaching executives and sales leaders, Volker has seen firsthand what holds professionals back - and what propels them forward. His insights blend neuroscience, emotional intelligence, and leadership principles to help salespeople develop the resilience they need to perform at their best.
Facts, the latest thinking, chat, and banter about the world of sales.
Come and join us for some lively discussion and debate.
Volker Ballueder, a seasoned executive coach, bestselling author, and commercial leader
Alex Abbott, Founder of Supero
Alex Abbott [00:00:02]:
Welcome back to Sales TV. The show where we dive into the real world challenges and strategies that drive success in b two b sales. Today we're tackling a crucial topic, resilience in sales. In an environment where rejection pressure and uncertainty are daily battles, resilience isn't a nice to have, it's a necessity. Joining me today is someone who knows all about this. A seasoned coach, best selling author and twenty years experience as a commercial leader, He is helping professionals navigate stress, overcome imposter syndrome, and build the mental toughness needed to thrive. We'll explore how emotional intelligence plays a role in resilience and how sales professionals can strengthen their mindset to stay on top of their game. Volker, it's great to have you here.
Alex Abbott [00:01:04]:
You've had such a diverse career, leading teams, coaching executives, writing books, about success and productivity. But before we dive into today's topic, can you share a little bit about yourself, your journey, and why resilience is such a core focus for you?
Volker Ballueder [00:01:24]:
Yeah. I mean, first of all, thanks for having me, Alex. So, I was just thinking this morning when we first met. So so so it's a bit like a romance here.
Alex Abbott [00:01:31]:
Yeah. Yeah. Was it was it and the first topic we discussed was was dashing and tattoos, I believe.
Volker Ballueder [00:01:39]:
Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. So in in in Holborn, in in a pub. So nowadays, we might meet somewhere else. But, yeah, it's, yeah, great. You know, it's been three years now, four years, I think.
Volker Ballueder [00:01:49]:
Yeah. You know, just as we came out of, lockdown. So yeah. So so resilience. Let's talk a bit about resilience. So why why why I'm so interested in that topic. So I've been since I've been coaching for many years, I've had a commercial career of twenty years leading sales teams, you know, done done the groundwork myself, moving through the ranks. And sales in particular is a constant as as you know.
Volker Ballueder [00:02:13]:
Right? It's it's probably most people listening though. It's a constant up and down. Right? It's constant management of, you know, where do I put my energy, letting go of things, moving forward, you know, building yourself up, overcoming limiting beliefs, not talking yourself down. So so it has been a constant struggle if I say for myself or for most sales
Alex Abbott [00:02:35]:
people. Mhmm.
Volker Ballueder [00:02:35]:
On top of that, I was lucky enough or not lucky enough to work in an industry that, if I say gone through a lot of mergers and acquisitions at the time I was there. Mhmm. Which meant I took seven redundancies in my career. So usually, you know, I was out of fence to my American friends, but it was American companies buying British European companies. Then after years, they did a whole restructure. They let everyone go. They rebuilds company or obligated it, which I guess from business perspective. And I think without great resilience, I I wouldn't be sitting here talking about sales.
Volker Ballueder [00:03:11]:
I would have gone off and done something different, which I kind of have because, you know, I I now coach sales leaders to do a lot of sales leadership coaching, sales coaching, executive coaching, and helping people to, you know, if I say navigate the the game of sales and, you know, the mindset of sales.
Alex Abbott [00:03:31]:
Yeah. It it and it really is a a game at times and
Volker Ballueder [00:03:35]:
It is.
Alex Abbott [00:03:35]:
I think partly it's it's healthy to see it as a game, a game that you play, new tactics and strategies in the hope that that you win. But for many, it it doesn't feel like a game. And and they're stuck in the cycle of high levels of stress, struggling with with poor mental health depending on which research you, you you read.
Volker Ballueder [00:04:01]:
I mean, when so so and so so so yeah. Yeah. In terms of, you know, mental health, I think that's something totally overlooked in in terms of salespeople. Right? I mean, we talk so much about mental health and, you know, mental health in the workplace. And as as as you know, I'm I'm a mindfulness practitioner. So I know I have been meditating for twenty years, which probably helped me build this self awareness and and the resilience. I say properly, it did help me. I'm also teaching mindfulness.
Volker Ballueder [00:04:32]:
But I remember when when when I got qualified as a mindfulness trainer which was just before the pandemic twenty nineteen, taking it to companies was like, well, that's fluffy. Right? We don't really like that. Yeah. I I since added a a therapy degree to to my remit and, you know, to to work with people to say much much deeper. Right? Mhmm. But I think and obviously I'm biased in terms of that. But I think every every, salesperson should have access to a therapist and a sales coach. One, if I say, to to really navigate the mental health issues and mental health fallout almost from from the sales, ups and downs.
Volker Ballueder [00:05:10]:
Because you're you're naturally prone to that. Right? And then a coach obviously to to increase the performance and and yeah. Let's call it a game of sales. I like that. Like, I've always had this money.
Alex Abbott [00:05:22]:
Let's, if you don't mind, let's jump around a little bit because I just wanna touch on that that topic of mental health because I I do feel it's still a taboo topic in many companies or at least perhaps not taboo, but they're not leaning into it and, taking it quite as seriously as they could for various reasons. And, you know, wellness days and days off don't really cut it, I think. You know? It needs it needs to be deeper. I personally believe everyone should have someone like Volker as, you know, employed or, you know, trained to to be there to help salespeople navigate a a way forward.
Volker Ballueder [00:06:07]:
I naturally would agree, of course. But I I I think you're right because the the problem I I don't know if there's a if there's a word for it. Right? Called greenwashing maybe. I don't know. Greenwashing is more about the the the the, you know, the environmental impact. But, you know, what whatever washing it is. Right? But we we have these wellness days, you know. We we we getting people into to give massages or whatever the case might be and we go like, oh, this is for well-being.
Volker Ballueder [00:06:39]:
Right? What what really helps our mental health? That's that's a big question. And in my opinion, it comes down a lot to the culture of the organization. Right? And and and the tick box exercise to have a yoga session once a week or maybe even a mindfulness session is kind of like, yeah, we we've done something. Right? It's like a little bit diversity and inclusion, you know, or we we hired someone from a different background. Right? We we do a tick box. And then look to no. No. We if we we mentioned America twice already, but, in America, diversity and inclusion is just disappearing because we think we don't need it.
Volker Ballueder [00:07:17]:
And I'm like, this this is a step back. Yeah. So so I I I would argue for, you know, almost having, like, an in house counselor as you would have an in house coach for for most companies. So someone who comes in, and and a friend of mine does this very successfully, you know, as as a counselor, he sits in there, you know, virtually or or in real life in a company, and people can come in and confidentially have a chat. And that that's something most companies don't do yet. But I I would think it's coming. I mean, I had a I had a great discussion last week with someone. And if I say when when when I was in my heydays of sales, right, that, you know, no one talked about therapy.
Volker Ballueder [00:08:02]:
You know, the the the word therapy for me only became a thing if I say last maybe four or five years. Maybe probably because of COVID. People, you know, normalized, you know, the word therapist. When I grew up, when I went to my first sales jobs, right, working on proposals until 03:00 in the morning or, you know, whatever we did. Right? Yeah. Mental health, no no one cared. Right? You're you're you're tough. Right? You're you're you're you're pull through.
Volker Ballueder [00:08:30]:
Right? But, you know, it's it's not good, you know, and it's people. Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:08:38]:
It definitely feels like the world we live in is is changing for the better in in that respect. You you've only got to look at health generally and the fact that Yeah. Most most, you know, of the health system has been look looking at fixing you when you're broken as opposed to helping to prevent. We were talking about nutrition before we went
Volker Ballueder [00:09:01]:
What you say? Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:09:02]:
We went live. But this I think the same is true for therapy, you know, and, let's not wait until you need therapy. Let's ensure that we're taking preventative measures in the professional workplace. Look. You've worked you've worked with so many professionals that I'm sure are facing burnout and and stress, and the burnout can often creep up on on people without really knowing until it's too late. What are some of the biggest patterns that you see in salespeople that are perhaps struggling with resilience?
Volker Ballueder [00:09:44]:
It's it's it's a good question. I don't think there is a pattern as such. Right? So I'm working with a VP at the moment, which, obviously, I can't name him. But, and and then, you know, he might be listening, so I have to be careful what I say. So but it's what what you often see is is is overworking. Right? Being really involved in the actual sales process. Being emotional involved in the process. Right? Not being able to let go of, if I say, the numbers, the figures.
Volker Ballueder [00:10:17]:
So it's this it's essentially the pressure of of having to perform. Right? And whether you're a sales leader or an individual, you you you measure your own self worth based on, you know, the performance at your job. Right? And I think a lot of sales people do that. It's a I don't hit the target. If if if I don't achieve, I don't know, ten, twenty, 30 percent growth year on year Yeah. I am not good enough. Right? So then the company, maybe it's a product, maybe it's a market condition. But it's a fine line then for salesperson to go like, I cannot achieve my targets.
Alex Abbott [00:10:57]:
Mhmm.
Volker Ballueder [00:10:58]:
Course the market conditions because I don't have the support, because the product isn't ready. Because then we're looking for excuses.
Alex Abbott [00:11:05]:
Yeah. Right? Yeah. So You you know, you just reminded me.
Volker Ballueder [00:11:10]:
Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:11:11]:
One of the things that I used to do I I think this might be beneficial to our listeners. Yeah. One of the things that I used to do when, you know, I wasn't hitting the, the KPIs, whether it's a pipeline number that's often picked out of the air or a revenue number that depending on which company you're at, it's often picked out of the air as opposed to scientifically looked at based on territory size Yeah. Opportunity generation rate, average order value, etcetera. What one of the things that I used to do was have my own measures that were kinda lead measures that I was going in the right direction. And I would often use those to defend my position with my boss to say, I'm on the right track. You might not realize it. You've given me all of this negative pressure which isn't helpful, but let me tell you I'm on the right track.
Alex Abbott [00:12:06]:
It would make me feel good that I was going in the right direction. I think every salesperson should have those measures so they can defend their own position. Believe that.
