💡 Have you ever felt like you’ve prepared to the max – but still didn’t succeed?
You had all the facts in place. You knew exactly what to say and do. Still, it fell flat.
"I’m terrible at selling."
My coach looks at me as I say it.
And I feel it in my whole body – that uncomfortable feeling.
She pauses.
"Tell me about a time when you were supposed to sell something and it didn’t go well."
Back to the dark conference room.
I’m instantly transported back to that room.
💡 A dark conference room. An important presentation. A boss who creates discomfort even before the meeting begins.
I’m sitting across from my boss. By my side – the sales manager. On the call – my boss’s boss.
I am presenting our 5-year plan for growth and development.
I have prepared. I’ve pressure-tested the material. I know that our strategy is strong.
But something feels off.
It started as soon as my boss entered the room, even before the meeting had begun. What she does is turn off the lights in the room. Sits directly across from me at the table. Leans back in her chair. Barely says hello.
I give my presentation, but the feeling of sitting in a interrogation chair intensifies with every passing minute.
Min chefs-chef tackar för genomgången och lämnar mötet.
Then it happens.
💥 "Never do this again!" My boss raises her voice, frustrated.
"This was a disaster, and now I look bad in front of my boss."
Then she leaves the room.
I stay seated – shocked, the sales manager sits silently next to me.
When an event creates a new truth.
That moment shaped me more than I realized.
After that meeting, my strategy for future sales presentations became to prepare myself even more.
To practise harder..
To analyse down to the smallest detail in my material.
But no matter how much I prepared, that feeling remained.
Why?
💡 I thought my problem lay in my knowledge and skills.
I thought:
"If I just learn more, if I just prepare better, then it will feel safe."
But during coaching, I realised that the problem was at a different, higher level in the Change Pyramid – in my own internal beliefs..
The right level in change creates real development.
It was not my knowledge of sales that was the problem.
It was what I was telling myself before these situations..
During my failed presentations, the thoughts spun:
🛑 "I'm nervouse!"
🛑 "I don't want be here!"
🛑 "Get me out of here!"
But in the moments when I actually succeeded, my inner dialogue was completely different:
✅ ”You got this!”
✅ "You Own this!"
✅ ”Enjoy!”
💡 We often think we need more tools, but sometimes it’s about changing our inner belief.
If I had only focused on practicing sales techniques, the underlying problem would still have remained.
To change my results, I had to work at a higher level in the pyramid – what I say to myself.
How you can apply this in your everyday life:
I’ve shared a personal experience, but the insight applies to all changes and challenges – both at the individual and organizational level.
The next time you notice that something feels off, pause and reflect:
🔍 Is the problem really where you think it is?
What if it actually lies one level above? in the Change Pyramid – what could be the cause then?
🔍 What happens if you shift your perspective?
- What is happening? externally? What external factors are influencing the situation?
- What is happening? internally? How do you react? What beliefs and behaviors are driving your actions?
💡 For me, the solution was to work on my inner dialogue – rather than diving even deeper into the details.
💬 Reflect for yourself:
🔹 Is there something in your daily life where you haven’t been able to achieve the desired result, despite trying in several different ways? Which “level” in the Change Pyramid have you focused on to do something differently?
🔹 How could you think differently next time?
What will you take with you?
💡 With this, I wrap up the series on the Change Pyramid – one of the most powerful models I use daily in leadership and change management.
💬 What are you taking away from the Change Pyramid?
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments! 👇
👉 Did you miss any part? Flip back and explore the entire series!