Timestamps

00:40 - What motivated Terrie to write books

01:13 - How Terrie got into sales and leadership in cybersecurity

03:48 - Inspiration behind Little Red Book of Success

04:57 - 30 Days of Inspiration Book

05:59 - The Human Connection Inspiration

06:59 - Genesis of the One Minute More book and its applications

08:30 - Kamal Sharma's impact and the One Minute More principle

11:39 - How Terrie helped her partner fix his relationship with his parents using the One Minute More principle

14:53 - How to develop mindfulness

18:19 - Reframing things to navigate life better

22:34 - Building a triple-tier value network

24:48 - Growing the new and nourishing the known

About Terrie Anderson

Terrie Anderson is a business leader and has worked with RSA Security, Symantec, Venafi and Microsoft working across Europe and the ANZ region. She is the author of “Legendary Selling”, “30 Days of Inspiration”, “The Little Red Success Book” and “One Minute More - The Human Connection”.

One Minute More: 11 Tips to Making Impactful Connections in Sales and Leadership

Terrie Anderson was motivated to write books due to her natural ability to coach and mentor others. Her first book, The Little Red Success Book, documented her coaching techniques. In this episode, we discussed how Terrie’s encounters with different people changed her life and influenced her other books.

Below are Terrie’s actionable insights into making real human connections:

1. Start connecting with yourself

Before you can connect with others, you have to do it with yourself first. To do this, you must follow your heart’s desire and live the life you want. This is what Terrie exactly did.

Her journey into sales and leadership in the cybersecurity industry began with a school counsellor's advice to become an accountant. However, she found out that she couldn’t meet people in that job. She then became interested in working in technology.

Terrie joined RSA in Australia as their first employee and has been in the field for over 25 years. She enjoys travelling the world and meeting famous people in the industry, including people from law enforcement, government, and vendors, who are all working together to keep the world a safer place online.

Terrie has also written books, which have helped codify her success and lessons learned.

Switch actionable tips:

1. Follow Your Passion and Adapt. Terrie's story underscores the importance of following your heart's desire. To follow her steps as a leader, encourage your sales team to explore their interests and adapt to changing circumstances. Help them find roles within your organisation that align with their passions and strengths, ultimately driving better performance and job satisfaction.
2. Network Strategically. Terrie's success in sales and leadership is closely tied to her ability to network with influential figures in her industry. Encourage your team to proactively build strategic relationships with key stakeholders, including law enforcement, government officials, and industry vendors.
3. Document Your Success: Terrie's decision to write books to codify her success and lessons learned is a valuable strategy. Encourage your team members to document their successful sales strategies, best practices, and experiences. This documentation can serve as a valuable resource for onboarding new team members and as a reference for refining existing approaches.

2. When you’re at the top, use your power to help others

The Little Red Book of Success was inspired by the coaching Terrie was doing and the positive feedback she received from people. After spending 10 years on personal development, she decided to share his knowledge with others for a lower price.

Since then, the book has helped people from various walks of life. Terrie writes in her head first, spending months wandering and seeking an understanding partner to write the book.

Switch actionable tips:

1. Leverage Expertise for Content Creation. Just like Terrie leveraged her coaching experience and personal development knowledge to write her book, encourage your sales team to share their expertise in industry trends, product knowledge, or sales strategies. Sharing valuable content positions your team as thought leaders and can attract potential customers seeking guidance.
2. Prioritise Affordable Knowledge Sharing. Terrie decided to share her knowledge in a book format at a lower price point. In your sales leadership role, consider offering affordable training sessions, workshops, or online courses to equip your sales team with essential skills and knowledge.
3. Invest Time in Quality Content Creation. Terrie spent months crafting her book, ensuring it provided genuine value. Similarly, emphasise the importance of quality over quantity to your sales team. Encourage them to take the time to research, plan, and deliver tailored sales presentations and proposals that address each customer's unique needs.

3. Become partners with your customers to earn their loyalty

Terrie also wrote 30 Days of Inspiration, focusing on applying the lessons from the Little Red Success book in a 30-day period. She believes that 30 days is a short period of time; so, if you’re willing to create real change, reading it will encourage you to take on a longer program.

