Read an Excerpt
JUNGLE WARFARE
A Basic Field Manual for Christians in Sales
By Christopher A. Cunningham
Thomas Nelson
Copyright © 2010 Christopher A. Cunningham
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-59555-147-4
Chapter One
- DAY ONE -
You're in Enemy Territory
BASIC FIELD MANUAL JUNGLE WARFARE December 15, 1941
* 1. GENERAL.-In jungle warfare the soldier fights two enemies: man and nature. Of the two, nature is often the more formidable. Troops newly arriving in tropical jungle areas experience a climate to which they are not accustomed and are exposed to diseases with which they are not familiar. These conditions impose a special responsibility on all commanders; they must assure themselves that their troops are adjusted to tropical climates and that the health and combat effectiveness of the command will insure the execution of the assigned mission under tropical jungle conditions.
Day One Verse
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4
Day One Battle Plan
Inside the business jungle, every step you take may be booby-trapped by your competition or by the unseen hand of market forces. Even more interesting, you are also a Christian, or you are at least thinking about being one. Therefore, you also battle a deadly spiritual enemy who prowls around like a jungle cat wishing he could devour your soul. He and his commandos lie in wait, scheming and plotting about how they can throw anything in your path that will not only destroy your career but also your reputation, relationships, and rewards.
Uniquely, you are called to fight on both a business and a spiritual front simultaneously. It is important to understand that you can be attacked by dangerous enemies from many different sides. The terrain can be challenging, and the difficulties you may encounter can be exhausting. If you decide to go after your goals alone, it can mean you will be more susceptible to getting lost in the jungle.
You have a Guide you can call on. In fact, your Guide has already won the battles you will be facing. As you step into enemy territory you will be asked to trust your Guide time and again.
You probably picked up this book (or received it as gift) because it said the word Christian on it. That word scares some people to death. All they can think of are those people who claim to be Christians and who run around acting like sanctimonious religious nuts getting into everybody's stuff.
Some people may ask (or you might have thought), "How can you be a sales superstar and be a Christian?" And some may also ask, "How can you be a soldier and be a Christian too?" Take a moment to reflect on those two questions.
I believe sales pros can be superstars and Christians.
What we do as salespeople creates jobs for people all over the world. Those jobs create income. That income provides food, clothing, and shelter. In addition, some people use that income to share with others who are less fortunate.
As for our revered United States military personnel, make no mistake, our brave, self-sacrificing men and women stand in front of those who would come to steal, kill, and destroy our way of life. This book honors their valor and service. In no way does it suggest that their exceptional commitment to our way of life and freedom is even remotely akin to the jobs we are asked to do in business. Theirs is the ultimate sacrifice, and we are able to perform our work because they stand in harm's way for us. God bless them with safety, and bring them home to us soon.
But we recognize that both sales pros and soldiers follow certain rules of engagement. The analogies are justified in the need for discipline, focused action, and determination. When military personnel break rank, go against protocol, or disobey orders, they are held accountable by military law. As sales professionals, when we are out of step with what our customers and our companies require of us, we can lose our jobs. As Christians we answer to God.
I think it is important on Day One in the jungle to establish the rules of engagement and to understand an important term: Christian
Here's my definition of someone who follows Jesus Christ-see if you can sign up for following Christ through the jungle if this is what it means:
I believe Jesus is God's only Son and that He died for my sins. I cannot earn this freedom from my sins; it is a gift from God and is solely due to His grace and mercy. I am commissioned to tell everyone that fact and to share it as the Good News. I feel the presence of God's Holy Spirit as He leads me through the jungle in the presence of my enemies. When I go at it alone, I get lost. I start battling man, nature, and spirit-and I usually get into trouble. Because He loves me, God comes and finds me, binds my wounds, and we start over. God believes that no man or woman should be left behind. I believe He is right.
If you choose to take on the challenge of developing as a Christian as well as a salesperson, then your job will be harder, not easier. You will have to decide if you can muster the strength and the courage to press through the hardest of times and still retain your business integrity and the principles of your Christian faith while the rest of the world is going to hell all around you.
Yes, folks will take shots at you, especially if you are a Christian. Yes, you'll stumble and you'll be exhausted. Yes, you'll be ridiculed and persecuted-and when you receive your forecast and quota, I'm sure you'll feel tortured.
But you will also learn about a peace that passes all understanding. And you will find out how to navigate through the jungle with Someone who knows the way.
Day One Prayer
So, today on Day One, let's start this jungle trek with a prayer:
God, I can be a hardheaded, stubborn person, and I sometimes find myself lost in my own plans and schemes. Often, I let the company's plans drive me to the point of distraction and worry. I am coming to You to try and figure out how to make this job and my life better. I wake up and go to work. I lie down at night and I still feel like I am working. Often, I seldom see my family and I wonder if I am doing this for them or for some false sense of accomplishment. Right now, I am going to at least say, "You are smarter than I am." I am willing to reengage with You and to listen to You, God, as I make my way through this manual over the next twenty-two days. I will not quit on You, because I know You will not quit on me. Help me as I trust in You as my provision.
Name: _____________________ Date: ____________________ Title: ______________ Your signature: __________________
Day One: My Thoughts
When I read the verse for Day One, my initial thoughts on Psalm 23:4 were:
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How is God my provision?