Volker Ballueder [00:12:17]:
I I I think every manager should have those measures. Right? Because if you, there's another person I worked with recently. He he now left the company, funny enough. And, again, the the HQ decided this year, we're not gonna pay out any bonuses because the company, you know, needs to save a little bit. Right? They I don't know if they wanted to go public about it. They they wanted to increase their numbers, basically. So so no bonuses. So in order to avoid bonuses, they ranked everyone down in the performance review.
Volker Ballueder [00:12:48]:
So you so the person I was working with, he was an over performer. He was ranked, you know, what whatever ranking they had. Right? I don't know. ABC ranking was ranked really low, so he wouldn't get his bonus. Totally demotivates him, of course. Right? And and he just decided to leave. Whilst his boss tried to obviously keep him. Right? And what you just described, I think, is such an important thing to do as as a boss.
Volker Ballueder [00:13:13]:
And that's that's where we're coming to emotional intelligence. Right? Mhmm. Working with the individual, being being an authentic leader and say, listen, We know we can't achieve. I don't know. It's a million target. Right? But you are on the right tracks. What you're doing is the right thing. And I can send that to the top by, you know, going through with you on the pipeline.
Volker Ballueder [00:13:34]:
And I try to get the most out of you because it will affect your managers, if I say performance as well. Right? So if you don't hit your targets, he won't he won't hit his target, their target. And then ultimately, the company won't. And I have an excellent boss like that. We you know, many, many years ago, now ten ten years ago, unfortunately, he he passed away a few years ago, but he he was human. Right? So we we were sitting down and going, and the reason I say human by the way, there's a great discussion I'm just taking case with, taking part in in on LinkedIn that's more about authentic and and being human at work and and just being. So if you follow me, have a look what I comment on. But then this this authentic leadership, this, you know, going in and saying, listen, Volker, you know, we we do the best we can.
Volker Ballueder [00:14:22]:
Right? How can we move forward? You're doing okay rather than, oh, you're not doing okay. You're not hitting the numbers. The pressure's on, and so on. And I used to have a boss like that as well, and I told him quite frankly, I told him to fuck off. I I remember he called me, like, 07:30 in the morning. Yeah. Sorry. Apologies.
Volker Ballueder [00:14:40]:
Am I allowed to swear on you?
Alex Abbott [00:14:42]:
I guess so. I guess so. I'm not gonna stop you.
Volker Ballueder [00:14:45]:
You know, so so, you know, he caught me up at 07:30 in the morning trying trying to tell me, you know, how I had to do my forecast. And I'm like, you know what? You can f off. It's just it's not gonna happen.
Alex Abbott [00:14:55]:
I guess that works as long as the, you know, the the manager is assertive enough to, tell them when they're doing the wrong things and help help coach them through or direct them depending on their level Yeah. To do the right things. Now you mentioned in the opening, you've been through seven We've done direct acquisitions. You must have seen some, quite a bit of change in your time. Can you share a moment from your own career where resilience played a key role in your success?
Volker Ballueder [00:15:31]:
I mean, in in terms of sales, I mean, there there there are several examples. But in terms of sales, you know, when when you have a deal, you know, you're working on for, I don't know, six months, twelve months. Right? Enterprise size deal. And you you think you ticked all the boxes. Right? Yeah. The background check, the proposal's all there, the pricing is alright, you know, the the internal buyers. Okay. Right? Procurement signed it off.
Volker Ballueder [00:15:58]:
So you're you're on this winning streak. Right? You're you're ready. You're just waiting for the signature. Yeah. And, you know, a, ghosting is you know, I think ghosting becomes more and more popular. I I have clients, you know, sales clients that ghost me. And I'm like, just tell me. You know, you don't have much to come up with an excuse, but don't ghost people.
Volker Ballueder [00:16:17]:
I think that's rude. Yeah. Wrong tangent. But then, you know, the the client started to to ghost me. Right? Not getting back to me. And I'm like, you know, you have a gut feeling. Right? Yeah. Something's wrong with that deal.
Volker Ballueder [00:16:30]:
And eventually, they I think they had a budget cut or whatever it was. So, you know, that deal of of several hundred thousands, you know, didn't didn't come through,
Alex Abbott [00:16:38]:
you know.
Volker Ballueder [00:16:39]:
And what what are you gonna do? Mhmm. Right.
Alex Abbott [00:16:42]:
You
Volker Ballueder [00:16:42]:
can sit there and if I say cry and, you know, beat yourself up and and get annoyed. But the problem is there there was no way you could have, you know, predicted that. You know? So there was no warning sign whatsoever. So it was I don't know. Call it unlucky. Right? Which which is why you're trying to have more than one of those deals at any one point in time, but they they take a lot of time and invest them. And then it comes back to resilience. Right? Picking yourself up.
Volker Ballueder [00:17:12]:
You know, you might you might go for a few pints. Right? I mean, not that I encourage anyone to drink, but, you know, you you reset yourself. Right? You go like, okay. Mhmm. All aligned on that, but let's move forward. Right? The next deal will work better. You know? What? Reflect on it. Right? What what worked well? What what are the shortfalls? Talk with us.
Volker Ballueder [00:17:32]:
Talk with your colleague. Go through it and go like, okay. Did we miss anything? Was was there a warning sign I didn't spot? My boss didn't spot. Right? Talk to the clients. You you'd be surprised how often the the client, especially the main contact, might actually help you as well to go through it and say, you know what, Volker? Nothing to do with you. There were budgets cut, new boss over in in HQ. Right? And they just put everything on hold. Mhmm.
Volker Ballueder [00:18:00]:
And,
Alex Abbott [00:18:02]:
you know,
Volker Ballueder [00:18:02]:
you could be the best salesperson in the world. There's nothing nothing you can do. Right? You can just hope that you have a really good relationship with the main buyer and decision maker. That person goes to the next, you know, company and gets in straight away. But yeah. Yeah. These are the moments you need to be resilient to pick yourself up because if you can't, don't work in sales as soon as that.
Alex Abbott [00:18:26]:
Yeah. Right. So let's dig into resilience a little bit Yeah. And understanding resilience. How would you define resilience in the context of b two b skills?
Volker Ballueder [00:18:41]:
So so so resilience, and and I wrote that definition down, is to be able to adapt, recover, and then face, you know, adversity. Right? Face rejection. So in sales, it's all about facing rejection. Right? And it's it's just be able to move on from that, you know. Not as I said earlier, right, don't don't personalize it. You know? Analyze it, but don't personalize it. You know? Don't think, oh, you know, it it was me. You know? It was all my fault.
Volker Ballueder [00:19:14]:
Right? As as soon as you think that's that's the case, you know, you might as well pack your backs and go and get a different job.
Alex Abbott [00:19:22]:
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:19:25]:
What I said earlier is that there's a detection of self worth, right, from the outcome. Mhmm. You know, this self worth isn't, you know so some people this deal I just described. Some people would go lose that deal and go like, oh, I'm shit at sales. I quit sales. You know, this is just not for me. Mhmm.
Alex Abbott [00:19:42]:
Yeah. That's people.
Volker Ballueder [00:19:43]:
I think people are doing that because they they couldn't handle it because their self worth was associated to that deal.
Alex Abbott [00:19:51]:
Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:19:51]:
It's not you.
Alex Abbott [00:19:53]:
Yeah. That's an important point actually and and certainly for me in my own career early on, I I didn't have the self self worth. I mean, it was attached to my performance, my success, and, yeah, maybe that helped me become a high performing salesperson, but it didn't help me, you know, be the person that I could be, become the person Yeah. I now am today. And I think that's an important, I guess, element of the therapy or the coaching is to help people identify, you know, what's important to them, what what makes up their core values and beliefs that they can they can stand true to when things are good, when things are bad.
Volker Ballueder [00:20:39]:
%. I mean, it it reminds me of of, let's say, another example of my career. So that was actually my second ever job. So you you don't find it. I think I I think I took it off LinkedIn on my CV. I wanna be honest in case anyone's listening, any HR people. But it's essentially, I I I work for a telemarketing company, selling conferences. I did really, really well, you know, but after eighteen months, I kind of got hit the ceiling.
Volker Ballueder [00:21:08]:
And and my boss said, we we work something out. We want to keep you, you know. And I was young. Right? I'm like, you know, Anthony, if you're listening, I'm really sorry. No. I should have stayed. But anyway, I decided that that the grass is greener. Right? I can join the start up.
Volker Ballueder [00:21:22]:
I'm selling business information in emerging markets. Little did I know as a person who owns the company, he he was a quite frankly, he's a maniac. So if you listen Right. Let's not say that. He hired and fired me three times in one morning, you know, like, coming you know, googling things, oh, you didn't do this, you didn't do that, you know, you're shit. And, you know, I
Alex Abbott [00:21:45]:
one of those bosses.
Volker Ballueder [00:21:46]:
Well, I actually made a mistake. He says, oh, you you hired. You know, you can come back. Back and forth literally all morning. Yeah. And Givna was quite young in my career. I'm like, what the fuck is happening? Right? And it was the same day we were supposed to have lunch, my wife or or now wife, you know, to to discuss to move to Dubai with him. Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:22:07]:
And, I walked out of his office and literally five minutes later, as if nothing has happened, he goes like, you know, his PA came through and says, you know, we we we are now ready for lunch. And I'm like, I'm not. I said, I'm taking the afternoon off. And, I went to the next Nero. So I remember that very vividly on on Victoria Street in in London, and I sent him a message from my, let's say, semi smartphone, and and I resigned. And, you know, because there there was no emotional intelligence. Right? There was setback because I was so associated my career with with that company, you know, and and selling things. I sold things.
Volker Ballueder [00:22:44]:
I mean, I was best performing salesperson within no time. And it's it's this overcoming that and go like, you know what? It was the situation I was put in. I need to get over that and I need to move on. And and I remember my next job, great manager I had, you know, and and he was so confident, so outgoing. And, like, I I wanna be back there, you know. I wanna be like him again. And it it took me a while, you know, to overcome that. Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:23:12]:
It's it's it's it's able to to overcome this adversity. And, you know, if if I say just just move on, you know, and and not go. It's it's not personal.
Alex Abbott [00:23:22]:
Yeah. No. It's a great story. It's a great example of you having the emotional intelligence to make the right decision for for you and your future wife. Yeah. Exactly. So I heard Arnie in the background. He's saying Arnie's first appearance on sales TV.
