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This week, let’s face rejection, and learn how great leaders handle being opposed and overruled. How do they deal with objections and resistance to their best intended aims? We might find it helps to be unqualified for your dream job.
Table of Contents
THE ULLMEN INSIGHT
You present a brilliant proposal, but decision-makers block you with objections. How should you respond? Wishing won’t work, and insisting could backfire, but curiosity & creativity can transform obstacles into opportunities.
The best leaders don’t take resistance personally; instead, they treat it like a puzzle, with new pieces to find.
Don’t view objections as obstacles, but as clues, as opportunities to uncover what truly influences others. Then, adapt your approach based on that newfound knowledge.
Case Study: “Many Nos Make a Bigger Yes”
Here’s an example about someone I know, who proves extraordinary positive influence requires no title, no permission, no status, no favoritism. Only ingenuity.
Adele wanted to work as a pharmaceutical sales representative.
Rejected at every interview, she wondered why. The managers said: “Come back after you have two years of experience.”
Unfair? Perhaps. How do you gain experience when no one gives you the chance to start? But Adele didn’t give in to frustration. Instead, she asked a simple but vital question: “Why does experience count so much?”
Their answer? Meeting with doctors. Salespeople need to understand medical offices, to navigate interactions with receptionists & nurses, and make those critical in-person conversations with doctors happen. That kind of savvy, they said, comes with time in the industry.
Adele said, “Thank you.”
Armed with this insight, Adele took decisive action. She visited a medical building, going from the top floor down. She went to each office on each floor and asked, “May I please speak with the person who normally sees pharmaceutical sales reps?” Many said no, but some said yes, and in some of those cases, the person was a doctor.
She said, “I’m doing interviews to learn how to improve the service you get.”
Fast-forward to the end of her next job interview. The familiar objection surfaced: lack of experience, the critical hurdle to access doctors.
Adele asked: "If you knew I could already access doctors, would your training program give me everything else I need to succeed?" The manager said, "Absolutely, ours is one of the best."
Adele said, “Last week I met in person with 10 of your customers. Would you like to hear what I learned?”
He said, “What?”
She continued, “I met with physicians from 10 different medical groups last week. I gathered data on what they’re not getting from their pharmaceutical companies. Would you like to hear more?”
The hiring manager asked, “You got in to see doctors with no company affiliation and no prior connections?”
“Yes I did.”
“If you can do that on your own, don’t move! We’ll make you an offer!”
Hired by one of the largest pharmaceutical companies at that time, Adele became their #1 sales representative. I’ll say that again, with no experience and pure personal influence, she became the #1 sales representative at a giant, industry-leading firm.
She didn’t take objections personally, she followed them down new trails, turned them into action, got the job she wanted, and re-wrote history in the firm.
True, most of us don’t get enthused about hearing “no.” But shut doors can swing open too.
Here’s what Adele says. She likes to turn “NO,” as in rejection, into “KNOW,” as in knowledge.
Follow Adele’s example: Treat objections as invitations -- to listen, to learn, and to adapt.
Objections aren’t walls; they are doors to be opened to understand what truly influences others.
Objections reveal collaborative roads not yet taken. When others say no, wise leaders ask why, discover what, and create how.
That method opened doors for Adele: to doctor’s offices, her dream job, and top performance.
Remember that you want to inspire others to embrace your vision willingly. So don’t resist resistance, don’t fight against friction, don’t object to objections. Instead, welcome them as new routes to better outcomes.
Use resistance as a roadmap to positive influence.
That’s the Insight: Let “no” point new ways to “yes.”
Email John Ullmen to hire him to speak at your next event or for executive coaching.
THE ULLMEN TRIO
John holds an imagined conversation on our theme with this week’s guests, George Martin and Zig Ziglar.
George Martin (1926–2016)
George Martin, often called "the Fifth Beatle," was a British record producer, composer, and arranger whose work with The Beatles revolutionized popular music.. His innovative techniques, classical music expertise, and willingness to experiment helped create groundbreaking records like Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Zig Ziglar (1926–2012)
Zig Ziglar was a renowned American motivational speaker, author, and salesman who inspired millions with his optimistic approach to personal and professional success. Born in Coffee County, Alabama, he overcame early hardships to become a leading figure in the self-help industry, emphasizing goal-setting, positive thinking, and integrity. His best-known books, including See You at the Top, blend practical advice with humor and faith-based principles.
