I love my Smartphone. It is perhaps the single greatest tool I have ever seen when it comes to increasing my productivity. There is hardly anything my laptop can do that my phone can’t. It has almost everything. Almost. The one thing missing is common sense. I guess Apple figures the operator will supply that. Unfortunately I must admit that too often, when it comes to using my phone, I leave my common sense at home. I would never ignore a customer, a co-worker or anyone for that matter.

Well… except for when my “smart” phone signals me that I’m “needed”. It is just so easy to sneak a quick look at an e-mail or send a quick reply. The people who send me messages deserve my attention too, don’t they? My smartphone now makes everything urgent. How dumb is that?

When we begin a discussion with a customer, prospect, or colleague, we must give that individual our complete attention until the issue at hand has been fully addressed. As a professional salesperson, that is just good old fashioned common sense.

Every single discussion, every single interaction with every single person requires our complete focus.

Not only will it help us maximize our time by minimizing miscommunication, but also it’ll send the right message, the message that tells the person that they matter, that our sole focus is on them.

We can’t let a phone call interrupt an in-person conversation. We can’t let an email distract us from a phone call. We can’t let a passerby, instant messenger, or BlackBerry take our attention away from someone standing right in front of us (or on the phone).

Sales and Leadership are interpersonal professions. Anything less than our full attention sends a message of arrogance – a message of condescension – a message of which no one (including ourselves) enjoys being on the receiving end, (and certainly not when we’re with a prospect or one of our people). For those who lead a team, you should set the example.

Give your full attention today, and every day, to one person at a time, the person in front of you, and watch the difference it will make.