Volker Ballueder [00:23:42]:
There we go. It's a good message. Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:23:46]:
So what what, so moving on, we've we've, you know, we've got maybe five minutes left. Okay. What what are some simple daily habits that sales professionals can implement to strengthen their resilience?
Volker Ballueder [00:24:02]:
Where do we start? I I think reflection. Reflection is such an important thing. If you say it's personal or not, a daily journal. Yes. I think so so I journal twice a day. So in in every morning, I sit down for ten, fifteen minutes and go, okay. What are the three things I want to achieve today? So I can measure myself on, you know, getting the important things done.
Alex Abbott [00:24:28]:
Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:24:28]:
Right? So if if I get these things done, sending out a proposal. So so after this, I have to send out a proposal actually today. I'll do some safe coaching this afternoon. I need to prepare for a therapy session. Right? These these are important things.
Alex Abbott [00:24:42]:
Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:24:42]:
At the end of the day, sit down and reflect what what went well, what didn't go so well. Right? Reflection five minutes. I actually do a gratitude journal every day as well to to really focus on the positive things. Right? Because that's how you train your brain. Right? It's a positive sparks. You know? What what was good today? And if you had a really shitty day as a salesperson, right, let let's say every person you called, every email you got was negative, rejection, rejection, rejection. Plus, you know, you have a roof over your head, you have a toilet. Right? You you you're better than I think, is it 95% of the population? May maybe that's the wrong fact.
Volker Ballueder [00:25:20]:
Right? But the majority of the population don't have that. Right? So there there's always something to be grateful for. And hopefully, it's something like, oh, I had a really good conversation with that customer. I moved this deal along. You know, just focus on the positive things. Right? Don't don't let yourself be down. And what helps and I'm not saying everyone should meditate, but have a mindfulness practice. Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:25:44]:
Be at the moment. Right? I mean, as I say, I've I've been meditating for over twenty years. I do twenty minutes every morning. Right? That's part of my morning routine. Yeah. The gym every day. I have an hour in the gym every morning just just to work out. I mean, to stay fit.
Volker Ballueder [00:26:00]:
In our age, we we have to stay fit. Right? I mean, if if some younger sales people listen, you know, it's it's also about looking good. Right? Looking great when when you sell. But these these things, because they help with self awareness, they help with, emotional regulation as well. Right? I mean, we haven't even typed into emotional intelligence. But but being able to, you know, to understand your emotions, understand what's what's boiling up. Right? Whether that is during a sales call, and we all know that as well. Right? When the other person tabled something where you're gonna, oh, shit.
Volker Ballueder [00:26:31]:
You know, how do I react react with that? To after the sales call. Right? Mhmm. There, in in terms of emotional regulation, one one of my former colleagues, through a fax machine through an office, many moons ago, obviously, it was a fax machine. Right. Many offices with fax machines left. Yeah. That shouldn't happen to anyone. Right? You should never be in an environment where people throw a fax machine or computers, laptops through the office.
Volker Ballueder [00:26:58]:
Yeah. And if you're in such a sales environment, get out of there. Right? Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:27:03]:
Reflect
Volker Ballueder [00:27:04]:
on it. Move on. You know, so so being able to to regulate yourself, I think, is is is key. And, you know, journaling, mindfulness, you know, meditation, if if if you want to, I think are are great. And and the findings of work life balance. Right? Being able to switch off your laptop. Mhmm. And and some people and, you know, I I'm lucky enough.
Volker Ballueder [00:27:27]:
I have an office. Right? Half a garage, a box as I like to call it. Who who does to a friend of mine who has a box up in Manchester. We always call it the box. It's you know, we we are lucky. We can close the door at the end of the day. But, you know, young younger sales people, they might just be in a in a flat share in London. Right? They work at the kitchen table.
Volker Ballueder [00:27:47]:
Find a routine, you know, whenever, 06:00, six thirty, shut down the laptop, go for a walk once and once a block, go to the gym. Right? And and find a work life balance and go go back afresh, you know. Don't don't think about your work after whatever that whatever time you decide. Right? If it's six Yes. Whatever. Yes. The the these are some some key key elements because you you wanna have a life. Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:28:13]:
I don't what makes a job your life. I think that's biggest challenge most salespeople have. So because we we want to win. We we wanna make that money. That's that's what drives us on. That doesn't mean we are the product, you know. We you know, I'm I'm not my, you know, the the boss I just described. Right? I'm I'm not like him.
Volker Ballueder [00:28:33]:
Right? I'm not the person that wants to work with him. Right?
Alex Abbott [00:28:37]:
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Some great tips. Having the discipline to to stick to them, I think, you know, is is so important.
Volker Ballueder [00:28:46]:
Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:28:47]:
So, we're coming to the end now. Yeah. Where can people connect with you? Where can they learn more about you if they've heard the show this morning, they want to learn a bit more. What's the best way to get in touch? The easiest is LinkedIn.
Volker Ballueder [00:29:01]:
I'm I'm on LinkedIn probably all day. So
Alex Abbott [00:29:04]:
Yeah. If if
Volker Ballueder [00:29:05]:
you if you if you search me on LinkedIn, you know, my my email, my mobile number is on there. The link to my website, which is Obnatus, so Obnatus.us. So yeah. Just you you find me anywhere online. It's a it's an easy name to find. I have some information on my website about what what I do in terms of leadership coaching and and executive coaching and therapy. And, yeah, just hit me up. I put lots of content out there.
Volker Ballueder [00:29:31]:
So can't miss me. Thank you.
Alex Abbott [00:29:34]:
Some great videos I've seen. Thank you. Hey, mate. Volker, it's been great having you on. Thank you for sharing just a small piece of your insight and your experience with us. Hopefully, next time, we'll be able to dive into emotional intelligence a bit more.
Volker Ballueder [00:29:52]:
We we have we've hardly scratched the surface on on on emotional intelligence. And, so, yeah, there's there's lots lots more to talk about. So thank you for having me, Alex.
Alex Abbott [00:30:02]:
Yes. My my pleasure. There's there's only so much we can get through in in half an hour. Yeah. Next time. Thank you very much. Thank you to our audience. Rachel, it's, it's lovely to see you as always.
Alex Abbott [00:30:18]:
Have a great week, everyone. Until next time on Sales TV. Take care.
#Resilience #MentalToughness #SalesPerformance #Sales #Pipeline #LinkedInLive #Podcast
SalesTV.live – Resilience is the Sales Superpower Nobody Talks About
Sales is tough - rejection, pressure, and uncertainty are part of the job. But while most sales training focuses on skills and strategy, the real differentiator is resilience. Without it, even the best techniques fall flat. So how do top performers stay mentally strong in the face of setbacks?
This week on SalesTV.live we welcome Volker Ballueder, a seasoned executive coach, bestselling author, and commercial leader who has spent over 20 years helping professionals navigate stress, overcome imposter syndrome, and build the mental toughness to succeed.
In this episode, we'll ask:
* What are the biggest resilience challenges facing sales professionals today?
* How does emotional intelligence impact a salesperson’s ability to handle rejection?
* What mindset shifts separate those who thrive from those who burn out?
* How can sales leaders foster resilience within their teams?
With decades of experience coaching executives and sales leaders, Volker has seen firsthand what holds professionals back - and what propels them forward. His insights blend neuroscience, emotional intelligence, and leadership principles to help salespeople develop the resilience they need to perform at their best.
Facts, the latest thinking, chat, and banter about the world of sales.
Come and join us for some lively discussion and debate.
Volker Ballueder, a seasoned executive coach, bestselling author, and commercial leader
Alex Abbott, Founder of Supero
Alex Abbott [00:00:02]:
Welcome back to Sales TV. The show where we dive into the real world challenges and strategies that drive success in b two b sales. Today we're tackling a crucial topic, resilience in sales. In an environment where rejection pressure and uncertainty are daily battles, resilience isn't a nice to have, it's a necessity. Joining me today is someone who knows all about this. A seasoned coach, best selling author and twenty years experience as a commercial leader, He is helping professionals navigate stress, overcome imposter syndrome, and build the mental toughness needed to thrive. We'll explore how emotional intelligence plays a role in resilience and how sales professionals can strengthen their mindset to stay on top of their game. Volker, it's great to have you here.
Alex Abbott [00:01:04]:
You've had such a diverse career, leading teams, coaching executives, writing books, about success and productivity. But before we dive into today's topic, can you share a little bit about yourself, your journey, and why resilience is such a core focus for you?
Volker Ballueder [00:01:24]:
Yeah. I mean, first of all, thanks for having me, Alex. So, I was just thinking this morning when we first met. So so so it's a bit like a romance here.
Alex Abbott [00:01:31]:
Yeah. Yeah. Was it was it and the first topic we discussed was was dashing and tattoos, I believe.
Volker Ballueder [00:01:39]:
Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. So in in in Holborn, in in a pub. So nowadays, we might meet somewhere else. But, yeah, it's, yeah, great. You know, it's been three years now, four years, I think.
Volker Ballueder [00:01:49]:
Yeah. You know, just as we came out of, lockdown. So yeah. So so resilience. Let's talk a bit about resilience. So why why why I'm so interested in that topic. So I've been since I've been coaching for many years, I've had a commercial career of twenty years leading sales teams, you know, done done the groundwork myself, moving through the ranks. And sales in particular is a constant as as you know.
Volker Ballueder [00:02:13]:
Right? It's it's probably most people listening though. It's a constant up and down. Right? It's constant management of, you know, where do I put my energy, letting go of things, moving forward, you know, building yourself up, overcoming limiting beliefs, not talking yourself down. So so it has been a constant struggle if I say for myself or for most sales
Alex Abbott [00:02:35]:
people. Mhmm.
Volker Ballueder [00:02:35]:
On top of that, I was lucky enough or not lucky enough to work in an industry that, if I say gone through a lot of mergers and acquisitions at the time I was there. Mhmm. Which meant I took seven redundancies in my career. So usually, you know, I was out of fence to my American friends, but it was American companies buying British European companies. Then after years, they did a whole restructure. They let everyone go. They rebuilds company or obligated it, which I guess from business perspective. And I think without great resilience, I I wouldn't be sitting here talking about sales.
