Every Tuesday, sales expert Andy Bounds shares his top tips to improve your sales and communications. This week’s is…
Availability is not a skill
‘Availability is not a skill’
Have you ever heard this phrase before? It’s a good one. How often do you hear “Right, this project is essential. We need it to work brilliantly. Who’s available to run it?”
Isn’t a better question “who’s the best person to run it”…
… followed by “how can we free them up, so they can? What support can we give them, so they can do both jobs at once?”
The problem is, of course, that the best people will probably be doing other things. I guess they’re bound to be – after all, they’re the best ones (conversely, other people often are always available for a reason!)
But, for important projects, we should always go to the best people first. After all, as the saying goes, if you want something doing, ask a busy person.
Availability is not a skill. It’s not a reason you should choose someone. There are always alternatives to choosing the most available person. Or, as comedian Chris Rock once said: “You want Tom Cruise and all you can get is Jude Law? Wait.”
Action Point
Identify an imminent project that needs to go well. Then…
… Who’s the best person to run it for you?
… How can you free them up so they can do it?
… How can you help them do a fantastic job for you, without undermining what they’re currently doing?
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Andy Bounds
Emma Merry(PA): +44 (0) 7900 217 929
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