Left: Zig Ziglar (1926–2012). Right: George Martin (1926–2016).
 | John Ullmen, Host |
John Ullmen: Welcome, everyone! Today is truly special. We’re joined by two extraordinary leaders from very different worlds, both legendary for the ways they influenced people and overcame huge waves of resistance: Sir George Martin, the visionary behind The Beatles’ groundbreaking music, and Zig Ziglar, a master motivator and one of the greatest teachers of persuasion and positive influence in the modern era.
Let’s please start with this: A question for both of you. Why is overcoming objections and selling ideas effectively so centrall to your leadership? Can you share an example where it made all the difference?
George Martin: Happy to! I always think of the day I first met The Beatles as one of the greatest tests of overcoming resistance in my life, not just professionally, but humanly. It was June 6, 1962, at Abbey Road Studios. The lads were rough around the edges, quite unrefined. EMI had already rejected them several times; Decca Records famously told them, “Guitar groups are on the way out.” I listened carefully to them, and I must be honest, I wasn’t instantly blown away by their original material. Pete Best’s drumming wasn’t quite right for what I envisioned. But then, rather than just dismiss them, I sat them down and asked, “Is there anything you don't like?” George Harrison quipped, “Yeah, for a start, I don’t like your tie.” It broke the ice, let me see their humor, their spark. Later, when I asked if there was anything they felt we might improve, Paul said, “We don’t like how stiff our recordings sound compared to our gigs.”
At that moment, I could have insisted, “Sorry, boys. We do things the technical way here.” But instead, I saw an opportunity.
I heard their resistance, not just to rules, but to lifelessness. I suggested Ringo Starr as their new drummer, and I invited them to play live in the studio, asked them to shape the sessions their way. This created our spirit of experimentation.
Look at “Tomorrow Never Knows” in 1966. John Lennon walks in and says, “George, I want it to sound like a thousand Tibetan monks chanting on a mountain, with my voice floating like it’s coming from another dimension.” Our engineer, Geoff Emerick, probably thought I’d lost my senses when I didn’t immediately say it was impossible. But I turned to Geoff and said, “Let’s treat the studio like a playground.” We tried everything, even spinning tape loops with pencils in the studio until we crafted something new. The Beatles trusted me to bend the rules, and I trusted them to push me out of my comfort zone. After we recorded "Please Please Me," which I had pushed them to speed up from its original ballad form, I told them from the control room, "Gentlemen, you've just recorded your first number one record." They looked at each other, probably thinking I was barmy!
The lesson I took: resistance is a clue, a doorway not an obstacle. As I learned, when you face pushback, don’t just hear the ‘no,’ but listen for the ‘why’ behind it. Then, make them part of the solution. When someone objects, it’s often because they feel unheard or stifled. I learned to listen deeply, to search for the creative energy within objections. For any leader: treat objections as seeds of innovation. Don’t stamp them out; nurture them. When you do, you earn trust, which makes true collaboration and greatness possible.
Zig Ziglar: George, I absolutely love that. "Treat the studio like a playground!" That's magnificent! You know, as you were describing The Beatles and their humor, I was smiling so big my face nearly split in half! That spirit of connection, that’s how barriers come down. That "resistance as a clue" is spot on. It reminds me of a time in Dallas, 1972. I was just building my career as a speaker, near broke, and my first publisher had turned down my book, See You at the Top. Said it would never sell. “Too positive, too much common sense, and frankly, Zig, nobody knows who you are.” Talk about a triple whammy of rejection! Another editor, I recall, put it even more bluntly: "Mr. Ziglar, this book will never sell. For one thing, it's too 'common sense.' For another, it's too positive. And thirdly, you write like you talk." Well, he was right on all three counts!