At the same time, while she was studying successful salespeople, Terrie found a common denominator among all those who earn phenomenal money. They don’t just focus on earning but also on being a partner for their customers. As a result, their customers follow them wherever they go.

This is how her book, The Human Connection, was born. It discusses the value of a triple tier of value network, which includes being a good and smart human.

Switch actionable tips:

1. Offer Guided Learning Experiences. Following Terrie's approach with "30 Days of Inspiration," consider creating a guided training program that helps your sales team apply the lessons from your products or services over a defined period. This could include daily or weekly challenges, assessments, and resources that encourage continuous learning and implementation.
2. Emphasise Customer Partnership. Terrie's observation of successful salespeople highlighted the importance of being a partner for their customers. Share this insight with your team and emphasise the value of building trust and rapport. Train your team to understand their customers' needs deeply and provide tailored solutions that genuinely benefit them.
3. Promote the Value of Human Connection. Terrie's book, "The Human Connection," underscores the importance of a triple-tiered value network that includes being a good and smart human. Encourage your sales team to adopt this perspective in their interactions. Train them to prioritise empathy, active listening, and authentic communication when engaging with customers.

4. Recognise each person as a human first

One of Terrie’s most unforgettable encounters was with Kamal Sharma, who introduced the One Minute More principle to her. Kamal said that every person needs one minute more. That means we need to take time to recognise and respect each person as a human, and not just for their job or role in any setting.

By taking that one minute more, you’ll become more memorable and bring joy into other people's lives. This principle applies to various interactions—you can do it at a sandwich shop, airlines, check-in desks, hotels, businesses, or even at your kid's school.

Terrie initially thought she couldn't do it, but Kamal showed her that it was possible to make connections in just five minutes. After practising this principle, Terrie noticed a difference in her life. People started reacting differently to her. Since then, there have been some amazing stories in Terrie’s life.

Switch actionable tips:

1. Embrace the "One Minute More" Principle. During sales meetings, encourage your team members to ask about the client's interests or personal experiences. By showing genuine interest in the person behind the business, your team can build more memorable relationships that lead to increased trust and rapport.
2. Demonstrate the Power of Quick Connections. Terrie initially doubted her ability to make connections in just five minutes, but Kamal demonstrated that it was possible. Organise training sessions or workshops where your sales team practices making quick but impactful connections with potential clients or partners. Provide them with scenarios and role-play exercises to hone their skills in building rapport and conveying genuine interest within a short timeframe.
3. Share Success Stories and Encourage Applications. Share Terrie's experiences and other success stories within your sales organisation to illustrate the positive outcomes of embracing this principle. Create a culture where your team members celebrate and share their own stories of how taking an extra moment to connect has made a difference in their professional and personal lives.

5. Take one minute more to rebuild relationships

Terrie also shared a personal story about her partner, who had a “formal” relationship with his mother and stepdad.

After coaching her partner on One Minute More, he started spending more time with his mother and stepdad, leading to a dramatic change in their relationships. Terrie's partner has since returned to Australia twice and spent six weeks with his parents, demonstrating the benefits of One Minute More in various aspects of life.

Terrie is passionate about the topic and believes that if a million people embrace it, the world will change significantly. This story highlights the importance of embracing One Minute More in personal relationships.

Switch actionable tips:

1. Promote Empathy and Connection in Sales Interactions. Highlight the transformative power of taking an extra minute to connect on a personal level. Encourage your sales team to genuinely listen to clients' concerns, ask about their well-being, and show empathy. When clients feel valued beyond their business transactions, it strengthens the client-salesperson bond, leading to more loyal and satisfied customers.
2. Offer Training on Relationship Building. Create workshops or seminars focused on building stronger personal connections with clients. Use Terrie's partner's story as inspiration for your team. Teach them techniques for fostering meaningful conversations, active listening, and understanding clients' backgrounds and interests.
3. Advocate for Wider Adoption of One Minute More. Support Terrie's vision of a world where a million people embrace "One Minute More" by championing this principle within your company and encouraging its adoption throughout your industry. Share success stories from your team members who have seen positive results from implementing "One Minute More" in their personal and professional lives.

6. Focus more on connection, not dominance

In education, dominance and control can lead to students being influenced by fake news or one professor. That’s why people need to connect more, instead of dominating each other to boost egos.

