11/7/2024-On This Day, Jeannette Rankin

Creating a powerful you is more interesting – and fulfilling – when you learn and take from a cast of virtuous and exemplary human beings!

On this date in 1916, Jeannette Rankin won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the first woman elected to Congress.

While representing Montana, she introduced the first bill that would have allowed women citizenship independent of their husbands.

Why is Jeannette’s career important to you, brazen sales pro?

Rankin’s resolute stance on her core beliefs put her on a pedestal to be admired and studied. Your core beliefs need to drive you every day.

Today, do something that would make Jeannette proud.

While you ponder an assertive and principled move, consider Ms. Rankin created a furor as the only legislator to vote against the declaration of war on Japan after their Pearl Harbor raid. (An extreme pacifist, Rankin felt Prez Roosevelt let the attack happen to pull us into WWII.)

Agree or not with her tactics, Rankin stood up.

Is there a policy at your company or a way of doing business that requires you to stand up?

Today, do something that’s right despite how much flack you might get.

There are tons of people in the world whose lives offer inspiration, but the key is not just to read about them…the key is to model them.

And whether Jeannette Rankin’s life inspires you right now, always keep your mind open to individuals you can learn from.

As you know – and are reminded daily right here – a life of selling professional services is hard and chaotic. Learning about how others have battled and won can only enrich and motivate your journey as you continue to battle.

There are no rules for picking your role models and motivators, but make sure you model them after selecting.

Learn how they battle and fight and why they believe as they do (or did). Sales is one of the few professions where you act mostly as an individual yet are part of a team. Team has two connotations: your teammates you sell alongside daily, and those who only support YOU. That team is key and consists of managers, enablers, peers, family…and perhaps heroes from the past like Jeannette Rankin.

Build a team that inspires you and then model them.

A 2-minute video hardly captures all that is special about Jeannette Rankin, but it’s a good start.

This woman is a powerhouse.

While watching, consider the stiff headwinds that constantly blew in her face. Yet Ms. Rankin never wavered from her beliefs and vision.

Learning about Jeannette can inspire you to stand tall when headwinds try to distract you from your beliefs.