Most folks would’ve accepted that as the end. But I remembered what my mother in Yazoo City used to tell me: “If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.” So I took that rejection, dusted it off, and published the book myself out of my garage. I sold copies out of the trunk of my car, city-to-city. What stunned me is that every time someone said “No thanks,” I’d ask, “Would you mind telling me why?” Sometimes it was price, sometimes skepticism. But by listening, adapting my pitch, and never losing faith in my mission, people started to say yes. Soon, See You at the Top was in its eleventh printing.
The lesson: “Every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust.” If you don’t listen, if you don’t respond with empathy and creativity, you stop before you start. Just like you with The Beatles, George, the secret is in building trust. Leaders have to see objections not as a wall, but as a door waiting for the right key: respect, listening, integrity, and persistent faith. That’s how we turn “no” into “yes,” and sometimes, even “hallelujah!”
George Martin: That persistence is key, Zig. And sometimes, you have to sell an idea not just once, but multiple times, and to different gatekeepers. In early 1966, Paul McCartney came to me with this beautiful, haunting melody he’d dreamt, which would become "Yesterday." He played it for me on his acoustic guitar. It was simple, poignant. My classical training immediately sparked an idea: a string quartet. I could hear it in my head, how it would elevate the song's inherent sadness without overwhelming its simplicity.
When I suggested it to Paul, his reaction was immediate and, shall we say, horrified. "Oh no, George!" he exclaimed. "We’re a rock and roll band. I don’t want it to sound… syrupy. Like Mantovani!" He had a very clear vision of The Beatles' identity, and a string quartet felt like a betrayal of that, too old-fashioned, too unlike them. The objection was firm: "This isn't us." I understood his fear. Their authenticity was their magic. So, I didn't argue or impose my will. I simply asked him to trust me, to just try it. I promised a very clean, almost Bach-like arrangement with no vibrato from the strings. That was crucial, as vibrato can lend that sentimental quality Paul detested. I said, "Paul, if we record it and you genuinely don't like it, we won't use it. It'll be our secret." That de-risked it for him. He reluctantly agreed. We recorded it at Abbey Road, Studio Two. When the quartet played, and Paul sang, there was a palpable hush in the control room. It just worked. The starkness of the strings, without vibrato, complemented his vocal perfectly. Paul loved it. And it became one of their most iconic, and certainly most covered, songs. The lesson here is that when you meet resistance, especially from talented individuals, understanding the root of their objection, often a fear of losing identity or control, is paramount. Then, offer a path forward that respects their concerns, provides an assurance, and builds trust by making it safe for them to explore the unknown. Gentle persuasion and a willingness to concede on a small point, like "no vibrato," can open the door to something truly extraordinary.
Zig Ziglar: George, that "no vibrato" detail is fascinating, I’d never heard that. It shows how a specific, empathetic concession can unlock massive creative potential. That’s meeting people where they are, with honesty and heart, to build trust that moves mountains.
You know, your story reminds me of a different kind of resistance, not to a new idea, but to a different way of doing things. Back in 1968, I was speaking at a national sales convention for a cookware company I’d worked with early in my career, down in Dallas, Texas. My goal was to convince about 2,000 salespeople, many of whom were struggling and pretty cynical, that they could dramatically increase their sales by genuinely focusing on the customer’s needs, not just pushing the product. This was a tough crowd. They were used to hard-sell tactics.
During the Q&A, a grizzled veteran salesman, a fellow named Charlie Thompson, stood up. He had that seen-it-all look. He said, very directly, “Zig, all this talk about ‘helping people’ and ‘serving their needs’ is fine and dandy, but I’ve got bills to pay, and my customers just want the cheapest deal! They don’t care about my dreams or my desire to help them.” The room erupted in murmurs of agreement. I could feel the energy turning against me; this was a make-or-break moment. I could have argued my philosophy, preached harder, but I knew that would just dig a deeper hole. Instead, I smiled warmly and said, “Charlie, you’re absolutely right. Bills don’t pay themselves, and customers are indeed savvy. Let’s talk about how helping people actually pays your bills, and then some.”
