Managing The Middle Ministries equips church leaders, church congregations, men's/women's groups, and schools with core concepts on how to effectively and efficiently manage the middle of your life without sacrificing your integrity.
For more information about this book, ministry, or the ability to have Ray speak to your corporate sales team or church service about the concepts discussed in The Hourglass Principle please complete the CONTACT US page.
Excerpts From:
The Hourglass Principle
Maintaining Your Integrity In Sales And Life by Managing the Middle
Have you ever looked closely at an hourglass? Have you
noticed that every piece of sand in an hourglass flows through that
point in the middle or center of the hourglass? Every single grain of
sand must enter and exit the position right in the middle of the
hourglass. When the sand has passed through the hourglass to the other
side and you turn the hourglass over than all the sand now flows back
through that central point right in the middle of the hourglass.
Again, every grain of sand flows from one side to the other via the
point in the middle of the hourglass. In The Hourglass Principle YOU,
the sales person, are that central point in the middle in which all the
grains of sand flow. The difference is that in sales the grains of
sand are information and data. All the information from your company
that needs to be conveyed to a customer or prospect flows from you, the
sales person, to the customer. Likewise, all the information from your
customer flows from you to your company. That central point of
information is YOU.
How you choose to use that information flow defines who you are as
sales person but also as a human being. It defines the type of sales
person and the reputation you will carry throughout your sales career.
In sales, there is no way to separate your career personality from your
personal life. The two will always be linked together.
We need to discuss how to conduct yourself and perform while in the middle of a sales process. You must realize that the responsibility that comes with being in the middle is immense. As stated earlier, Luke 12:48 affirms “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” The more success you have in sales and in life the more that will be required of you. How you continue to hone your personal and professional skills will define who you become in life.
There are eight pillars of being in the middle that are the keys to
your success. Each key is discussed in greater detail and should be
applied to every part of a sale. Remember, you cannot separate your
professional personality from your personal life. These eight pillars
will easily provide you the roots you need to become a person of
influence.
It
has been said that every equation needs a constant. In sales, the only
constant is you. You have only one chance to make a good first
impression. You have only one chance to create a reputation. You have
only one chance to create who you are as a person during
that first impression. In sales your reputation and integrity are
assets that must be held close to your heart and protected at all
times. For most of us, whatever sales job we have today will more than
likely not be our last. The only constants that move with you throughout your career are your word, your reputation and your integrity. Merriam-Webster states that integrity
"is a firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values.
It is the quality or state of being complete or undivided." Proverbs 10:9 states "The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out."
Who is the intend audience?
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? For
the Christian salesperson they can learn that they are not alone in
their quest to maintain a high moral code when selling. For the
non-Christian salesperson, The Hourglass Principle can provide an
alternative approach to selling. The Hourglass Principle also addresses
the needs for balance between your personal life and professional life.
It reinforces that what you do and say today will impact your
reputation and define you as a human being and that there is no way to
separate your personal and professional lives.
What problem are you trying to address with the book?
How were you personally impacted by working on this project? It was amazing how the Holy Spirit grabbed a hold of me. This project quickly become a project that extended beyond my knowledge or abilities. The Holy Spirit guided me every step of the way and as such I have a deeper understanding and relationship with Jesus Christ.
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists? My favorite authors are John Maxwell, Tony Evans, John Grisham, Brian Tracy, Rick Page and many others
Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know: The theme of The Hourglass Principle is to focus the reader on selling with integrity. It provides an alternative approach to selling that reminds the reader that what they say or do today will mold and shape them into the sales professional they choose to become. Too many times sales people get themselves into desperate situations that place a strain on their ethical core. The Hourglass Principle is unique in that it blends traditional sales process with Christian principles. This book provides the sales person with tools and character traits that can be utilized to become successful in sales and life without selling out their morals or ethics. The goal is to demonstrate by practical example and Biblical Scripture that sales people can go further in their career by maintaining strong moral standards and a high level of integrity. Whether embarking in a new career in sales or a seasoned professional The Hourglass Principle is the perfect addition to their reference library.
Do you have plans for other books?
