Pain or Pleasure? Hack Your Brain for Sales Success!

Mastering the Art of Emotional Regulation and Motivation in the Workplace

Fight, Freeze, Flight

In the movie Painkiller, Richard Sackler is the creator of OxyContin, a powerful painkiller that caused a legal opioid crisis in the US. He tells his board,

“All of human behaviour is comprised of two things: Run from pain, run towards pleasure.”

He was right about human behaviour, but wrong about the consequences of his drug.

Core Idea: Neuroscience and psychology can help us understand why we act this way and how we can use it to improve our performance. Each of have different ways of reacting to pain and pleasure, and that affects how well we do our jobs. If we match our reactions to our job requirements, we can excel. If not, we struggle. Coaching can help us adjust our reactions.

The Concepts - Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory

Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST) is a significant psychological theory that provides a framework for understanding individual differences in emotion, motivation, and personality. Originally proposed by Jeffrey Gray in the 1970s and later refined and expanded upon, RST is grounded in neuroscience and focuses on how brain mechanisms respond to reinforcement and punishment.

RST posits that our brain has three systems that respond to rewards and punishments These systems are not in one place in the brain but involve many parts that work together. The three systems are,

1. Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS) - The BIS system responds to threats, fear, or uncertainty by causing hesitation or caution.

   Example: A salesperson who hesitates to cold-call potential clients due to fear of rejection or failure is experiencing BIS activation. They might overthink the possible negative outcomes, making them reluctant to take the initiative.

2. Behavioural Activation System (BAS) - The BAS is a system that drives individuals towards rewards, motivating them to take action to achieve positive outcomes.

   Example: When a salesperson feels excited and motivated about the prospect of earning a bonus or recognition for acquiring new clients, their BAS is in play. This drive pushes them to actively seek out and engage with potential customers.

3. Flight, Freeze, Flight System (FFFS)

   1. Fight Response - The fight response is a survival mechanism that prepares the body to confront and overcome a perceived threat.

      Example: If a salesperson encounters strong objections from a potential client, a fight response might involve confidently addressing and overcoming these objections, using persuasive arguments to 'win' the client over.

   2. Freeze Response - The freeze response is a reaction to overwhelming stress or threat, where an individual becomes immobilized or unable to act.

      Example: In a sales scenario, a freeze response might occur if a salesperson gets unexpectedly tough questions from a client and becomes so nervous that they can't think of a reply, essentially 'freezing' in the moment.

   3. Flight Response - The flight response is an instinct to avoid danger or threats by escaping or withdrawing from the situation.

      Example: When faced with a particularly challenging or aggressive potential client, a salesperson might exhibit the flight response by quickly ending the conversation and moving on to a different client, avoiding further confrontation.

Understanding their interplay

• BIS and FFFS Distinction: While both the BIS and FFFS are involved in response to aversive stimuli, the BIS is more about cautious appraisal and avoidance of potential threats, while the FFFS is about immediate reaction to clear and present danger.

• BIS and BAS Balance: The interplay between the BIS and BAS can greatly influence an individual's behaviour, motivation, and decision-making processes. For example, in a sales context, understanding a customer's BIS/BAS balance could inform how they might respond to incentives (BAS) or perceived risks (BIS).

• FFFS in Acute Situations: The FFFS is particularly relevant in situations that require immediate action – for instance, in emergency response or high-stakes decision-making scenarios.

Each of these responses can significantly influence a salesperson's approach to acquiring new customers, managing key accounts, and range of other sales tasks. Recognizing the dominant system in play can guide approaches to effectively manage, motivate, or support individuals in various contexts.

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Sample Scores

At Skwill, we use a modified version of RST questionnaire adapted for sales teams to better understand the response profile of their teams and individuals. A sample below.

Behavioural Motivation

Proven techniques to manage your behavioural responses

I’ve listed three techniques each to manage your responses in high-pressure environments like sales.

Reducing BIS Activation

1. Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques: Practices like deep breathing, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation can help reduce anxiety and fear, typical of BIS activation. This can create a calmer state of mind, enabling more rational decision-making.

2. Cognitive Restructuring: This involves challenging and changing negative thought patterns. By reframing thoughts from focusing on potential threats or failures to viewing situations as opportunities for learning and growth, one can reduce the inhibitory effects of the BIS.

3. Gradual Exposure: Gradually exposing oneself to the feared situations in a controlled manner can help reduce sensitivity to these stimuli. For a salesperson, this might mean starting with low-stakes customer interactions and progressively moving to more challenging ones.

Moderating BAS Activation

1. Goal Setting: Setting realistic and achievable goals can help moderate overenthusiastic BAS activation. It’s important to balance ambition with feasibility to prevent burnout or disillusionment from unmet expectations.

2. Self-Monitoring: Keeping track of one’s behavior and outcomes can help in identifying when BAS-driven actions are becoming counterproductive. This can involve reflecting on past experiences and learning from them.

3. Balanced Risk Assessment: Encourage consideration of potential risks alongside rewards. This can help in making more balanced decisions, avoiding impulsive actions driven solely by reward anticipation.

Managing Fight Response

1. Assertiveness Training: Learning how to express oneself confidently and calmly can help manage the fight response in a productive way, especially in tense situations like difficult sales negotiations.

2. Conflict Resolution Skills: Developing skills to navigate and resolve conflicts can transform the fight response into a constructive dialogue, rather than a confrontational encounter.

3. Emotional Regulation Techniques: Techniques such as deep breathing or counting to ten before responding can help in maintaining composure and thinking clearly during high-stress interactions.

Managing Flight Response

1. Stress Management: Regular exercise, adequate sleep, and healthy eating can reduce overall stress levels, making one less prone to the flight response in high-pressure situations.

2. Positive Visualization: Visualizing successful outcomes can help build confidence and reduce the urge to escape challenging situations.

3. Support Systems: Having a network of colleagues or mentors to discuss and strategize about difficult situations can provide the support needed to face rather than flee from challenges.

Managing Freeze Response

1. Mindfulness Practices: Staying present and focused can help prevent the overwhelming feelings that trigger the freeze response. Techniques like mindfulness can train the mind to stay engaged in the present moment.

2. Preparation and Rehearsal: Practicing responses to potential scenarios can reduce the likelihood of freezing. For a salesperson, this might involve role-playing difficult sales pitches or objection handling.

3. Incremental Exposure: Similar to managing BIS, gradually exposing oneself to stress-inducing situations can help in building tolerance and reducing the intensity of the freeze response over time.

Every high-performance sales professional is continually learning to master their behavioural response to the demands of the job. The science along with techniques should help you get started on a path of discovering how you can harness the power of behaviour to increase your performance.

I look forward to your thoughts and comments on these insights. Let's discuss how we can apply these strategies in your sales teams!