Volker Ballueder [00:03:11]:
I would have gone off and done something different, which I kind of have because, you know, I I now coach sales leaders to do a lot of sales leadership coaching, sales coaching, executive coaching, and helping people to, you know, if I say navigate the the game of sales and, you know, the mindset of sales.
Alex Abbott [00:03:31]:
Yeah. It it and it really is a a game at times and
Volker Ballueder [00:03:35]:
It is.
Alex Abbott [00:03:35]:
I think partly it's it's healthy to see it as a game, a game that you play, new tactics and strategies in the hope that that you win. But for many, it it doesn't feel like a game. And and they're stuck in the cycle of high levels of stress, struggling with with poor mental health depending on which research you, you you read.
Volker Ballueder [00:04:01]:
I mean, when so so and so so so yeah. Yeah. In terms of, you know, mental health, I think that's something totally overlooked in in terms of salespeople. Right? I mean, we talk so much about mental health and, you know, mental health in the workplace. And as as as you know, I'm I'm a mindfulness practitioner. So I know I have been meditating for twenty years, which probably helped me build this self awareness and and the resilience. I say properly, it did help me. I'm also teaching mindfulness.
Volker Ballueder [00:04:32]:
But I remember when when when I got qualified as a mindfulness trainer which was just before the pandemic twenty nineteen, taking it to companies was like, well, that's fluffy. Right? We don't really like that. Yeah. I I since added a a therapy degree to to my remit and, you know, to to work with people to say much much deeper. Right? Mhmm. But I think and obviously I'm biased in terms of that. But I think every every, salesperson should have access to a therapist and a sales coach. One, if I say, to to really navigate the mental health issues and mental health fallout almost from from the sales, ups and downs.
Volker Ballueder [00:05:10]:
Because you're you're naturally prone to that. Right? And then a coach obviously to to increase the performance and and yeah. Let's call it a game of sales. I like that. Like, I've always had this money.
Alex Abbott [00:05:22]:
Let's, if you don't mind, let's jump around a little bit because I just wanna touch on that that topic of mental health because I I do feel it's still a taboo topic in many companies or at least perhaps not taboo, but they're not leaning into it and, taking it quite as seriously as they could for various reasons. And, you know, wellness days and days off don't really cut it, I think. You know? It needs it needs to be deeper. I personally believe everyone should have someone like Volker as, you know, employed or, you know, trained to to be there to help salespeople navigate a a way forward.
Volker Ballueder [00:06:07]:
I naturally would agree, of course. But I I I think you're right because the the problem I I don't know if there's a if there's a word for it. Right? Called greenwashing maybe. I don't know. Greenwashing is more about the the the the, you know, the environmental impact. But, you know, what whatever washing it is. Right? But we we have these wellness days, you know. We we we getting people into to give massages or whatever the case might be and we go like, oh, this is for well-being.
Volker Ballueder [00:06:39]:
Right? What what really helps our mental health? That's that's a big question. And in my opinion, it comes down a lot to the culture of the organization. Right? And and and the tick box exercise to have a yoga session once a week or maybe even a mindfulness session is kind of like, yeah, we we've done something. Right? It's like a little bit diversity and inclusion, you know, or we we hired someone from a different background. Right? We we do a tick box. And then look to no. No. We if we we mentioned America twice already, but, in America, diversity and inclusion is just disappearing because we think we don't need it.
Volker Ballueder [00:07:17]:
And I'm like, this this is a step back. Yeah. So so I I I would argue for, you know, almost having, like, an in house counselor as you would have an in house coach for for most companies. So someone who comes in, and and a friend of mine does this very successfully, you know, as as a counselor, he sits in there, you know, virtually or or in real life in a company, and people can come in and confidentially have a chat. And that that's something most companies don't do yet. But I I would think it's coming. I mean, I had a I had a great discussion last week with someone. And if I say when when when I was in my heydays of sales, right, that, you know, no one talked about therapy.
Volker Ballueder [00:08:02]:
You know, the the the word therapy for me only became a thing if I say last maybe four or five years. Maybe probably because of COVID. People, you know, normalized, you know, the word therapist. When I grew up, when I went to my first sales jobs, right, working on proposals until 03:00 in the morning or, you know, whatever we did. Right? Yeah. Mental health, no no one cared. Right? You're you're you're tough. Right? You're you're you're you're pull through.
Volker Ballueder [00:08:30]:
Right? But, you know, it's it's not good, you know, and it's people. Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:08:38]:
It definitely feels like the world we live in is is changing for the better in in that respect. You you've only got to look at health generally and the fact that Yeah. Most most, you know, of the health system has been look looking at fixing you when you're broken as opposed to helping to prevent. We were talking about nutrition before we went
Volker Ballueder [00:09:01]:
What you say? Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:09:02]:
We went live. But this I think the same is true for therapy, you know, and, let's not wait until you need therapy. Let's ensure that we're taking preventative measures in the professional workplace. Look. You've worked you've worked with so many professionals that I'm sure are facing burnout and and stress, and the burnout can often creep up on on people without really knowing until it's too late. What are some of the biggest patterns that you see in salespeople that are perhaps struggling with resilience?
Volker Ballueder [00:09:44]:
It's it's it's a good question. I don't think there is a pattern as such. Right? So I'm working with a VP at the moment, which, obviously, I can't name him. But, and and then, you know, he might be listening, so I have to be careful what I say. So but it's what what you often see is is is overworking. Right? Being really involved in the actual sales process. Being emotional involved in the process. Right? Not being able to let go of, if I say, the numbers, the figures.
Volker Ballueder [00:10:17]:
So it's this it's essentially the pressure of of having to perform. Right? And whether you're a sales leader or an individual, you you you measure your own self worth based on, you know, the performance at your job. Right? And I think a lot of sales people do that. It's a I don't hit the target. If if if I don't achieve, I don't know, ten, twenty, 30 percent growth year on year Yeah. I am not good enough. Right? So then the company, maybe it's a product, maybe it's a market condition. But it's a fine line then for salesperson to go like, I cannot achieve my targets.
Alex Abbott [00:10:57]:
Mhmm.
Volker Ballueder [00:10:58]:
Course the market conditions because I don't have the support, because the product isn't ready. Because then we're looking for excuses.
Alex Abbott [00:11:05]:
Yeah. Right? Yeah. So You you know, you just reminded me.
Volker Ballueder [00:11:10]:
Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:11:11]:
One of the things that I used to do I I think this might be beneficial to our listeners. Yeah. One of the things that I used to do when, you know, I wasn't hitting the, the KPIs, whether it's a pipeline number that's often picked out of the air or a revenue number that depending on which company you're at, it's often picked out of the air as opposed to scientifically looked at based on territory size Yeah. Opportunity generation rate, average order value, etcetera. What one of the things that I used to do was have my own measures that were kinda lead measures that I was going in the right direction. And I would often use those to defend my position with my boss to say, I'm on the right track. You might not realize it. You've given me all of this negative pressure which isn't helpful, but let me tell you I'm on the right track.
Alex Abbott [00:12:06]:
It would make me feel good that I was going in the right direction. I think every salesperson should have those measures so they can defend their own position. Believe that.
Volker Ballueder [00:12:17]:
I I I think every manager should have those measures. Right? Because if you, there's another person I worked with recently. He he now left the company, funny enough. And, again, the the HQ decided this year, we're not gonna pay out any bonuses because the company, you know, needs to save a little bit. Right? They I don't know if they wanted to go public about it. They they wanted to increase their numbers, basically. So so no bonuses. So in order to avoid bonuses, they ranked everyone down in the performance review.
Volker Ballueder [00:12:48]:
So you so the person I was working with, he was an over performer. He was ranked, you know, what whatever ranking they had. Right? I don't know. ABC ranking was ranked really low, so he wouldn't get his bonus. Totally demotivates him, of course. Right? And and he just decided to leave. Whilst his boss tried to obviously keep him. Right? And what you just described, I think, is such an important thing to do as as a boss.
Volker Ballueder [00:13:13]:
And that's that's where we're coming to emotional intelligence. Right? Mhmm. Working with the individual, being being an authentic leader and say, listen, We know we can't achieve. I don't know. It's a million target. Right? But you are on the right tracks. What you're doing is the right thing. And I can send that to the top by, you know, going through with you on the pipeline.
Volker Ballueder [00:13:34]:
And I try to get the most out of you because it will affect your managers, if I say performance as well. Right? So if you don't hit your targets, he won't he won't hit his target, their target. And then ultimately, the company won't. And I have an excellent boss like that. We you know, many, many years ago, now ten ten years ago, unfortunately, he he passed away a few years ago, but he he was human. Right? So we we were sitting down and going, and the reason I say human by the way, there's a great discussion I'm just taking case with, taking part in in on LinkedIn that's more about authentic and and being human at work and and just being. So if you follow me, have a look what I comment on. But then this this authentic leadership, this, you know, going in and saying, listen, Volker, you know, we we do the best we can.
Volker Ballueder [00:14:22]:
Right? How can we move forward? You're doing okay rather than, oh, you're not doing okay. You're not hitting the numbers. The pressure's on, and so on. And I used to have a boss like that as well, and I told him quite frankly, I told him to fuck off. I I remember he called me, like, 07:30 in the morning. Yeah. Sorry. Apologies.
Volker Ballueder [00:14:40]:
Am I allowed to swear on you?
Alex Abbott [00:14:42]:
I guess so. I guess so. I'm not gonna stop you.
Volker Ballueder [00:14:45]:
You know, so so, you know, he caught me up at 07:30 in the morning trying trying to tell me, you know, how I had to do my forecast. And I'm like, you know what? You can f off. It's just it's not gonna happen.
Alex Abbott [00:14:55]:
I guess that works as long as the, you know, the the manager is assertive enough to, tell them when they're doing the wrong things and help help coach them through or direct them depending on their level Yeah. To do the right things. Now you mentioned in the opening, you've been through seven We've done direct acquisitions. You must have seen some, quite a bit of change in your time. Can you share a moment from your own career where resilience played a key role in your success?
Volker Ballueder [00:15:31]:
I mean, in in terms of sales, I mean, there there there are several examples. But in terms of sales, you know, when when you have a deal, you know, you're working on for, I don't know, six months, twelve months. Right? Enterprise size deal. And you you think you ticked all the boxes. Right? Yeah. The background check, the proposal's all there, the pricing is alright, you know, the the internal buyers. Okay. Right? Procurement signed it off.
