Playing on the Big Stage

Larry Barker is one of my heroes. Don’t rack your brain; you’ve never heard of him. Larry is not a research scientist or athletic superstar or a dedicated missionary to a third-world country. Larry Barker is a bold salesperson—with a speech impediment.

Larry grew up with a pronounced stutter. In fact, he does not recall a time in his life when he didn’t struggle with stammering. Constantly the target of taunts and jeers from schoolyard bullies, Larry was blessed with parents who saw a quiet boldness far beyond the disorder.

So what did Larry do when he reached the seventh grade? The only logical endeavor he could think of: he joined the drama club. Here’s how Larry explains it:

“I came to a crossroads early in life where I had to make a pivotal decision. I could be the quiet guy who kept to himself, scared to open his mouth because the words might not come out, or I could face my fears and take the hard road. My parents always encouraged me to take on more than I thought was possible, to overshoot my own capabilities.

I made the decision that I would not let my impediment win. From that moment on I began deliberately putting myself in positions both at school and later at work that forced me to face my discomforts head-on.

I figured the best way to deal with the stammer was to increase the stress level. If I could get it right in the high-stress environment of the stage, wouldn’t it be far easier just having a conversation with friends in the quad?”

And that’s what boldness looks like in action. For the Larrys of the world there is one consistent truth: You are the sum of your bold decisions. Bold decisions make for incredible opportunities. Today, Larry is a top-performing sales professional, while the former high-school football players are sitting around with beer bellies and living in the basements of their parents’ homes. (At least, that’s what I like to tell myself!)

Jeff Shore of Shore Consulting is a sales expert, speaker, author and executive coach. His latest book is “Be Bold and Win the Sale: Get Out of Your Comfort Zone and Boost Your Performance.”