Over the past few months, I have had the privilege of interviewing many outstanding leaders here at ConMed.* I have mentioned before that our people are our best assets, and the interview series absolutely confirmed that sentiment.
As I have reflected back over the entire interview series, I began to think about the characteristics of these outstanding people. They are all unique individuals with distinct identities and personalities—and this diversity lends a depth and breadth to the corporate world at ConMed that is priceless. At the same time, however, I see a pattern of character traits—identifying attributes—that seems to be prevalent in our leaders here. I would like to explore those traits in today’s post, and, hopefully, you will be inspired and encouraged on your own road to success as you recognize some of these traits in yourself while also perhaps seeing ones that could use a little improvement!
1) Our top leaders at ConMed exhibit rugged and fierce perseverance.
Medical sales is a tough field—no one can deny that. Any given day can produce unexpected glitches, difficult personalities, and unpredictable outcomes. In order to rise to the top as these leaders have done, perseverance is a key characteristic—they simply allow no option for giving up. Instead, they press on in the face of obstacles, often making a way when others may throw up their hands in defeat.
2) Our leaders are committed learners for life.
The most successful people around the world are lifelong learners. Whether you are in medical sales or not, a hunger to learn and grow continuously often paves the way to success. I am grateful that our leaders approach every day as a new learning opportunity, embracing and owning each and every situation to better themselves professionally.
3) My colleagues are relentless goal setters.
One of the questions in each interview I conducted asked about goal setting—how important it was to the interviewee and how he or she went about setting goals for each week. Without fail, every single leader interviewed said that goal setting is crucial to consistent success. Goal setting is a first (and necessary) step to achievement, and my colleagues demonstrate this principle beautifully.
4) The successful leaders at ConMed have a global mindset.
That is, they see the big picture. Although details are certainly important, it is so easy to get sidetracked by all the details that spring up throughout each day and forget to keep the main thing the main thing. Keeping the big picture in mind for each week, each month, and each quarter allows these leaders to stay on track, achieving challenging and ambitious goals time after time.
5) Our managers are good listeners.
And they are good listeners across the board—they listen to their surgeons, they listen to their colleagues, and they listen to their management. Being a good listener often means reading between the lines—really hearing what the other person’s or entity’s needs truly are in order to meet those needs adequately. This quality of listening well requires patience and understanding, and, without fail, it marks the top leaders in medical sales.
I will say it again: medical sales is a tough field. The characteristics that must be developed and honed in order to be successful in this field are many, and I am incredibly pleased to witness firsthand the growth of so many stellar leaders here at ConMed. As we journey through the second half of 2013, let’s remember the above qualities and strive to implement them even more in our professional lives.
Perhaps you see one or more of these traits you would like to focus on from now until the end of the year. Pick one that stands out to you—one characteristic you can merge with your own unique approach to medical sales to make the second half of your year vibrant and explosive. Use these earmarks of success to help launch your own growth and education and then watch your career jump to new heights.
You may just find that the best is yet to come.
* You can find the individual interviews by scrolling back through recent posts or by entering the word “interview” in the search box.