Volker Ballueder [00:15:58]:
So you're you're on this winning streak. Right? You're you're ready. You're just waiting for the signature. Yeah. And, you know, a, ghosting is you know, I think ghosting becomes more and more popular. I I have clients, you know, sales clients that ghost me. And I'm like, just tell me. You know, you don't have much to come up with an excuse, but don't ghost people.
Volker Ballueder [00:16:17]:
I think that's rude. Yeah. Wrong tangent. But then, you know, the the client started to to ghost me. Right? Not getting back to me. And I'm like, you know, you have a gut feeling. Right? Yeah. Something's wrong with that deal.
Volker Ballueder [00:16:30]:
And eventually, they I think they had a budget cut or whatever it was. So, you know, that deal of of several hundred thousands, you know, didn't didn't come through,
Alex Abbott [00:16:38]:
you know.
Volker Ballueder [00:16:39]:
And what what are you gonna do? Mhmm. Right.
Alex Abbott [00:16:42]:
You
Volker Ballueder [00:16:42]:
can sit there and if I say cry and, you know, beat yourself up and and get annoyed. But the problem is there there was no way you could have, you know, predicted that. You know? So there was no warning sign whatsoever. So it was I don't know. Call it unlucky. Right? Which which is why you're trying to have more than one of those deals at any one point in time, but they they take a lot of time and invest them. And then it comes back to resilience. Right? Picking yourself up.
Volker Ballueder [00:17:12]:
You know, you might you might go for a few pints. Right? I mean, not that I encourage anyone to drink, but, you know, you you reset yourself. Right? You go like, okay. Mhmm. All aligned on that, but let's move forward. Right? The next deal will work better. You know? What? Reflect on it. Right? What what worked well? What what are the shortfalls? Talk with us.
Volker Ballueder [00:17:32]:
Talk with your colleague. Go through it and go like, okay. Did we miss anything? Was was there a warning sign I didn't spot? My boss didn't spot. Right? Talk to the clients. You you'd be surprised how often the the client, especially the main contact, might actually help you as well to go through it and say, you know what, Volker? Nothing to do with you. There were budgets cut, new boss over in in HQ. Right? And they just put everything on hold. Mhmm.
Volker Ballueder [00:18:00]:
And,
Alex Abbott [00:18:02]:
you know,
Volker Ballueder [00:18:02]:
you could be the best salesperson in the world. There's nothing nothing you can do. Right? You can just hope that you have a really good relationship with the main buyer and decision maker. That person goes to the next, you know, company and gets in straight away. But yeah. Yeah. These are the moments you need to be resilient to pick yourself up because if you can't, don't work in sales as soon as that.
Alex Abbott [00:18:26]:
Yeah. Right. So let's dig into resilience a little bit Yeah. And understanding resilience. How would you define resilience in the context of b two b skills?
Volker Ballueder [00:18:41]:
So so so resilience, and and I wrote that definition down, is to be able to adapt, recover, and then face, you know, adversity. Right? Face rejection. So in sales, it's all about facing rejection. Right? And it's it's just be able to move on from that, you know. Not as I said earlier, right, don't don't personalize it. You know? Analyze it, but don't personalize it. You know? Don't think, oh, you know, it it was me. You know? It was all my fault.
Volker Ballueder [00:19:14]:
Right? As as soon as you think that's that's the case, you know, you might as well pack your backs and go and get a different job.
Alex Abbott [00:19:22]:
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:19:25]:
What I said earlier is that there's a detection of self worth, right, from the outcome. Mhmm. You know, this self worth isn't, you know so some people this deal I just described. Some people would go lose that deal and go like, oh, I'm shit at sales. I quit sales. You know, this is just not for me. Mhmm.
Alex Abbott [00:19:42]:
Yeah. That's people.
Volker Ballueder [00:19:43]:
I think people are doing that because they they couldn't handle it because their self worth was associated to that deal.
Alex Abbott [00:19:51]:
Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:19:51]:
It's not you.
Alex Abbott [00:19:53]:
Yeah. That's an important point actually and and certainly for me in my own career early on, I I didn't have the self self worth. I mean, it was attached to my performance, my success, and, yeah, maybe that helped me become a high performing salesperson, but it didn't help me, you know, be the person that I could be, become the person Yeah. I now am today. And I think that's an important, I guess, element of the therapy or the coaching is to help people identify, you know, what's important to them, what what makes up their core values and beliefs that they can they can stand true to when things are good, when things are bad.
Volker Ballueder [00:20:39]:
%. I mean, it it reminds me of of, let's say, another example of my career. So that was actually my second ever job. So you you don't find it. I think I I think I took it off LinkedIn on my CV. I wanna be honest in case anyone's listening, any HR people. But it's essentially, I I I work for a telemarketing company, selling conferences. I did really, really well, you know, but after eighteen months, I kind of got hit the ceiling.
Volker Ballueder [00:21:08]:
And and my boss said, we we work something out. We want to keep you, you know. And I was young. Right? I'm like, you know, Anthony, if you're listening, I'm really sorry. No. I should have stayed. But anyway, I decided that that the grass is greener. Right? I can join the start up.
Volker Ballueder [00:21:22]:
I'm selling business information in emerging markets. Little did I know as a person who owns the company, he he was a quite frankly, he's a maniac. So if you listen Right. Let's not say that. He hired and fired me three times in one morning, you know, like, coming you know, googling things, oh, you didn't do this, you didn't do that, you know, you're shit. And, you know, I
Alex Abbott [00:21:45]:
one of those bosses.
Volker Ballueder [00:21:46]:
Well, I actually made a mistake. He says, oh, you you hired. You know, you can come back. Back and forth literally all morning. Yeah. And Givna was quite young in my career. I'm like, what the fuck is happening? Right? And it was the same day we were supposed to have lunch, my wife or or now wife, you know, to to discuss to move to Dubai with him. Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:22:07]:
And, I walked out of his office and literally five minutes later, as if nothing has happened, he goes like, you know, his PA came through and says, you know, we we we are now ready for lunch. And I'm like, I'm not. I said, I'm taking the afternoon off. And, I went to the next Nero. So I remember that very vividly on on Victoria Street in in London, and I sent him a message from my, let's say, semi smartphone, and and I resigned. And, you know, because there there was no emotional intelligence. Right? There was setback because I was so associated my career with with that company, you know, and and selling things. I sold things.
Volker Ballueder [00:22:44]:
I mean, I was best performing salesperson within no time. And it's it's this overcoming that and go like, you know what? It was the situation I was put in. I need to get over that and I need to move on. And and I remember my next job, great manager I had, you know, and and he was so confident, so outgoing. And, like, I I wanna be back there, you know. I wanna be like him again. And it it took me a while, you know, to overcome that. Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:23:12]:
It's it's it's it's able to to overcome this adversity. And, you know, if if I say just just move on, you know, and and not go. It's it's not personal.
Alex Abbott [00:23:22]:
Yeah. No. It's a great story. It's a great example of you having the emotional intelligence to make the right decision for for you and your future wife. Yeah. Exactly. So I heard Arnie in the background. He's saying Arnie's first appearance on sales TV.
Volker Ballueder [00:23:42]:
There we go. It's a good message. Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:23:46]:
So what what, so moving on, we've we've, you know, we've got maybe five minutes left. Okay. What what are some simple daily habits that sales professionals can implement to strengthen their resilience?
Volker Ballueder [00:24:02]:
Where do we start? I I think reflection. Reflection is such an important thing. If you say it's personal or not, a daily journal. Yes. I think so so I journal twice a day. So in in every morning, I sit down for ten, fifteen minutes and go, okay. What are the three things I want to achieve today? So I can measure myself on, you know, getting the important things done.
Alex Abbott [00:24:28]:
Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:24:28]:
Right? So if if I get these things done, sending out a proposal. So so after this, I have to send out a proposal actually today. I'll do some safe coaching this afternoon. I need to prepare for a therapy session. Right? These these are important things.
Alex Abbott [00:24:42]:
Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:24:42]:
At the end of the day, sit down and reflect what what went well, what didn't go so well. Right? Reflection five minutes. I actually do a gratitude journal every day as well to to really focus on the positive things. Right? Because that's how you train your brain. Right? It's a positive sparks. You know? What what was good today? And if you had a really shitty day as a salesperson, right, let let's say every person you called, every email you got was negative, rejection, rejection, rejection. Plus, you know, you have a roof over your head, you have a toilet. Right? You you you're better than I think, is it 95% of the population? May maybe that's the wrong fact.
Volker Ballueder [00:25:20]:
Right? But the majority of the population don't have that. Right? So there there's always something to be grateful for. And hopefully, it's something like, oh, I had a really good conversation with that customer. I moved this deal along. You know, just focus on the positive things. Right? Don't don't let yourself be down. And what helps and I'm not saying everyone should meditate, but have a mindfulness practice. Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:25:44]:
Be at the moment. Right? I mean, as I say, I've I've been meditating for over twenty years. I do twenty minutes every morning. Right? That's part of my morning routine. Yeah. The gym every day. I have an hour in the gym every morning just just to work out. I mean, to stay fit.
Volker Ballueder [00:26:00]:
In our age, we we have to stay fit. Right? I mean, if if some younger sales people listen, you know, it's it's also about looking good. Right? Looking great when when you sell. But these these things, because they help with self awareness, they help with, emotional regulation as well. Right? I mean, we haven't even typed into emotional intelligence. But but being able to, you know, to understand your emotions, understand what's what's boiling up. Right? Whether that is during a sales call, and we all know that as well. Right? When the other person tabled something where you're gonna, oh, shit.
Volker Ballueder [00:26:31]:
You know, how do I react react with that? To after the sales call. Right? Mhmm. There, in in terms of emotional regulation, one one of my former colleagues, through a fax machine through an office, many moons ago, obviously, it was a fax machine. Right. Many offices with fax machines left. Yeah. That shouldn't happen to anyone. Right? You should never be in an environment where people throw a fax machine or computers, laptops through the office.
Volker Ballueder [00:26:58]:
Yeah. And if you're in such a sales environment, get out of there. Right? Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:27:03]:
Reflect
Volker Ballueder [00:27:04]:
on it. Move on. You know, so so being able to to regulate yourself, I think, is is is key. And, you know, journaling, mindfulness, you know, meditation, if if if you want to, I think are are great. And and the findings of work life balance. Right? Being able to switch off your laptop. Mhmm. And and some people and, you know, I I'm lucky enough.
