The document describes a story of an old wagon driver testing a young wagon driver who wanted to take over his job. In a series of hypothetical scenarios involving getting a wagon stuck in the mud, the young driver is able to come up with solutions until he reaches the final question that stumps him. The old driver tells him that the answer is that "a good wagon driver never gets stuck." This story is used to illustrate principles for being a good wagon driver and not getting stuck, such as planning ahead, having realistic strategies, and following through 100%.

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BE CONNECTED
By Jonathan Jarashow
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THE
WAGON
DRIVER
Back in Russia, in the days of wagons and wagon drivers, there lived an old wagon driver who served the people of the
small village he lived in. One day a young wagon driver named showed up and started offering rides to the villagers. At first,
the old driver didn't mind sharing the responsibilities but eventually, he saw that there just wasn't enough business for
both of them.
So the old driver approached the young driver and said, “I'm an old wagon driver and I can't get up and move to a new
village at this point in my life.” “Sorry old man. I'm not leaving.”
“Well then,” said the old wagon driver, “If you think you're a good enough wagon driver to take over for me in this village,
then let me give you the "wagon driver test." It’s the same test I had to take when I took over the job from the last wagon
driver in town. If you pass the test, you stay and I go. But if you fail, then I stay and you go.”
“No problem. Bring it on.”
So the old driver asked the first question. “You have passengers in your wagon and their suitcases in back and you are in
the middle of a big storm. Your horses veer off to the side of the road, and get stuck in the mud. What do you do now?”
“Easy. You get out of the wagon and ask the passengers if they mind if you remove their luggage while you pull the wagon
out of the mud. Then you pull on the harnesses to get the horses to pull the carriage out of the mud.”
“Very good. Next question. Same situation. You have passengers in your wagon and their suitcases in back and your
horses get stuck in the mud. But even after you ask the passengers to get out of the wagon, and you prod the horses you're
still stuck.”
“You just take out the luggage from the back so that the wagon is even lighter, and then you prod the horses, and they
will get you out.” “Great. But what if that doesn't work?”
“I would take a lever and put it under the rear axle and lift the wagon out.”
“Great. But what if the lever sinks into the mud as well?” “Then I would take a beam and put it under the lever.”
“Very good. So here is the last question. What if the beam sinks into the mud and you are still stuck?”
Finally, he was stumped. “I don't know,” he said.
“Is that your final answer?” “Well there is no answer. It's not fair.”
“We agreed on this quiz. If you come up with the correct answer, you stay. If not, you go. What's your answer?”
“I don't have an answer.”
“OK then. Good luck in the new town.”
“Fine, I'm prepared to leave. But can you at least give me the answer to your question?”
“The answer,” said the old wagon driver, “is this: A good wagon driver never gets stuck.

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F. (FOCUSED)
A. (ATTUNED)
S. (SYNERGISTIC)
T. (TRUSTWORTHY)
Focus = WAGON DRIVER PRINCIPLES: Or how to NOT get stuck in the mud.
1) Plan for the road ahead
2) Come up with realistic strategy for following it
3) Follow it 100%
• You can't cram planting. You must plan in advance in life, says Stephen Covey.
• Dieters who take a nibble of sweets, that's the beginning of the end of their diet. The only people
who can stop smoking or drinking or overeating are those who realize it's 100 percent, or its
over. You must plan to succeed. It won’t just happen.
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BEGIN WITH
END IN MIND
BEGIN WITH END IN MIND
Look at Mel Blanc. How do you want to be remembered?
You cannot violate the laws of magnetism that govern a compass. These laws are built into the universe. The earth
is a magnet. You either deal with it, or you don’t. Just like you can’t move a lighthouse. You either move, or you will
crash into it. You can get upset that the laws are the way they are. But it won’t change anything.
You can't change north. Or east. There are laws that govern nature. With a compass, or without an accurate well
tuned internal one, if you’re only off one degree and try to circumnavigate the world, you’ll end up on another
continent like Columbus discovering America.
Sometimes you have to be shaken up to to recalibrate inner compass like the iphone. Like the true North.
Compass will point to it in all circumstances. Without true North you don’t know where you’re going and you can
get stuck.
A compass is something we must follow, without compromise, like the Ten Commandments. Clayton Christansen,
keeping his Sabbath on Sunday, Not a basketball championship or a big meeting for BCG, his first job. What
happened to Jeff Skilling of Enron, his HBS classmate, who was a nice person when he knew him. People like him
said, "Just this once, I can do it. I’ll get back on the path. But life is
AN UNENDING STREAM OF EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES
100-percent person and maintain your character 100 percent of the time. Be 100% responsible for everything.
