4 min read

Beast Mode – Passion and Determination Combined

Beast Mode – Passion and Determination Combined

Imagine; shirtsleeves rolled up, eyebrows knit together in concentration, we see our colleague making calls, tapping their keyboard with hectic movements, and their eyes gleaming with determination – we know that they will not leave their desk till they achieve their goals.

Take the example of an Account-Based Sales Developer, or ABSD, in such a state – reaching out to people, qualifying, and converting the right contacts. The result is highly qualified leads for our clients of which at least two SQLs will go on to generate millions of dollars per year in revenue for the target account.

Millions of dollars in pipeline converted in an afternoon by just one sales developer (ABSD) happens only when the sales organization is doing many things right. There is a system with several components that ensures consistent results, but the foundation of high-performance ABSD work is the right mental state: beast mode.

 

WHAT IS FLOW - AND BEAST MODE?

 

Beast mode is a matter of mindset and mental state but to define it more precisely, we need to establish what the notion of ‘flow’ means. To understand more, we need to turn to its origins and look at the psychological aspect of flow. As Dr Helen Barker suggests,

‘In positive psychology, flow is also known as being in “the zone”. It means that attention is fully immersed in the present moment and is accompanied by feelings of well-being.’

Mihály Csíkszentmihályi was the first to identify flow and he described it as a state in which time goes by easily, thoughts and ideas come effortlessly after one another, while the whole being is involved and using their abilities to their best advantage. As verywellmind.com adds,

‘Flow experiences can occur in different ways for different people. It often happens when you are doing something that you enjoy and in which you are quite skilled.’

Overall, the flow state is when the highest quality, most thorough work gets done and most importantly – with great enjoyment. Reaching the peak state of flow is the means to an end in any profession from the arts to sports, science, and business.

Therefore, we can say that beast mode is a particular type of flow specific to Sales Developers and sales professionals when they are in a state of peak performance.

As sales professionals get in flow, the outcome is usually devouring targets with a feeling of being unstoppable while experiencing a huge sense of accomplishment. The sales developer, often quite literally, rolls up their sleeves, and gets intense and focused - feeling like a victorious gladiator once the task is completed.

This is how we came to coin this state beast mode.

When the pressure of deadlines is constantly building up and targets appear to be unreachable, sales developers and sales professionals may feel overwhelmed and demotivated, feeling that hitting their goals is an impossible task.

This is exactly when beast mode could become extremely helpful. Those who have already experienced this state know that it is completely feasible to hit goals that seem ‘logically impossible’.

An Account-Based Sales Developer (ABSD) in beast mode is also of value to the prospects they reach out to. There is a growing demand from the side of the prospects, wanting and needing to be challenged during an outreach. In its article on the challenger sales model, Gartner discusses that challenger representative behaviors build constructive tension. 

Challengers teach, offering a unique perspective and maintaining two-way communication. They tailor their approach according to customer value drivers and economic drivers.

It is rather obvious that an agent in beast mode is very much in state to do this. The latter part of tailoring the approach doesn't seem to be related to our topic of flow, but the flexibility implied here is a key component to it, as we will shortly see.

 

HOW TO GET AN ABSD TO STEP INTO BEAST MODE

 

Infinityn’s principle is that this flow – in our case, beast mode – should not occur only spontaneously, but happen at will. Thus, we have invested a lot of time and effort in learning more about the science behind flow to help our colleagues conjure up this state as regularly as they need it.

Supporting our ABSDs to achieve the state of peak performance is one of the most important regarding our clients’ success, therefore it is one of Infinityn’s most urgent priorities. Fortunately, the flow and beast modes are attainable, what is more, this theory of high-performing state rests solid scientific background, being studied and verified.

Consequently, it is possible to consciously ‘step into it’, however, there are certain conditions that need to be provided to create, or ‘manufacture’ a flow.

To provide an atmosphere for our colleagues to achieve beast mode, we took deliberate steps to incorporate and alter influencing factors such as creating a collaborative and relaxing work environment and enhancing our corporate culture. Let’s look at some measurements taken for the sake of beast mode below.