Volker Ballueder [00:27:27]:
I have an office. Right? Half a garage, a box as I like to call it. Who who does to a friend of mine who has a box up in Manchester. We always call it the box. It's you know, we we are lucky. We can close the door at the end of the day. But, you know, young younger sales people, they might just be in a in a flat share in London. Right? They work at the kitchen table.
Volker Ballueder [00:27:47]:
Find a routine, you know, whenever, 06:00, six thirty, shut down the laptop, go for a walk once and once a block, go to the gym. Right? And and find a work life balance and go go back afresh, you know. Don't don't think about your work after whatever that whatever time you decide. Right? If it's six Yes. Whatever. Yes. The the these are some some key key elements because you you wanna have a life. Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:28:13]:
I don't what makes a job your life. I think that's biggest challenge most salespeople have. So because we we want to win. We we wanna make that money. That's that's what drives us on. That doesn't mean we are the product, you know. We you know, I'm I'm not my, you know, the the boss I just described. Right? I'm I'm not like him.
Volker Ballueder [00:28:33]:
Right? I'm not the person that wants to work with him. Right?
Alex Abbott [00:28:37]:
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Some great tips. Having the discipline to to stick to them, I think, you know, is is so important.
Volker Ballueder [00:28:46]:
Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:28:47]:
So, we're coming to the end now. Yeah. Where can people connect with you? Where can they learn more about you if they've heard the show this morning, they want to learn a bit more. What's the best way to get in touch? The easiest is LinkedIn.
Volker Ballueder [00:29:01]:
I'm I'm on LinkedIn probably all day. So
Alex Abbott [00:29:04]:
Yeah. If if
Volker Ballueder [00:29:05]:
you if you if you search me on LinkedIn, you know, my my email, my mobile number is on there. The link to my website, which is Obnatus, so Obnatus.us. So yeah. Just you you find me anywhere online. It's a it's an easy name to find. I have some information on my website about what what I do in terms of leadership coaching and and executive coaching and therapy. And, yeah, just hit me up. I put lots of content out there.
Volker Ballueder [00:29:31]:
So can't miss me. Thank you.
Alex Abbott [00:29:34]:
Some great videos I've seen. Thank you. Hey, mate. Volker, it's been great having you on. Thank you for sharing just a small piece of your insight and your experience with us. Hopefully, next time, we'll be able to dive into emotional intelligence a bit more.
Volker Ballueder [00:29:52]:
We we have we've hardly scratched the surface on on on emotional intelligence. And, so, yeah, there's there's lots lots more to talk about. So thank you for having me, Alex.
Alex Abbott [00:30:02]:
Yes. My my pleasure. There's there's only so much we can get through in in half an hour. Yeah. Next time. Thank you very much. Thank you to our audience. Rachel, it's, it's lovely to see you as always.
Alex Abbott [00:30:18]:
Have a great week, everyone. Until next time on Sales TV. Take care.
#Resilience #MentalToughness #SalesPerformance #Sales #Pipeline #LinkedInLive #Podcast
SalesTV.live – Resilience is the Sales Superpower Nobody Talks About
Sales is tough - rejection, pressure, and uncertainty are part of the job. But while most sales training focuses on skills and strategy, the real differentiator is resilience. Without it, even the best techniques fall flat. So how do top performers stay mentally strong in the face of setbacks?
This week on SalesTV.live we welcome Volker Ballueder, a seasoned executive coach, bestselling author, and commercial leader who has spent over 20 years helping professionals navigate stress, overcome imposter syndrome, and build the mental toughness to succeed.
In this episode, we'll ask:
* What are the biggest resilience challenges facing sales professionals today?
* How does emotional intelligence impact a salesperson’s ability to handle rejection?
* What mindset shifts separate those who thrive from those who burn out?
* How can sales leaders foster resilience within their teams?
With decades of experience coaching executives and sales leaders, Volker has seen firsthand what holds professionals back - and what propels them forward. His insights blend neuroscience, emotional intelligence, and leadership principles to help salespeople develop the resilience they need to perform at their best.
Facts, the latest thinking, chat, and banter about the world of sales.
Come and join us for some lively discussion and debate.
Volker Ballueder, a seasoned executive coach, bestselling author, and commercial leader
Alex Abbott, Founder of Supero
Alex Abbott [00:00:02]:
Welcome back to Sales TV. The show where we dive into the real world challenges and strategies that drive success in b two b sales. Today we're tackling a crucial topic, resilience in sales. In an environment where rejection pressure and uncertainty are daily battles, resilience isn't a nice to have, it's a necessity. Joining me today is someone who knows all about this. A seasoned coach, best selling author and twenty years experience as a commercial leader, He is helping professionals navigate stress, overcome imposter syndrome, and build the mental toughness needed to thrive. We'll explore how emotional intelligence plays a role in resilience and how sales professionals can strengthen their mindset to stay on top of their game. Volker, it's great to have you here.
Alex Abbott [00:01:04]:
You've had such a diverse career, leading teams, coaching executives, writing books, about success and productivity. But before we dive into today's topic, can you share a little bit about yourself, your journey, and why resilience is such a core focus for you?
Volker Ballueder [00:01:24]:
Yeah. I mean, first of all, thanks for having me, Alex. So, I was just thinking this morning when we first met. So so so it's a bit like a romance here.
Alex Abbott [00:01:31]:
Yeah. Yeah. Was it was it and the first topic we discussed was was dashing and tattoos, I believe.
Volker Ballueder [00:01:39]:
Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. So in in in Holborn, in in a pub. So nowadays, we might meet somewhere else. But, yeah, it's, yeah, great. You know, it's been three years now, four years, I think.
Volker Ballueder [00:01:49]:
Yeah. You know, just as we came out of, lockdown. So yeah. So so resilience. Let's talk a bit about resilience. So why why why I'm so interested in that topic. So I've been since I've been coaching for many years, I've had a commercial career of twenty years leading sales teams, you know, done done the groundwork myself, moving through the ranks. And sales in particular is a constant as as you know.
Volker Ballueder [00:02:13]:
Right? It's it's probably most people listening though. It's a constant up and down. Right? It's constant management of, you know, where do I put my energy, letting go of things, moving forward, you know, building yourself up, overcoming limiting beliefs, not talking yourself down. So so it has been a constant struggle if I say for myself or for most sales
Alex Abbott [00:02:35]:
people. Mhmm.
Volker Ballueder [00:02:35]:
On top of that, I was lucky enough or not lucky enough to work in an industry that, if I say gone through a lot of mergers and acquisitions at the time I was there. Mhmm. Which meant I took seven redundancies in my career. So usually, you know, I was out of fence to my American friends, but it was American companies buying British European companies. Then after years, they did a whole restructure. They let everyone go. They rebuilds company or obligated it, which I guess from business perspective. And I think without great resilience, I I wouldn't be sitting here talking about sales.
Volker Ballueder [00:03:11]:
I would have gone off and done something different, which I kind of have because, you know, I I now coach sales leaders to do a lot of sales leadership coaching, sales coaching, executive coaching, and helping people to, you know, if I say navigate the the game of sales and, you know, the mindset of sales.
Alex Abbott [00:03:31]:
Yeah. It it and it really is a a game at times and
Volker Ballueder [00:03:35]:
It is.
Alex Abbott [00:03:35]:
I think partly it's it's healthy to see it as a game, a game that you play, new tactics and strategies in the hope that that you win. But for many, it it doesn't feel like a game. And and they're stuck in the cycle of high levels of stress, struggling with with poor mental health depending on which research you, you you read.
Volker Ballueder [00:04:01]:
I mean, when so so and so so so yeah. Yeah. In terms of, you know, mental health, I think that's something totally overlooked in in terms of salespeople. Right? I mean, we talk so much about mental health and, you know, mental health in the workplace. And as as as you know, I'm I'm a mindfulness practitioner. So I know I have been meditating for twenty years, which probably helped me build this self awareness and and the resilience. I say properly, it did help me. I'm also teaching mindfulness.
Volker Ballueder [00:04:32]:
But I remember when when when I got qualified as a mindfulness trainer which was just before the pandemic twenty nineteen, taking it to companies was like, well, that's fluffy. Right? We don't really like that. Yeah. I I since added a a therapy degree to to my remit and, you know, to to work with people to say much much deeper. Right? Mhmm. But I think and obviously I'm biased in terms of that. But I think every every, salesperson should have access to a therapist and a sales coach. One, if I say, to to really navigate the mental health issues and mental health fallout almost from from the sales, ups and downs.
Volker Ballueder [00:05:10]:
Because you're you're naturally prone to that. Right? And then a coach obviously to to increase the performance and and yeah. Let's call it a game of sales. I like that. Like, I've always had this money.
Alex Abbott [00:05:22]:
Let's, if you don't mind, let's jump around a little bit because I just wanna touch on that that topic of mental health because I I do feel it's still a taboo topic in many companies or at least perhaps not taboo, but they're not leaning into it and, taking it quite as seriously as they could for various reasons. And, you know, wellness days and days off don't really cut it, I think. You know? It needs it needs to be deeper. I personally believe everyone should have someone like Volker as, you know, employed or, you know, trained to to be there to help salespeople navigate a a way forward.
Volker Ballueder [00:06:07]:
I naturally would agree, of course. But I I I think you're right because the the problem I I don't know if there's a if there's a word for it. Right? Called greenwashing maybe. I don't know. Greenwashing is more about the the the the, you know, the environmental impact. But, you know, what whatever washing it is. Right? But we we have these wellness days, you know. We we we getting people into to give massages or whatever the case might be and we go like, oh, this is for well-being.
Volker Ballueder [00:06:39]:
Right? What what really helps our mental health? That's that's a big question. And in my opinion, it comes down a lot to the culture of the organization. Right? And and and the tick box exercise to have a yoga session once a week or maybe even a mindfulness session is kind of like, yeah, we we've done something. Right? It's like a little bit diversity and inclusion, you know, or we we hired someone from a different background. Right? We we do a tick box. And then look to no. No. We if we we mentioned America twice already, but, in America, diversity and inclusion is just disappearing because we think we don't need it.
