Have you ever noticed how sales and marketing professionals tend to use two seemingly opposing languages? One, the language of aggression, is rich in military analo- gies and spiced with appeals to fight, conquer, and win. Its coun- terpart is the language of love – of caring, nurturing, and happiness.
Although these two languages may seem contradictory, together both languages hold the key to personal and professional success.
Often, aggressive language is embedded in softer state- ments; yet, when we listen closely, we can easily recognize its power. For example, we speak of “conquering” new markets; we engage in a “battle” for higher sales and profit; we “bring in the big guns” to win a new account; we see our competition as “cut throat”; we “kill off” unprofit- able product lines; or, when salespeople don’t fulfill quota, they’re “fired.”
Flying in the face of stereotype, the use of aggressive language is not limited by gender. For example, a female sales executive was quoted in a Forbes magazine article as saying, “Me, I plow on through. If you’re in my way, that’s your problem. If I can’t achieve my goal one way, I’ll find another way. I won’t deviate from my goal. Important thing to remember: You create your limitations. It doesn’t have anything to do with biology.” Al Neuharth, founder of USA Today and former chair- man of Gannett, wrote, “An S.O.B. is someone who uses whatever tactics it takes to get the job done, to rise to the top. As nicely as possible. A little nastiness when neces- sary.” A master in the use of controlled aggression, he also said, “Controlled egos make deals. Out-of-control egos break deals.” Aggressive bosses tend to attract people who share similar qualities. Valerie Salembier, formerly vice president of advertising sales at USA Today, readily admitted that her favorite spectator sport, boxing – with its elements of power, controlled aggression, and speed – echoes parts of her personality. She once described herself as “a scrapper, a feisty person.”
THE LANGUAGE OF CARING In the early days of his presidency, while Ronald Reagan
THE LANGUAGE OF
AGGRESSION In successful companies, aggressive language is com- monplace. For example, in a speech before his company’s national sales force, Bill Razzouk, then a vice president of U.S. sales at Federal Express, used the following words to stimulate the aggressive drive of the sales team: “The competition want the food off your family’s table, they want the clothes off your back, they want to put us out of business!”
was in a planning session for the reception of a South American head of state, he was told by his aides that his visitor was going to give a speech criticizing the United States. President Reagan just glanced at his worried aides and said with a smile, “Well, we’ll just smother him with love!” He knew that a healthy dose of love can often pro- duce better results than a mighty blast of aggression. Salespeople liberally use the language of love and car-
ing. We hear such terms as “nursing” or “babysitting” a new account or treating a disgruntled customer with TLC. Others describe the need for “hand-holding” to persuade a reluctant client, or they refer to a little “tug at the heart.”
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