Norm Edwards gives a motivational speech every year to the incoming NFL rookies.  Herm is a great speaker and very motivating.  Check out part of his speech here. My favorite part comes about the 5:03 min mark.  It’s where he starts talking about talent vs production.  It’s worth the 6:30 minutes to watch.

Norm’s right. Talent wasn’t earned. No does anything to get their talent. It’s a gift from god.  Production on the other hand, that’s earned. The key is to have talent meet production.I have often said sports and sales go hand in hand.  The goals are clear. They are both performance based.  It creates superstars and goats. There is no hiding on the field. Success is yours and yours alone to achieve or squander.I’ve always looked to hire great talent.  It’s the only time I allow talent to be part of the discussion.  After they are hired, all discussions move to production. Talent is a tool.  Some of us are born with better tools than others.  The lucky ones learn what tools they were born with and know where they are best suited.  But, that’s all talent is, a tool. Like all tools, it is at the control of the crafts person. Used poorly, or left in the tool box, they are useless.In sales, like sports,  talent only matters if you produce.  Is your talent producing what it should?  Don’t let your tools go to waste . . . produce!