NAMB Speaker Touts 'Uncomfort Zone'

People are more focused on their tasks when they are uncomfortable, motivational speaker Michael Stahl told attendees Aug. 25 at the NAMB/Southwest conference in New Orleans. Mr. Stahl said there are three zones of performance: the comfort zone; the performance or "uncomfort zone"; and the panic zone. What makes people feel uncomfortable in sales and marketing strategies is what they need to be doing right now, he said, whereas being in a panic zone will hurt performance. To be comfortable with change, people must leave their comfort zone, he said, adding that change can make them feel vulnerable unless they are open to it. According to Mr. Stahl, there is a "cycle of positive results." When people achieve positive results operating outside their comfort zone, they want to perform the task more and more, he said.