Clothed in Grace

I’ve heard it said that “Clothes make the man”. That’s a clever saying, and I believed it when I was young, but I don’t believe it now. Let me explain…

In 1975, when I was a young 20 year old struggling to find my way in the world, I landed a job with a Lighting Distributorship in Irvine, CA. I started out as a delivery driver. Worked hard and got promoted to Warehouseman. I then studied the lighting products we sold and within a year was promoted to Purchasing Manager.

As  Purchasing Manager, it was my job to purchase all the products that the salespeople sold. I admired the salespeople because the top two salesmen were a lot older than me and made the “big money” in the company. They were also dapper gentlemen who wore nice suits and had the respect of every employee in the company. Without the salespeople bringing in the orders, nobody else in the company was needed. That revelation made me realize that if I wanted to be admired and respected, I needed a nice suit. So I spent most of my next paycheck on a three-piece suit, with a vest and matching tie.

I started wearing that suit to the office once or twice a week and the owner noticed. Eventually I got up the courage to tell him that my goal was to become a salesman, and I was confident that I could do the job. My confidence came from staying up late at night, studying the products and the pricing until I knew it inside out. I also figured that my “new suit” would make me an instant success. I figured wrong!      

The owner gave me a chance by testing me in a sales position for 30 days. During that 30 day trial period, I didn’t sell one single thing. I was devastated, and as I slinked back into my Purchasing role, I had my tail between my legs. Several months later, the top salesman in the company, a true gentleman by the name of Harley Gillette, took me aside for a private conversation. He explained to me that it while it was important to have confidence, and a nice suit might help, what the customers really wanted was someone they could relate to and trust.

I took his advice to heart and ditched the suit for regular clothes. I also started reading books on salesmanship, including a book by Og Mandino titled, “The Greatest Salesman in the World”, which includes 10 scrolls that emphasize that true success comes from developing character, overcoming internal barriers like fear and doubt, and finding true happiness and peace of mind through the grace of God, instead of focusing on wealth. Harley’s advice along with the advice in Og Mandino’s book taught me that if I wanted to be a success in business, as well as in life, I needed to be able to humbly relate to all types of people and treat every single person with dignity and respect.

With a new found confidence based on the biblical principles found in the 10 Scrolls contained in Og Mandino’s book, I asked my boss to give me another try. He was reluctant, but my persistence eventually paid off. (FYI – Scroll #3 – “I will persist until I succeed!”) Only this time, my boss informed that if I failed I would be out of a job!

Yikes… I thought about what my boss said for a few days. Then I decided that if I didn’t believe in myself, then my boss wouldn’t either. So I respectfully told him, “I accept your challenge!” As I ventured out day one in my new role with my new attitude, I was surprised that I didn’t have any fear or doubt… and realized that there was a good reason. Instead of wearing a three-piece suit, I was clothed in God’s grace.

“I will greet each new day with love in my heart”.

          ~ Scroll #1 from "The Greatest Salesman in the World" by Og Mandino