I Lied To My Kids (And I’d Do It Again)

Are you complaining about your team?

That they don't move.

That they don't change.

That they keep selling the same way, even when there's a better approach.

Learn this:

Nobody changes alone.

Not them.

Not you.

Look.

If there's something that truly makes me angry, truly, it's this scene:

My kids sprawled on the couch,

controller in hand,

eyes glued to the TV,

watching for the umpteenth time a Netflix episode they already know by heart.

It drives me nuts.

Because I feel it dulls them.

It sucks their energy.

And leaves them drained.

So I tried the usual.

• Who wants to play soccer with me?

Absolute silence.

• Want to play a board game?
• Later, Dad.

Until one Sunday morning, I got desperate.

I was fed up with asking.

And I took another path:

I “broke” the TV. (Well, I unplugged a cable).

When they came out of their room, I told them:

• It's broken, kids. Let's see if it fixes itself later.

Yes, I lied.

And I'd do it again.

They went out to the garden and started playing,

because there was no other option.

In the afternoon, one of them, by inertia, returned to the couch, picked up the controller, and tried to turn on the TV.

It didn't work.

He left there and went to play.

Today, more than a year later, the TV in the den is still “broken.”

Now I see them building Hot Wheels tracks, reading,

fighting over who wins Monopoly,

leaving a mess.

But alive, active, moving.

Alright.

In your company, there's no couch.

But there is a comfort zone.

People who do the same old thing.

Even if there's a better way.

And they don't change when you motivate them; they change when they have no other choice.

When you inform them, without asking, what they need to do.

And you show them that you're going to evaluate it and demand it.

You leave them in an uncomfortable silence.

With looks of “Now what does *he* want?”.

Because leading isn't about being liked. It's about making things happen, even if it's uncomfortable.

Since I was a salesperson in a jewelry store, over 15 years ago,

I became obsessed with a single question:

How do you get employees to do what you ask

and achieve better results?

Here's what I've learned.

I hope it helps you.

Sincerely,

Carlos

P.S. Serving is the way.

P.P.S. If you want help getting your team to do what matters and transform your results, let's talk.

—

Shopology S.A. de C.V.

Av. Pacífico 468 Local C, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, CP 04330, México

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