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Day One Prayer Requests ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________
Chapter Two
- DAY TWO -
The Sales Professional's Creed
BASIC FIELD MANUAL
* l. Sleep off the ground to avoid dampness, reptiles, and especially insects. Climb a tree if mosquitoes and other insects are too bad near the ground.
* m. If possible, travel with one or more companions.
* n. Do not fear the jungle, for you should remember that if you keep relaxed and use your head you can live and travel alone for weeks in uninhabited country.
Day Two Verses
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:28-31
Day Two Battle Plan
We began today's battle plan with a selection from Granddad's manual stating three edicts that can keep you alive in the jungle. They all suggest that if you are prepared, and you have a set of predetermined behaviors, you have nothing to fear.
Notice also that our Scripture verses suggest the same idea. They teach us that if we understand our commands, then we are safe to proceed through life. Jungle survival has at its very core a requirement that we have done our homework prior to the beginning of the battle.
Often, we are most at risk when we do not have a battle plan. We are all cut from the same cloth-God knit our very souls with His own hands, and He stitched in a need for order and guidance.
Be aware, guidance can come from many voices. We must discern what wisdom really sounds like, and we must do it whether we are the best salesperson or the worst. No matter if you are at the top of the rankings or at the bottom of the heap, I have been where you are right now. I have celebrated onstage with my colleagues at the national sales meetings. And as I'm sure you can relate to, I've also sat outside of a customer's office with my face in my hands, wondering how I would ever hit my number.
Just like many of you, I have been laid off, rehired, promoted, transferred, restructured, retrained, downsized, supersized, marginalized, and, yes, even recognized.
Amidst it all God never changed. His commands remained constant.
It's easy to get sidetracked with life's ball of confusions, isn't it? I believe we find God when we are moved to rediscover what really matters in life. Then, we often find that God never left us-and no matter what we substituted for His love, we find out that what is most important to Him is us.
This book is not about being number one. Every other sales book you pick up will make you that promise. This book is about knowing who number one really is in your life and living your profession like you mean it.
These are tough times worldwide. Record layoffs. Economic nightmares. Customers closing their doors. Product lines being discontinued. It's the news of the day; but it's not the Good News. As a Christian in sales, you have a higher calling.
On Day Two, consider what it means to have a personal creed. Take a moment to reread "The Soldier's Creed" in the front of this book; then return to this page. My son Mark shared it with me, and it is the current version of the Creed that was first published in the magazine Infantry on December 22, 2003.
As sales professionals who are also Christians I suggest that we also have a Creed. Consider these rules of engagement as you take on your life's calling-and feel free to rewrite them to fit your special areas of expertise and development:
I am a Christian in sales. I am a sales warrior and a member of a team of professionals who count on me to be prepared. I serve a risen Savior, Jesus Christ; my customers; and my company with my best efforts. I will always place His mission for my life first. My family's needs are of the utmost importance and I will remain vigilant in my love for them. I will never accept defeat in the tasks my company has given me. My customers are counting on me. I will never quit on God because He never quits on me. I frequently use prayer to communicate with my Commander, and I consistently ask for air cover. I will never leave a fallen comrade to wonder about heaven. I am spiritually disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained, and proficient in my sales tasks. I always maintain my product and sales knowledge, and I strive daily to get better. I am an expert, and every day I can sell something to somebody. I stand ready to engage God and ask Him to destroy any and all spiritual enemies I may encounter in close combat. I will fight my competitors fairly but without tiring. I will not rest until my company's position is advanced. I am a guardian of sales wisdom and a purposeful way of life. I am a servant to my customers and my colleagues. I serve them with integrity and enthusiasm. I am a Christian in sales.
Day Two Prayer
Make a Commitment
If you are ready to dedicate your work to God, begin with this prayer, right now:
O merciful God, I come to You because You are the great I AM. My world is hectic and demanding. My fears often bring about dilemmas in my life that cause me to step up to a moral line and-as You know-to sometimes even cross it. I admit that I have taken control of the life You gave me. And now I want to give my life back to You, for I know that You are all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-caring. Sometimes I grow weary, and I need to know You are there for me-to comfort, guide, and direct me. Thank You for loving me. I'd like to share with You right now the things that are bothering me: ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ I accept Your leadership in my life today. I accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of my life because I know that He is Your Son and gave His life for my sinfulness. I have reveled in building my own kingdom and tried to do it all by myself, but I admit that deep within me there is a gnawing and a hunger that I cannot satisfy. I ask to learn to hear Your voice before I speak, and I invite the indwelling of Your Holy Spirit into my life to encourage and guide me. God, I thank You that the work You have promised to do in me has already begun. Let my family, friends, coworkers, competitors, and customers see Your light in me. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.
God is blessing you right now. Pause for a moment and be comfortable in His presence. You are a child of God, perfectly made to His specifications. God loves you, and you are important to Him. What you do from this day forth will sharpen your sales skills through a better understanding of your love for God. Let God love you. He never fails. He will never abandon you. His commands are perfect.
Day Two: My Thoughts
Based on prayer and the Holy Spirit, I would add this to "The Sales Professional's Creed":
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How I can fulfill Jesus' commandment in Mark 12 of giving God "all":
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Day Two Prayer Requests ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________
Excerpted from JUNGLE WARFARE by Christopher A. Cunningham Copyright © 2010 by Christopher A. Cunningham. Excerpted by permission.
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