Spending time making human connections can lead to increased openness, mindfulness, and less vulnerability to influence. The more varied thoughts a person can process, the easier they can use rational judgment in their interactions.

In today's information-driven world, people often disconnect from others, making it crucial to prioritise human connections in education.

Switch actionable tips:

1. Encourage Collaborative Learning and Discussion. Encourage open dialogue where your teammates can express their thoughts and perspectives. By facilitating these interactions, you enable them to build human connections, challenge each other's ideas, and develop the ability to critically assess information.
2. Leverage Technology for Personalised Connections. Use virtual office hours to maintain personal connections between individual contributors and leaders, especially in remote or online learning environments. These technologies allow employees to engage with their leaders seek clarification on work issues, and participate in collaborative projects.
3. Promote a Culture of Inclusivity and Openness. Encourage diversity of thought and background within your workspace. Promote initiatives that celebrate different perspectives and experiences. Organise events, workshops, or seminars that focus on critical thinking, media literacy, and the responsible consumption of information.

7. Be aware of your impact on others

Terrie emphasised the importance of being in the moment. As a sales leader, especially, you should be more aware of your impact on others. To do this, Terrie recommends practising mindfulness.

Mindfulness helps improve breathing, brain function, energy, and control over surroundings. As a result, you become less reactive and more intentional with your interactions at work.

To start developing mindfulness, Terrie recommends you start watching videos or taking a course in your free time. Along with that, you should also improve your time management and practise gratitude in interacting with others.

Switch actionable tips:

1. Incorporate Mindfulness into Leadership. Set aside time each day for brief mindfulness exercises, such as meditation or deep breathing. For instance, you can start your workday with a 5-minute mindfulness meditation to clear your mind and set a positive tone. This practice can help you stay calm, focused, and less reactive during high-pressure sales situations.
2. Invest in Personal Development. Just as Terrie recommends, allocate some of your free time to learn about mindfulness. Explore online courses, TED talks, or workshops that focus on mindfulness techniques for leaders.
3. Enhance Time Management and Foster Gratitude. Implement effective time management strategies, such as prioritising tasks, setting clear goals, and minimising distractions. By managing your time more efficiently, you reduce stress and create space for mindfulness practices.

8. Listen to understand, instead of listening to respond

Terrie also shared her frustration with how people are easily offended by just about anything these days. To avoid this, Terrie suggests you don’t listen to respond; instead, listen to understand. By doing the latter, you can gain a better insight into others’ perspectives.

Additionally, practise mindfulness so that you can see your values and beliefs objectively. Through this, you can avoid being triggered by things that don’t even matter to you at the moment. Focus only on the people with whom you’re engaging.

Switch actionable tips:

1. Listen to Understand, Not to Respond. In sales conversations, emphasise the importance of truly hearing what the client or prospect is saying without immediately formulating a response. Encourage your team to ask open-ended questions to delve deeper into the client's needs and concerns.
2. Cultivate Mindfulness and Self-Awareness. Introduce mindfulness exercises, such as short meditation sessions or deep breathing exercises, as part of your team's daily routine. These practices can help individuals gain clarity and objectivity regarding their values and beliefs.
3. Concentrate on Meaningful Engagement. Remind your team to stay present and fully engage with the people they are interacting with, whether it's clients, colleagues, or partners. Encourage them to put away distractions like smartphones or unrelated thoughts during meetings and sales calls.

9. Reframe your point of view

Reframing your point of view can help you understand and navigate your experiences better. This is what Terrie realised when she visited her mum’s elderly friend.

The friend had a window with blinds, which showed a view of a beautiful courtyard. However, Terrie thought that the blinds were limiting the picturesque view, so she suggested that they remove them.

When the friend removed the blinds, Terrie immediately saw not just the gorgeous courtyard but also the factories, power lines, and rubbish. This is when she understood the importance of reframing. She realised that the blinds didn’t limit the courtyard view—they actually focused only on it.

Terrie learned that you don't have to focus on unpleasant things such as your failures or regrets. Instead, you can reframe them as learning experiences. For example, if you’re embarrassed, admit it and turn it into a learning experience, so you can heal faster and more effectively. If you get offended, ask what they have done and suggest how they can change their language.

