Interview with Expert Salesman and Speaker, Adrian Davis

Written by dabney on Saturday, December 31st, 2011 with 2 comments

Adrian Davis is a top business strategist and advisor for chief executives and business owners.

He is the President of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers, Toronto Chapter and President of management consulting firm Whetstone Inc. His highly talented team has developed a reputation for leading organizations to innovative and practical solutions that enhance customer value and dramatically increase sales and profitability.

He is a thought-provoking speaker and is frequently called upon to address senior management teams and sales groups on the subjects of corporate strategy, competitive advantage and sales excellence.

How did you start working in sales?

When I was at university, I needed more money so I started an advertising business and went around selling advertising space to retailers in the city. That’s when I fell in love with sales! I thought, “This is so cool.” I realized that this is what I want to do for my career. Most people fall into sales after doing something else first. I knew that sales was my calling. As a result, I read everything I could on the topic and really worked hard to figure out what one has to do to be successful. One of the things that appealed to me about having a career in sales was I got to write my own pay-cheque. I really enjoyed the interaction with customers, the autonomy and the variety (every day was different).

Can sales ability be taught?

Yes, sales ability can definitely be taught, but there are certain personalities that are going to naturally perform better in sales. They have certain attributes that come naturally to them that enable them to be more effective in sales. For example, one attribute is charisma. They can inject energy and enthusiasm into others. Much of sales is about the transference of belief. You need to be convicted about something and transfer that conviction to others. Some people just don’t have charisma as a natural attribute. Despite having other abilities, the inability to transfer emotion and belief will set them back.

I think another natural attribute is curiosity. You can teach an element of curiosity, but real, true, authentic curiosity is a personal attribute. One comes with that. If you have authentic curiosity and you get into sales, you can do extremely well. If you don’t have it, we can train you on how to be effective in sales discussions, but you won’t be as effective as you could be.

Another attribute would be empathy; some people are naturally more empathetic than others. And again, if you have more empathy, you’re going to be a much more effective seller. Influence is an attribute that needs to be combined with empathy to be effective in sales. Some people are naturally more influential than others. If you have lots of empathy, but you don’t have any influence, you’ll struggle to move the ball forward. What you want to have is a combination of empathy and influence – e.g., “Now that I understand where you are, what you’re going through, and what you are trying to achieve, here’s what I recommend you do.”

This combination of influence, empathy, curiosity and charisma cannot be taught. For those who possess it, they will take whatever sales capabilities they are taught and naturally magnify their effect. Those who don’t have these attributes, can learn sales and be successful, but they will not be as effective; nor will they find the career as rewarding.

Can you summarize your public speaking style in one sentence?

In one sentence, I would say, “to engage and challenge business leaders to see their reality from a fresh perspective.”

What kind of groups do you usually speak to?

Peer groups for chief executives, business owners, sales leaders (VP’s) and sales teams.

What single moment in your speaking career stands out for you?  

Giving the keynote at the London Stock Exchange for one of my client’s top customers. They brought a group of business owners that do business with them and asked me to give the keynote address. This was a pivotal moment in their business and they needed to solidify their customer relationships. Reshaping how their best customers perceived the relationship was a pivotal moment in the company’s growth and rebranding. They’ve since developed a whole university concept to continue to educate their customers, and I continue to play a key role.

Why did you start Whetstone Inc.?

I started Whetstone because I realized that the world is changing rapidly and people are stuck in an old way of selling, which doesn’t fit with where the world is going. I wanted to put together a sales system that elevates sales to strategic relevance.

What kind of thinking is most harmful to executives in terms of sales and/or relationship management?

I would say that it is the thinking that they were born with. All of us are born thinking about ourselves first. Through socialization, we mature into adults who have the ability to think of others. Our basic, fundamental way of thinking, however, is to think of ourselves first and what we’re going to get. That’s the thinking that is most harmful. We need to become people who authentically think of others first. This goes beyond the concept of “win-win”; it’s realizing that we earn the right to win only after our customers win.

Building organizations that are truly committed to helping customers win is paramount. As long as we’re thinking of ourselves first, we can’t get there. Our thinking will be tested in times of crisis. We will see who we really are when the chips are down. Our people will take their cue from our character in a crisis. Are we asking, “how do we help our clients get through this?” Or are we thinking, “How do we get more money from our customers to help us get through this?” Most people will gravitate to me-first thinking in times of crisis. It takes real maturity to elevate our thinking above self-preservation. It’s something we can’t fake. Who we are is fully exposed when things go sideways.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

My family! I’ve been married for 20 years and I’ve been blessed with a great wife and great children. Coming from a broken home and stopping the cycle of dysfunction is extremely gratifying.

Who is your real-life hero?

My mother. Seeing her go through significant challenges, raising 4 small children on her own and making life great for us continues to inspire me. We started out with nothing. She always said she values peace of mind over material things. Despite humble beginnings, she was always making things better and being exposed to her example has made me very resilient. As a result of her example, I am wired for progress and to constantly make things better. Everything I get involved in, I am constantly wondering how I can make it better. I’m really grateful for that wiring.

What advice do you have for aspiring speakers?

Public speaking is one of the top fears in life, however, there are a lot of us who can get up on a platform and speak. I think if we’re going to be successful in this business, we need to do 2 things:

1. We need to have a point of view – a perspective that is thoughtful and fresh, and that will help people make sense of the world around them.
2. We have to have a relentless focus on helping our audiences improve, transform and become what they aspire to become. We have to speak with a result in mind. We have to speak with an effect. It’s not just, “I’m entertaining or I’m educational”. It’s got to be: “I change lives, people are better as a result of crossing paths with me”.