MedTech + Mindset Newsletter #029

Welcome to the MedTech + Mindset Newsletter! 

This week I've been thinking about how so few people in conversations seek to understand and get curious.  Most people seek to convince - and it hurts them

1.  What to do when a key customer is being difficult...and over the top.

Insight from Matt Tucker 

You're walking into that big presentation.  There's an important doc there.  He's a medical director and is going to have a huge impact on whether you can move your product forward...or if you get stalled.

It's stressful.  It's tense.  It's unpredictable.

You present your slides -if you don't have a handle on those click here - and you're waiting for a response.  In your slides is the data you have on your product.  It's not perfect.  It's an interim analysis of your ongoing RCT.  

It's Level 2 data.  Not perfect...but not junk either.

And...the response isn't good.

In fact...it's downright terrible.  Demoralizing even.

The doc says - "This isn't convincing at all.  It's basically equivalent to a bunch of anecdotes.  This isn't information that can support coverage or any kind of system wide recommendation."

You're flabbergasted.  Your product is being used in some select payers and systems and the results have been great.  Patients are desperate for help and there is a huge gap in care.  They need help - and you know you can give it to them.  

If only these people didn't stand in the way.

So what do you do?

What do MOST people do?

They get defensive and fight back. 

They try to convince the audience they are wrong.

They throw out all the reasons the audience is wrong.

They get frustrated and irritated.

They let their emotions get the better of them.

It doesn't work.  The customer doubles down on their reasons and fights back with their points.  

It's point / counter-point.  The conversation goes no where.

Eventually they write the customer off, and just move on.

So why did this all happen?

It happened because you went in seeking to CONVINCE, rather than seeking to UNDERSTAND.

The solution?

Anytime someone gives an outsized opinion that doesn't seem to match the facts...

Instead of trying to convince...get CURIOUS.

A well placed question - coming from a place of curiosity can turn the tables.

My favorite is:

"That's really interesting and different than I've heard before...can you give me some background on why you feel that way and take that stance?"

This changes the dialog and places the customer in a new situation.  If they are being difficult with no reason - lodging insincere objections - it will be exposed very quickly and they will likely back down.

If they are real concerns that will come out too.  

Maybe they had a bad experience with a product with little data in their past.  Maybe a patient got hurt and they felt responsible.  You won't know without getting curious.

And when you find out what real worries they have, then you can address them and make the customer more comfortable.

And ultimately win them over.

2. Can creative people last in corporate environments?

Insight from Matt Tucker 

I found this interesting and something that hit home.  As I rose through organizations, I routinely hit a brick wall - or better yet a creative glass ceiling.

As I pushed the envelope, or pushed others to push the envelope.  Or made executive and c-suite leaders uncomfortable - I'd max out.

If this feels familiar to you - you may want to start considering whether you want to keep playing a game that doesn't value your skills and value fully

 If this resonates, our sister site Create Next has officially launched the Create Next Method and Community.

If you're a high performer who feels you are trading your happiness and freedom for a professional life that is making you frustrated or bitter...there's a better option.

We work with high performers who are motivated to increase compensation or revenue and eliminate compromising your happiness, freedom, or health.

Hear my story for more!

Thanks, Matt Tucker

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That's it for this week.

 — Your Friends at the M+M Team.

 
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