Right now, the account planning and terrority review season is in full flow. Companies are immersed in what 2021 needs to look like from a revenue and operating model perspective. Yet I am hearing deep frustrations from enterprise sales professionals.Having achieved very challenging 2020 targets, many feel 2021 is only going to bring increased stress. Some of the comments expressed include:• Being ‘punished’ with an account loss even though I have hit my target• Having to overcome more obstacles that have been put in place to achieve commission • An unrealistic increase in quota• A greatly reduced terrority size

Additionally, many:• Are experiencing toxic and aggressive leadership • Feel like they are being outflanked by political animals rather than winning as customer-focused playersIf we allow these distractions and obstacles to enter our world, there are only two outcomes:• A sub- optimal performance• Very high stressIt is a truism that ‘focused concentration’ is the mother of all our mental skills. Terry Orlick, a world- leading coach of Olympians and professional athletes, and acclaimed sports psychologist, describes the path to consistently stay focused.“Distraction control refers to your ability to maintain or regain a positive, effective focus when faced with potential distractions, negative input, or setbacks.”All the world’s best performers have a plan for dealing with distraction and setbacks. I recall pre-Rio Olympics observing a normally very affable individual, who was so ‘zoned’, that she would not engage in any irrelevant distraction or small talk. With barely a smile of acknowledgement, she was ruthlessly focussed on the task of winning. Every part of her energy and being was completely focused - you could see it was all-consuming.Net result – a Gold medal won at Rio 2016, followed by a swift return to an affable and engaging individual.In the world of SaaS, we do not have Olympics Gold medals to win. However, we do have vital moments every day, where we need to be in a peak emotional and mental state with customers, prospects, and internal stakeholders. I urge you to set your daily filters high; allow the ‘signal’ in and eliminate the excess and unnecessary ‘noise’.

How to remove distraction in enterprise sales:• Acknowledge that distraction and setbacks are real.• Have a clear goal and purpose – ensure the task in hand fits your desired career direction.• Set yourself up for success and anticipate likely distraction, especially when in a complex negotiation.• Use written cues or images as reminders, to help you reset and get you back ‘in the zone’.• Actively negotiate your 2021 terrority and accounts – do not be passive.• Negotiate and trade for any losses with your line manager.• And remember, you are not alone; many are going through this, but we will get through it.

Distraction control is a learnable skill, and with deliberate and consistent practice, you will get better at it.Even though there is a temptation to focus on life one day returning to how it was, none of us really know what the post-COVID-19 world will look like. What has become clear however, is that we live in an increasingly distracting world. Anticipating and planning can go a long way, to maintaining our concentration at critical selling times.

Enterprise Sales Club is now LIVE at https://www.enterprisesalesclub.com.Our purpose is to enable SaaS Sales Professionals to achieve their potential through the power of life-enhancing connections, shared experiences, and collaborative learnings. If you want to take your career to the next level, as well as improve your skills in Enterprise Sales, please contact me at adrian@adrianevans.co.uk