Author Robert Fulghum's bestseller, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, encapsulated lessons for success in life from lessons we learned in Kindergarten.  Some of this wisdom included: "clean up your own mess" and "don't take things that aren't yours".  He helped simplify the complexity of being a successful adult. Remember these lessons, act accordingly, and ideally live a more successful life!  

After giving this some thought, I realized that my entire grade school journey did something similar for me.  Lessons I learned from my 1st-8th grade teachers set me up for sales success, albeit indirectly, sometimes hilariously (and embarrassingly....)! 

1st grade: Mrs. Kidd.

Lesson: Show pride in your work!  Mrs. Kidd chose me as the first student of the month in 1st grade!  I wasn't exactly sure what that meant but I knew it meant I had to bring in a poster board with photos of me and my family and fill in a questionnaire about what I wanted to be when I grew up. Since I was the first one, I didn't have any reference points on how this poster board should look. I waited until the last possible minute to bring in my board and kept it in a trash bag until Mrs. Kidd finally took me and my board in a bag to the hall to talk.  She asked me why I waited so long to bring in the board.  I told her I wasn't sure if I did the work correctly and I was afraid to share it with the class.  It would also hang in the hall the entire month!  I was terrified of ALL the BIG KIDS seeing it!! Before she even took the board out to look at it, she asked me this question: "Did you do your BEST work on this, Stephanie?"  I answered her, "yes".  Mrs. Kidd then said something I have remembered my entire career, "Then, show pride in your work.  It doesn't matter if it's the best Student of the Month board that's ever been displayed, it matters that YOU did YOUR BEST WORK.  You've earned this spotlight.  Don't be afraid to shine under it!"  

In the sales world, we can sometimes be overly concerned that we aren't ready to show the apartment or do the online demo.  But we were hired for a reason and even if we had 1000 more days of training, we may not ever feel ready to put ourselves on display.  But it doesn't matter if it's the best apartment showing ever, it matters that you do the BEST you can and show pride in the work you've already put in. You will continue to learn as you continue to do.  And as for my Student of the Month board... she said it was the best she'd seen the entire year!  (Remember I was first....ha!)

2nd grade: Mrs. Jackson. 

Lesson: No cheating! Mrs. Jackson would reward you at the end of the day if you had a good day.  She would walk around the classroom, lay a napkin on your desk, and drop a handful of Mike-Sells chips on it.  As someone who SHIPS that specific brand of potato CHIPS from Ohio to Arizona to this very day, this was a HUGE treat for me.  But if you didn't have a good day- NO Chips! I always earned my treat. Until I didn't.  There was another little girl in the class who somehow talked me into doing her homework for her.  I think I just wanted to be popular with her.  Plus, it didn't seem like cheating to me, because she would do mine!  Same difference, right?  Well, reading groups were based on the homework and I was placed in the lower reading group, and she was placed in the higher reading group. After just a couple of days of this, Mrs. Jackson noticed the discrepancy.  She chastised us and switched our reading groups.  At the end of that day, she walked around the classroom to hand out the treats.  As she passed my desk, she paused and firmly but gently declared, "No cheating."  And moved on without laying the napkin down and without the handful of chips. 

In the sales world, I've been asked to do things that on the surface don't appear to be cheating, but at the core truly are! This has included putting someone else's name on a tour, or being asked to "forget" to put guest cards in the system. My answer has always been (even when unpopular!), a firm but gentle, "No". There is never a reward for cheating; so, in sales and in life, No cheating! 

3rd grade: Mrs. Coleman.

Lesson: You won't always be FIRST! After having a two year run at being the first student chosen for the Student of the Month (1st and 2nd grades), I began to think I would ALWAYS be the first student chosen. Then, Mrs. Coleman, in 3rd grade, Chose.Someone.Else.First.  While I would love to share that I was immediately very happy for my friend, Lisa, but I was not.  I was very disappointed.  Mrs. Coleman pulled me aside when she saw my reaction was impacting my work.  She told me, "You won't always be first. Lisa's being first doesn't take anything away from your previous accomplishments, nor does it mean you aren't a good student now or that you won't achieve this goal again in the future. You need to keep putting in your best effort. You just weren't first THIS TIME."  Well, welcome humility to my young life!  

In the sales world, you won't always be FIRST. You may never be first.  But it doesn't mean you aren't accomplished!  Sales numbers and rankings can be a huge motivator.  We ARE in sales because we like a little healthy competition.  However, don't let the rankings get in the way of you performing your best.  Be happy for the folks at the top of the leaderboard and GET BACK TO IT. 

What lessons from Grade School shaped you?  Please share below and click the subscribe link below to get a heads up on Parts 2 and 3 coming soon!