Volker Ballueder [00:07:17]:
And I'm like, this this is a step back. Yeah. So so I I I would argue for, you know, almost having, like, an in house counselor as you would have an in house coach for for most companies. So someone who comes in, and and a friend of mine does this very successfully, you know, as as a counselor, he sits in there, you know, virtually or or in real life in a company, and people can come in and confidentially have a chat. And that that's something most companies don't do yet. But I I would think it's coming. I mean, I had a I had a great discussion last week with someone. And if I say when when when I was in my heydays of sales, right, that, you know, no one talked about therapy.
Volker Ballueder [00:08:02]:
You know, the the the word therapy for me only became a thing if I say last maybe four or five years. Maybe probably because of COVID. People, you know, normalized, you know, the word therapist. When I grew up, when I went to my first sales jobs, right, working on proposals until 03:00 in the morning or, you know, whatever we did. Right? Yeah. Mental health, no no one cared. Right? You're you're you're tough. Right? You're you're you're you're pull through.
Volker Ballueder [00:08:30]:
Right? But, you know, it's it's not good, you know, and it's people. Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:08:38]:
It definitely feels like the world we live in is is changing for the better in in that respect. You you've only got to look at health generally and the fact that Yeah. Most most, you know, of the health system has been look looking at fixing you when you're broken as opposed to helping to prevent. We were talking about nutrition before we went
Volker Ballueder [00:09:01]:
What you say? Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:09:02]:
We went live. But this I think the same is true for therapy, you know, and, let's not wait until you need therapy. Let's ensure that we're taking preventative measures in the professional workplace. Look. You've worked you've worked with so many professionals that I'm sure are facing burnout and and stress, and the burnout can often creep up on on people without really knowing until it's too late. What are some of the biggest patterns that you see in salespeople that are perhaps struggling with resilience?
Volker Ballueder [00:09:44]:
It's it's it's a good question. I don't think there is a pattern as such. Right? So I'm working with a VP at the moment, which, obviously, I can't name him. But, and and then, you know, he might be listening, so I have to be careful what I say. So but it's what what you often see is is is overworking. Right? Being really involved in the actual sales process. Being emotional involved in the process. Right? Not being able to let go of, if I say, the numbers, the figures.
Volker Ballueder [00:10:17]:
So it's this it's essentially the pressure of of having to perform. Right? And whether you're a sales leader or an individual, you you you measure your own self worth based on, you know, the performance at your job. Right? And I think a lot of sales people do that. It's a I don't hit the target. If if if I don't achieve, I don't know, ten, twenty, 30 percent growth year on year Yeah. I am not good enough. Right? So then the company, maybe it's a product, maybe it's a market condition. But it's a fine line then for salesperson to go like, I cannot achieve my targets.
Alex Abbott [00:10:57]:
Mhmm.
Volker Ballueder [00:10:58]:
Course the market conditions because I don't have the support, because the product isn't ready. Because then we're looking for excuses.
Alex Abbott [00:11:05]:
Yeah. Right? Yeah. So You you know, you just reminded me.
Volker Ballueder [00:11:10]:
Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:11:11]:
One of the things that I used to do I I think this might be beneficial to our listeners. Yeah. One of the things that I used to do when, you know, I wasn't hitting the, the KPIs, whether it's a pipeline number that's often picked out of the air or a revenue number that depending on which company you're at, it's often picked out of the air as opposed to scientifically looked at based on territory size Yeah. Opportunity generation rate, average order value, etcetera. What one of the things that I used to do was have my own measures that were kinda lead measures that I was going in the right direction. And I would often use those to defend my position with my boss to say, I'm on the right track. You might not realize it. You've given me all of this negative pressure which isn't helpful, but let me tell you I'm on the right track.
Alex Abbott [00:12:06]:
It would make me feel good that I was going in the right direction. I think every salesperson should have those measures so they can defend their own position. Believe that.
Volker Ballueder [00:12:17]:
I I I think every manager should have those measures. Right? Because if you, there's another person I worked with recently. He he now left the company, funny enough. And, again, the the HQ decided this year, we're not gonna pay out any bonuses because the company, you know, needs to save a little bit. Right? They I don't know if they wanted to go public about it. They they wanted to increase their numbers, basically. So so no bonuses. So in order to avoid bonuses, they ranked everyone down in the performance review.
Volker Ballueder [00:12:48]:
So you so the person I was working with, he was an over performer. He was ranked, you know, what whatever ranking they had. Right? I don't know. ABC ranking was ranked really low, so he wouldn't get his bonus. Totally demotivates him, of course. Right? And and he just decided to leave. Whilst his boss tried to obviously keep him. Right? And what you just described, I think, is such an important thing to do as as a boss.
Volker Ballueder [00:13:13]:
And that's that's where we're coming to emotional intelligence. Right? Mhmm. Working with the individual, being being an authentic leader and say, listen, We know we can't achieve. I don't know. It's a million target. Right? But you are on the right tracks. What you're doing is the right thing. And I can send that to the top by, you know, going through with you on the pipeline.
Volker Ballueder [00:13:34]:
And I try to get the most out of you because it will affect your managers, if I say performance as well. Right? So if you don't hit your targets, he won't he won't hit his target, their target. And then ultimately, the company won't. And I have an excellent boss like that. We you know, many, many years ago, now ten ten years ago, unfortunately, he he passed away a few years ago, but he he was human. Right? So we we were sitting down and going, and the reason I say human by the way, there's a great discussion I'm just taking case with, taking part in in on LinkedIn that's more about authentic and and being human at work and and just being. So if you follow me, have a look what I comment on. But then this this authentic leadership, this, you know, going in and saying, listen, Volker, you know, we we do the best we can.
Volker Ballueder [00:14:22]:
Right? How can we move forward? You're doing okay rather than, oh, you're not doing okay. You're not hitting the numbers. The pressure's on, and so on. And I used to have a boss like that as well, and I told him quite frankly, I told him to fuck off. I I remember he called me, like, 07:30 in the morning. Yeah. Sorry. Apologies.
Volker Ballueder [00:14:40]:
Am I allowed to swear on you?
Alex Abbott [00:14:42]:
I guess so. I guess so. I'm not gonna stop you.
Volker Ballueder [00:14:45]:
You know, so so, you know, he caught me up at 07:30 in the morning trying trying to tell me, you know, how I had to do my forecast. And I'm like, you know what? You can f off. It's just it's not gonna happen.
Alex Abbott [00:14:55]:
I guess that works as long as the, you know, the the manager is assertive enough to, tell them when they're doing the wrong things and help help coach them through or direct them depending on their level Yeah. To do the right things. Now you mentioned in the opening, you've been through seven We've done direct acquisitions. You must have seen some, quite a bit of change in your time. Can you share a moment from your own career where resilience played a key role in your success?
Volker Ballueder [00:15:31]:
I mean, in in terms of sales, I mean, there there there are several examples. But in terms of sales, you know, when when you have a deal, you know, you're working on for, I don't know, six months, twelve months. Right? Enterprise size deal. And you you think you ticked all the boxes. Right? Yeah. The background check, the proposal's all there, the pricing is alright, you know, the the internal buyers. Okay. Right? Procurement signed it off.
Volker Ballueder [00:15:58]:
So you're you're on this winning streak. Right? You're you're ready. You're just waiting for the signature. Yeah. And, you know, a, ghosting is you know, I think ghosting becomes more and more popular. I I have clients, you know, sales clients that ghost me. And I'm like, just tell me. You know, you don't have much to come up with an excuse, but don't ghost people.
Volker Ballueder [00:16:17]:
I think that's rude. Yeah. Wrong tangent. But then, you know, the the client started to to ghost me. Right? Not getting back to me. And I'm like, you know, you have a gut feeling. Right? Yeah. Something's wrong with that deal.
Volker Ballueder [00:16:30]:
And eventually, they I think they had a budget cut or whatever it was. So, you know, that deal of of several hundred thousands, you know, didn't didn't come through,
Alex Abbott [00:16:38]:
you know.
Volker Ballueder [00:16:39]:
And what what are you gonna do? Mhmm. Right.
Alex Abbott [00:16:42]:
You
Volker Ballueder [00:16:42]:
can sit there and if I say cry and, you know, beat yourself up and and get annoyed. But the problem is there there was no way you could have, you know, predicted that. You know? So there was no warning sign whatsoever. So it was I don't know. Call it unlucky. Right? Which which is why you're trying to have more than one of those deals at any one point in time, but they they take a lot of time and invest them. And then it comes back to resilience. Right? Picking yourself up.
Volker Ballueder [00:17:12]:
You know, you might you might go for a few pints. Right? I mean, not that I encourage anyone to drink, but, you know, you you reset yourself. Right? You go like, okay. Mhmm. All aligned on that, but let's move forward. Right? The next deal will work better. You know? What? Reflect on it. Right? What what worked well? What what are the shortfalls? Talk with us.
Volker Ballueder [00:17:32]:
Talk with your colleague. Go through it and go like, okay. Did we miss anything? Was was there a warning sign I didn't spot? My boss didn't spot. Right? Talk to the clients. You you'd be surprised how often the the client, especially the main contact, might actually help you as well to go through it and say, you know what, Volker? Nothing to do with you. There were budgets cut, new boss over in in HQ. Right? And they just put everything on hold. Mhmm.
Volker Ballueder [00:18:00]:
And,
Alex Abbott [00:18:02]:
you know,
Volker Ballueder [00:18:02]:
you could be the best salesperson in the world. There's nothing nothing you can do. Right? You can just hope that you have a really good relationship with the main buyer and decision maker. That person goes to the next, you know, company and gets in straight away. But yeah. Yeah. These are the moments you need to be resilient to pick yourself up because if you can't, don't work in sales as soon as that.
Alex Abbott [00:18:26]:
Yeah. Right. So let's dig into resilience a little bit Yeah. And understanding resilience. How would you define resilience in the context of b two b skills?
Volker Ballueder [00:18:41]:
So so so resilience, and and I wrote that definition down, is to be able to adapt, recover, and then face, you know, adversity. Right? Face rejection. So in sales, it's all about facing rejection. Right? And it's it's just be able to move on from that, you know. Not as I said earlier, right, don't don't personalize it. You know? Analyze it, but don't personalize it. You know? Don't think, oh, you know, it it was me. You know? It was all my fault.
