Lisan siia muutmata kujul kirja Dan Moore’lt, kes oli üle 15. aasta Southwestern Advantage’i president, eestkõneleja ning koolitaja. Dan on olnud müügivaldkonnas tegev juba üle 40. aasta, olles saavutanud silmapaistvad tulemused juba enda müügiteekonna alguses.
To whom it may concern:
It is my pleasure to write this letter of recommendation and reference for Gerda Rand, whom I have known for more than ten years. We met during her involvement with Southwestern Advantage, when I was President of that company. Over the years, wehad many in-depth conversations, and I had the opportunity to watch her in action several times, both in her home country of Estonia and during the periods when she was working here in the USA.
Simply put, Gerda is extraordinary in every way. Not only is she highly intelligent in a conventional way (which you can determine in the first few seconds of a conversation with her), but also she has extremely high emotional intelligence. EQ is often defined as self-awareness coupled with other-awareness, and it is essential for success in business,in relationships, and in life in general.
Perhaps because of her background competing in sports at the national championship level, Gerda developed enormous self-discipline, and what psychologist Angela Duckworth calls “Grit”: the ability to stay focused on a long-term objective for longperiods of time despite obstacles and setbacks, both expected and unexpected. When Gerda was forced to stop bicycle racing due to a serious injury, she definitely did not stop competing…she simply changed the field of play. As a salesperson, sales leader, and developer of people, she brought the same standards of excellence to bear that she had applied so successfully to her sports career. She also became a standout cycling coach, helping others to excel.
Gerda distinguished herself many times in sales and leadership achievement, but one particular event stands out to me as an example of who she is, even though the “numbers” didn’t make the record books. In 2020, due to Covid-19, Gerda and several other Europeans shifted their expectations from working in the U.S. that summer to working in the UK. While that may not sound like much of an adjustment, it was an enormously difficult environment in which to build a direct selling business and lead a team doing the same.
Gerda had had a serious accident before the summer, and was essentially unable to use either arm effectively…in a business that involves carrying heavy loads. She showed unusual maturity, and incredible focus on helping others, when she accepted the fact she would be unable to sell at a high level, and would not receive the recognition to which she had become accustomed. Instead, she focused on what she could do, which was coach, inspire, and help others. As a result, she was again a true leader, possibly even greater than ever before. A lesser person would have chosen not to participate, and likely would have spent the summer feeling sorry for themselves. That is not Gerda.
In my judgment, Gerda should be the top choice for any challenging assignment that involves leading by example while dealing effectively with others. She understands herself, and knows how to defer gratification while pursuing difficult goals. At the same time, she is invariably encouraging and uplifting. She learns rapidly, and takes coaching well (provided the coach is competent). She raises the level of those around her, too.
For these reasons, it is my pleasure to give Gerda Rand my highest recommendation. I would be on her team any time.
Sincerely,
Dan Moore