Don’t blame any one else. Don’t blame the horses. You need to guide them properly.
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“Educate
and then
obey your
conscience."
-Stephen
Covey
“Educate
and then
obey your
conscience."
-Stephen
Covey
It's hard to remember all Seven Habits—even I struggle to. Covey simplified it: Teach and obey your
conscience, which means study wisdom literature and follow it.
I interviewed Covey in 2007 for my mag (I’ve done many interviews with celebrities) and showed him the 7
Habits of the wise, and showed overlap with Ethics of our Fathers, as well will see in next slide. Covey
wrote an intro to Lets Get Real or Lets Not Play how his 7 Habits apply to sales and business relationships.
See how they overlap with FAST:
• FOCUSED “ You need the necessary paradigm, processes, and skills to focus on principles of enduring
sales success”
• ATTUNED “Talk less and listen more.”
• SYNERGISTIC “Focus on clients to help them succeed.”
• TRUSTWORTHY “Act with authenticity, trust, and integrity to reach win-win”
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“That which
is hateful to
you, do not
do to your
fellow.”
-Rabbi Hillel
“That which
is hateful to
you, do not
do to your
fellow.”
-Rabbi Hillel
Jewish Wisdom Literature: Rabbi Hillel summarized it as: "That which is hateful to you, do not do to your
fellow."
“A wise man does not speak before one who is greater than him in wisdom or age. He does not
interrupt his fellow's words. He does not rush to answer. His questions are on the subject and his answers
to the point. He responds to first things first and to latter things later. Concerning what he did not hear,
he says "I did not hear." He concedes to the truth. “
* FOCUS: The wise man plans things out, End in mind. First things first in conversation
* ATTUNED Does not rush to answer. Deliberates before reply Does not interrupt his fellow's words.
* SYNERGISTIC Shows consideration for others. Is humble.
* TRUSTWORTHTY Says "I did not hear.” Concedes to the truth.
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ATTUNEDATTUNED
SYNERGISTICSYNERGISTIC
TRUSTWORTHYTRUSTWORTHY
PART II
Want to be a people person? First be a person, then develop people skills. From excellent book
called Go Giver. Be focused on developing your character FIRST.
By incorporating the values we have been taught, we can greatly improve our business
relationships. When you improve yourself inside, you will be more successful on the outside through
the principles that match.
You cant fake authenticity. So first, work, or rework on your character. No new skills to learn. Just
bringing out what’s inside you
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LEARN
FROM YOUR
PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIPS
BE ATTUNED: SEE THINGS FROM THE OTHER PERSON’S PERSPECTIVE.
LEARN FROM OUR SPOUSES/WIVES
Our spouses are our greatest sales trainers. What's the most important lesson from marriage? Be quiet
and listen. It’s also the key to success in business relationships. Great sales trainer: God gave us two ears
and one mouth for a reason. My wife tells me that when I hear her and understand her it means
everything.
Learn from personal relationships how to act with customers:
• Be a person. Treat clients like they are relatives. Step out of your roles of buyer and seller, and just talk
like two people. Look to build a relationship, not to make a sale.
• Be considerate: of people’s time. Ask if it's a good time to speak when you call. Ask permission to ask
questions. It shows this is a partnership and isn't just about you and when it’s convenient for you to
talk.
• Be open: Don't hide anything.
• Be authentic: Don't say have a great weekend or put an exclamation point unless you mean it. Don’t tell
them they've asked a great question unless you mean it.
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LISTEN TO
CUSTOMERS
Our philosophy has always been simple: We are agents for our Customers –Sam Walton
In the old days of sales, there were two types: Listeners and Tellers.
Listeners were salespeople who were genuinely interested in helping you out, and providing you with
products that would improve your quality of life. They listened well, and weren't pushy. Like survival of
the fittest, this way is still around.
Harry Bullis former chairman of General Mills: “Forget about the sales you hope to make and concentrate
on service”
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Adam Grant of Wharton wrote Give and Take. Give and it will benefit you, because everyone likes a
giver.. Think about it. Who do you want to work with? Giver taker or matcher.
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SALES
PRESSURE =
KRYPTONITE
Sales pressure reminds people of old school salesmen. Sales was to be white collar equivalent of
cleaning toilets, necessary but unpleasant.
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TRUSTINACTION
Trust first character trait, and Listening most important skill. People want to buy products they are
excited about from people they like and trust
Trust also breeds loyalty.
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