Volker Ballueder [00:19:14]:
Right? As as soon as you think that's that's the case, you know, you might as well pack your backs and go and get a different job.
Alex Abbott [00:19:22]:
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:19:25]:
What I said earlier is that there's a detection of self worth, right, from the outcome. Mhmm. You know, this self worth isn't, you know so some people this deal I just described. Some people would go lose that deal and go like, oh, I'm shit at sales. I quit sales. You know, this is just not for me. Mhmm.
Alex Abbott [00:19:42]:
Yeah. That's people.
Volker Ballueder [00:19:43]:
I think people are doing that because they they couldn't handle it because their self worth was associated to that deal.
Alex Abbott [00:19:51]:
Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:19:51]:
It's not you.
Alex Abbott [00:19:53]:
Yeah. That's an important point actually and and certainly for me in my own career early on, I I didn't have the self self worth. I mean, it was attached to my performance, my success, and, yeah, maybe that helped me become a high performing salesperson, but it didn't help me, you know, be the person that I could be, become the person Yeah. I now am today. And I think that's an important, I guess, element of the therapy or the coaching is to help people identify, you know, what's important to them, what what makes up their core values and beliefs that they can they can stand true to when things are good, when things are bad.
Volker Ballueder [00:20:39]:
%. I mean, it it reminds me of of, let's say, another example of my career. So that was actually my second ever job. So you you don't find it. I think I I think I took it off LinkedIn on my CV. I wanna be honest in case anyone's listening, any HR people. But it's essentially, I I I work for a telemarketing company, selling conferences. I did really, really well, you know, but after eighteen months, I kind of got hit the ceiling.
Volker Ballueder [00:21:08]:
And and my boss said, we we work something out. We want to keep you, you know. And I was young. Right? I'm like, you know, Anthony, if you're listening, I'm really sorry. No. I should have stayed. But anyway, I decided that that the grass is greener. Right? I can join the start up.
Volker Ballueder [00:21:22]:
I'm selling business information in emerging markets. Little did I know as a person who owns the company, he he was a quite frankly, he's a maniac. So if you listen Right. Let's not say that. He hired and fired me three times in one morning, you know, like, coming you know, googling things, oh, you didn't do this, you didn't do that, you know, you're shit. And, you know, I
Alex Abbott [00:21:45]:
one of those bosses.
Volker Ballueder [00:21:46]:
Well, I actually made a mistake. He says, oh, you you hired. You know, you can come back. Back and forth literally all morning. Yeah. And Givna was quite young in my career. I'm like, what the fuck is happening? Right? And it was the same day we were supposed to have lunch, my wife or or now wife, you know, to to discuss to move to Dubai with him. Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:22:07]:
And, I walked out of his office and literally five minutes later, as if nothing has happened, he goes like, you know, his PA came through and says, you know, we we we are now ready for lunch. And I'm like, I'm not. I said, I'm taking the afternoon off. And, I went to the next Nero. So I remember that very vividly on on Victoria Street in in London, and I sent him a message from my, let's say, semi smartphone, and and I resigned. And, you know, because there there was no emotional intelligence. Right? There was setback because I was so associated my career with with that company, you know, and and selling things. I sold things.
Volker Ballueder [00:22:44]:
I mean, I was best performing salesperson within no time. And it's it's this overcoming that and go like, you know what? It was the situation I was put in. I need to get over that and I need to move on. And and I remember my next job, great manager I had, you know, and and he was so confident, so outgoing. And, like, I I wanna be back there, you know. I wanna be like him again. And it it took me a while, you know, to overcome that. Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:23:12]:
It's it's it's it's able to to overcome this adversity. And, you know, if if I say just just move on, you know, and and not go. It's it's not personal.
Alex Abbott [00:23:22]:
Yeah. No. It's a great story. It's a great example of you having the emotional intelligence to make the right decision for for you and your future wife. Yeah. Exactly. So I heard Arnie in the background. He's saying Arnie's first appearance on sales TV.
Volker Ballueder [00:23:42]:
There we go. It's a good message. Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:23:46]:
So what what, so moving on, we've we've, you know, we've got maybe five minutes left. Okay. What what are some simple daily habits that sales professionals can implement to strengthen their resilience?
Volker Ballueder [00:24:02]:
Where do we start? I I think reflection. Reflection is such an important thing. If you say it's personal or not, a daily journal. Yes. I think so so I journal twice a day. So in in every morning, I sit down for ten, fifteen minutes and go, okay. What are the three things I want to achieve today? So I can measure myself on, you know, getting the important things done.
Alex Abbott [00:24:28]:
Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:24:28]:
Right? So if if I get these things done, sending out a proposal. So so after this, I have to send out a proposal actually today. I'll do some safe coaching this afternoon. I need to prepare for a therapy session. Right? These these are important things.
Alex Abbott [00:24:42]:
Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:24:42]:
At the end of the day, sit down and reflect what what went well, what didn't go so well. Right? Reflection five minutes. I actually do a gratitude journal every day as well to to really focus on the positive things. Right? Because that's how you train your brain. Right? It's a positive sparks. You know? What what was good today? And if you had a really shitty day as a salesperson, right, let let's say every person you called, every email you got was negative, rejection, rejection, rejection. Plus, you know, you have a roof over your head, you have a toilet. Right? You you you're better than I think, is it 95% of the population? May maybe that's the wrong fact.
Volker Ballueder [00:25:20]:
Right? But the majority of the population don't have that. Right? So there there's always something to be grateful for. And hopefully, it's something like, oh, I had a really good conversation with that customer. I moved this deal along. You know, just focus on the positive things. Right? Don't don't let yourself be down. And what helps and I'm not saying everyone should meditate, but have a mindfulness practice. Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:25:44]:
Be at the moment. Right? I mean, as I say, I've I've been meditating for over twenty years. I do twenty minutes every morning. Right? That's part of my morning routine. Yeah. The gym every day. I have an hour in the gym every morning just just to work out. I mean, to stay fit.
Volker Ballueder [00:26:00]:
In our age, we we have to stay fit. Right? I mean, if if some younger sales people listen, you know, it's it's also about looking good. Right? Looking great when when you sell. But these these things, because they help with self awareness, they help with, emotional regulation as well. Right? I mean, we haven't even typed into emotional intelligence. But but being able to, you know, to understand your emotions, understand what's what's boiling up. Right? Whether that is during a sales call, and we all know that as well. Right? When the other person tabled something where you're gonna, oh, shit.
Volker Ballueder [00:26:31]:
You know, how do I react react with that? To after the sales call. Right? Mhmm. There, in in terms of emotional regulation, one one of my former colleagues, through a fax machine through an office, many moons ago, obviously, it was a fax machine. Right. Many offices with fax machines left. Yeah. That shouldn't happen to anyone. Right? You should never be in an environment where people throw a fax machine or computers, laptops through the office.
Volker Ballueder [00:26:58]:
Yeah. And if you're in such a sales environment, get out of there. Right? Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:27:03]:
Reflect
Volker Ballueder [00:27:04]:
on it. Move on. You know, so so being able to to regulate yourself, I think, is is is key. And, you know, journaling, mindfulness, you know, meditation, if if if you want to, I think are are great. And and the findings of work life balance. Right? Being able to switch off your laptop. Mhmm. And and some people and, you know, I I'm lucky enough.
Volker Ballueder [00:27:27]:
I have an office. Right? Half a garage, a box as I like to call it. Who who does to a friend of mine who has a box up in Manchester. We always call it the box. It's you know, we we are lucky. We can close the door at the end of the day. But, you know, young younger sales people, they might just be in a in a flat share in London. Right? They work at the kitchen table.
Volker Ballueder [00:27:47]:
Find a routine, you know, whenever, 06:00, six thirty, shut down the laptop, go for a walk once and once a block, go to the gym. Right? And and find a work life balance and go go back afresh, you know. Don't don't think about your work after whatever that whatever time you decide. Right? If it's six Yes. Whatever. Yes. The the these are some some key key elements because you you wanna have a life. Yeah.
Volker Ballueder [00:28:13]:
I don't what makes a job your life. I think that's biggest challenge most salespeople have. So because we we want to win. We we wanna make that money. That's that's what drives us on. That doesn't mean we are the product, you know. We you know, I'm I'm not my, you know, the the boss I just described. Right? I'm I'm not like him.
Volker Ballueder [00:28:33]:
Right? I'm not the person that wants to work with him. Right?
Alex Abbott [00:28:37]:
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Some great tips. Having the discipline to to stick to them, I think, you know, is is so important.
Volker Ballueder [00:28:46]:
Yeah.
Alex Abbott [00:28:47]:
So, we're coming to the end now. Yeah. Where can people connect with you? Where can they learn more about you if they've heard the show this morning, they want to learn a bit more. What's the best way to get in touch? The easiest is LinkedIn.
Volker Ballueder [00:29:01]:
I'm I'm on LinkedIn probably all day. So
Alex Abbott [00:29:04]:
Yeah. If if
Volker Ballueder [00:29:05]:
you if you if you search me on LinkedIn, you know, my my email, my mobile number is on there. The link to my website, which is Obnatus, so Obnatus.us. So yeah. Just you you find me anywhere online. It's a it's an easy name to find. I have some information on my website about what what I do in terms of leadership coaching and and executive coaching and therapy. And, yeah, just hit me up. I put lots of content out there.
Volker Ballueder [00:29:31]:
So can't miss me. Thank you.
Alex Abbott [00:29:34]:
Some great videos I've seen. Thank you. Hey, mate. Volker, it's been great having you on. Thank you for sharing just a small piece of your insight and your experience with us. Hopefully, next time, we'll be able to dive into emotional intelligence a bit more.
Volker Ballueder [00:29:52]:
We we have we've hardly scratched the surface on on on emotional intelligence. And, so, yeah, there's there's lots lots more to talk about. So thank you for having me, Alex.
Alex Abbott [00:30:02]:
Yes. My my pleasure. There's there's only so much we can get through in in half an hour. Yeah. Next time. Thank you very much. Thank you to our audience. Rachel, it's, it's lovely to see you as always.
Alex Abbott [00:30:18]:
Have a great week, everyone. Until next time on Sales TV. Take care.
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