Terrie believes that if people were trained on how to reframe things, there would be fewer unhappy people in the world.

Switch actionable tips:

1. Encourage a Growth Mindset and Resilience. When a team member faces a sales rejection or failure, encourage them to reframe it as a chance to learn and improve. Instead of dwelling on the disappointment, they can ask themselves what they can take away from the experience to enhance their sales approach.
2. Promote Effective Communication and Conflict Resolution. If a team member receives offensive feedback from a client or colleague, advise them to reframe the situation. Encourage them to address the issue calmly and professionally, asking for clarification and suggesting alternative ways to communicate.
3. Provide Training on Reframing Techniques. Organise workshops or seminars that specifically focus on reframing techniques. Provide scenarios and role-playing exercises where your team can practice reframing challenging situations, such as objections or difficult negotiations.

10. Build a Triple-Tier Value Network

Terrie also talked about how to prioritise your relationships by building a triple-tier value network. This system can help you focus on building the right relationships, rather than wasting time and effort on the wrong ones.

With this system, you can categorise all the people in your life, based on your quality or level of relationship with them. It also helps you figure out how close you are to the person and how much you should care about their thoughts and opinions.

For example, your long-term partner, friends, or business associates should always be in the inner circle. On the other hand, someone you met a few times should be in the outer circle. This balance helps you maintain healthy relationships. More importantly, it helps you avoid the need to constantly worry about the wrong people.

Switch actionable tips:

1. Implement a Relationship Prioritisation System. Adapt Terrie's triple-tier value network concept for your professional life. Identify individuals within your organisation, clients, or partners and place them into one of three categories: Inner Circle, Middle Circle, or Outer Circle. For instance, your inner circle may include your most trusted team members, key clients, or long-term business partners. The middle circle could consist of colleagues and clients with whom you have regular interactions, and the outer circle might encompass acquaintances or contacts with whom you've had limited interactions.
2. Regularly Assess and Adjust Your Circles. Conduct regular assessments of your relationship circles to ensure they accurately reflect the current state of your professional connections. As your business evolves, some individuals may move from the middle circle to the inner circle due to their growing importance, while others may shift to the outer circle if their relevance decreases.
3. Communicate with Intention and Care. When communicating with individuals in your inner circle, ensure your interactions are personalised, warm, and focused on building trust and collaboration. For those in the middle circle, maintain regular contact and provide relevant updates or insights to strengthen the relationship. With individuals in the outer circle, be polite and professional but prioritise your efforts on more valuable connections.

11. Grow the new and nourish the known

Finally, Terrie shared the significance of growing the new and nourishing the known in your lives. That means you should do your best to make your relationships last, as it will enrich your life.

For example, Terrie shared a conversation with a person she had known since she was eight years old. The person told Terrie that she has remained the same person, no matter what struggle or challenge she’s gone through. That’s when Terrie realised how valuable her connection with this person was—that’s because she knew she’d never get that kind of feedback from anyone else.

This is why Terrie strongly advises that you should make your connections last as long as you can. Her story also showed how it’s important to stay grounded, no matter how much you achieve in life.

Switch actionable tips:

1. Invest in Long-Term Relationships. Consider the person Terrie had known since she was eight years old as a valuable connection. Similarly, in your sales leadership role, nurture relationships with clients, especially those who have been with your company for an extended period. Show appreciation for their loyalty and trust by periodically checking in, offering personalised insights, or providing special offers.
2. Seek Authentic Feedback and Connection. Terrie received unique feedback from her long-time acquaintance that she couldn't get from anyone else. In your professional life, identify individuals in your network who can provide honest and constructive feedback on your leadership style, strategies, and decisions. Cultivate relationships with mentors, industry peers, or trusted colleagues who can offer insights that help you grow and improve.
3. Stay Grounded and Value Personal Growth. Terrie's story highlights the importance of staying true to oneself and not letting success change one's core identity. Encourage your sales team to embrace a growth mindset and focus on learning and development. Create a culture within your organisation that values humility and self-awareness.

Final thoughts

I was inspired to sit down and talk to Terrie. Hearing her stories and insights gave me a refreshing perspective that I can surely apply to my personal and professional relationships. Overall, my favourite insight is that, ultimately, relationships are one of the best investments one could make in a lifetime.

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