  • Hiring Practices 
    • The first step is having the right people on the team. For flow to occur, people need to be genuinely interested in their work and have to be deeply devoted to it.
    • While hiring, we make sure to consider culture and personality to find the perfect match and provide a place to grow and have fun for our future employees.
  • Supportive environment, creative freedom.
    • An ABSD’s work is often considered to be less creative since they usually have to follow strict protocols, having a standardized playbook with scripts to stick to during outreach. All these prevent their personalities shine through, moreover, it does not allow for authentic conversations.
    • Instead, we aim to give our ABSDs a sense of liberty in expressing themselves through interactions, resulting in a better experience for both ABSD and prospect - and ultimately promoting an easier entry into beast mode.
  • Culture
    • Businesspeople in general tend to be in their element when they are in a competitive environment taking on challenging tasks. However, there must be a balance maintained – colleagues work hard since they know that they are in an environment where they can feel safe and where it is okay to make mistakes. Where it is encouraged to experiment, to share knowledge, and to cooperate.
    • For flow to occur consistently in a business environment, people need to feel that they are supported, belonging to a team that shares one great and so they become more motivated to perform. Although Infinityn has a strict guideline regarding quality and performance, we encourage our colleagues to incorporate their spirit into their projects.

Encouraging beast mode is a crucial component for long-term success for not only sales but other different organizational functions as well. Creating an environment that fosters peak performance has a handful of benefits both in terms of employee satisfaction and client experience.

In case you are interested in learning more about our topic, we recommend you check out these sources:

 

If you would like to hear more about how our ABSDs in beast mode help our client’s growth, book a discovery session with one of Infinityn’s experts who will guide you through our story.

 

 

ANNIVERSARY EDITION: six stories, five years and four key pointers later...

ANNIVERSARY EDITION: six stories, five years and four key pointers later...

On a Monday morning, sipping coffee on the office balcony with my new colleagues, I hear them speaking about how the last five years have been a...

Read More
The Crucial but Overlooked Role of Happiness Managers

The Crucial but Overlooked Role of Happiness Managers

A key piece in developing our employee-centric working culture

Read More
Infinityn Academy: What’s your mojo?

Infinityn Academy: What’s your mojo?

While hiring at any organization, there are layers to the interviewing process, just to ensure the candidates have all the skills they need. But how...

Read More
What is ABG?

What is ABG?

TOPO’s “2019 ACCOUNT BASED BENCHMARK REPORT” – which included 150 account-based organizations - showed that every participant reached or exceeded a...

Read More
Getting our Feet Wet in Sponsoring

Getting our Feet Wet in Sponsoring

Is your company actively sponsoring culture, sports, non-profits, or any cause? We are, and we have found multiple points of synergy in the process....

Read More
Growth Pod: A small package that delivers big on revenue

Growth Pod: A small package that delivers big on revenue

If you’ve clicked on this article, there’s a fair chance you are considering outsourcing your sales, marketing, customer success and overall revenue...

Read More
Navigating the Changing Business Landscape with Technology and Human Connection

Navigating the Changing Business Landscape with Technology and Human Connection

Evolving the SDR Role The business landscape is in constant flux, and with it, the role of the Sales Development Representative (SDR) must evolve. As...

Read More
Engineering Happiness for Sales Success

Engineering Happiness for Sales Success

“Happy people produce more profit” used to be a squishy, debated claim - an idea that has been slow to penetrate mainstream business thinking, let...

Read More
Challenging From Lead To Close

Challenging From Lead To Close

The recent pandemic, economic slowdown, and accompanying uncertainty have resulted in a temporary interruption in how enterprises procure technology...

Read More
Great outbound with superb account-work: the formula for unexpected wins

Great outbound with superb account-work: the formula for unexpected wins

How does a software-solution supplier win a massive deal against a huge global competitor, who is already in the contracting phase with the buyer? It...

Read More
Ready for a career upgrade?

Ready for a career upgrade?

Hello! How is the job hunt going? Are you looking to join a set of growth-minded colleagues and professionals hailing from various countries? If this...

Read More
Finding the Perfect Agile Account-Based Marketing Partner

Finding the Perfect Agile Account-Based Marketing Partner

What we call agile account-based marketing (AABM), is a newly emerging discipline. As such, the industry of marketing service providers - agencies...

Read More