So I shared a story from my own door-to-door days back in the 1950s, in Yazoo City, Mississippi. I was selling WearEver pots and pans, barely making ends meet myself. One hot afternoon, I knocked on the door of a person named Mrs. Evelyn Carter. She was a single mother, clearly wary of salesmen, and her screen door was halfway closed before I even finished my greeting. But I noticed her kitchen through the screen. It was worn but immaculately clean. I didn't launch into my standard pitch. Instead, I asked, “Mrs. Carter, if you don’t mind me asking, what’s the one meal you wish you could cook a little bit better or easier for your kids?” She hesitated, then her face softened. She confessed, “It’s cornbread. I can never get it quite right. It always seems to burn on the bottom before it’s cooked through.” I didn’t immediately talk about the superior heat conduction of my pans. I said, “I understand. Perfect cornbread is a joy, isn't it?” Then I showed her how our heavy-gauge skillet distributed heat so evenly it could give her that golden, perfectly cooked cornbread her kids would absolutely love. I even offered to come back and cook a batch with her. She bought the entire set, not because of the aluminum or the warranty, but because she trusted that I genuinely cared about her desire to feed her family well, to solve her problem.
Back at the convention, I looked directly at Charlie and said, “Charlie, when you solve a customer’s real problem, like Mrs. Carter’s cornbread, you’re not just selling a product; you’re providing a solution, you’re serving. And that’s what builds trust and loyalty, and yes, that’s what closes sales, big sales, and gets you referrals.” I challenged everyone in that room to try it for just 30 days: before they mentioned a single feature of their cookware, to ask every customer about their biggest cooking challenge or aspiration. By the end of my talk, Charlie was nodding, slowly at first, then more vigorously. The mood in the room had completely shifted. Six months later, that company reported a 40% increase in sales, and Charlie Thompson himself sent me a letter. He said he’d doubled his income and, more importantly, he actually enjoyed selling for the first time in years. The takeaway for leaders is crystal clear: objections often melt away when you sincerely listen to the need behind the resistance, connect your idea to their goals, and show them the personal win. As I always said, you need to “treat every objection as a question in disguise. Answer it with a story that makes the benefit personal, and you’ll turn ‘no’ into ‘let’s do this.’” That’s selling for the greater good, helping others succeed right alongside you.
George Martin: Zig, that’s brilliant, your story about Mrs. Carter and Charlie really drives home how personal connection and genuine problem-solving disarm resistance. It’s like finding the right chord to resolve a dissonant note. Sometimes, the objections are institutional, deeply embedded in the way a company thinks. I faced a colossal version of that with Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The Beatles wanted to stop….
 | You can read the FULL interview in detail, with more questions and fascinating answers from each week's Trio guests! Coming soon, we'll offer Premium Membership in the Ullmen Leadership Academy to access the full interviews and much more. We're enthused to provide you more levels of access, to meet what works best for you. Stay tuned! |
THE TRIO TAKEAWAYS
Leadership Takeaways from George Martin and Zig Ziglar: Overcoming Objections and Selling Ideas for the Greater Good
1. Listen for the Why Behind the No: Treat Resistance as a Clue Like Martin with The Beatles:
George Martin discovered that resistance often reveals hidden opportunities for innovation. When first meeting The Beatles in 1962, he noticed their frustration with stiff recordings compared to their energetic live performances. Instead of dismissing their concerns, Martin recognized the spark in their objection and invited them to shape the sessions their way.
This created their revolutionary spirit of experimentation, leading to groundbreaking techniques like the tape loops in "Tomorrow Never Knows." When John Lennon requested his voice sound like "a thousand Tibetan monks chanting on a mountain," Martin didn't reject the seemingly impossible request but turned to his engineer saying, "Let's treat the studio like a playground." This approach transformed potential conflict into creative collaboration.
Martin learned that when facing pushback, the key is not just hearing the "no" but listening for the "why" behind it, then making others part of the solution. By treating objections as seeds of innovation rather than obstacles, Martin earned The Beatles' trust and enabled true collaboration.
Application Tip: When a team member objects to your project approach, schedule a one-on-one conversation focused on understanding their concerns. Ask "What specific aspect concerns you most?" and "What alternative would you suggest?" Then incorporate at least one of their ideas into the revised plan to build ownership and trust.
2. See Every Objection as a Question in Disguise Like Ziglar's Cookware Sale: Connect Solutions to Personal Wins Zig Ziglar faced resistance at a 1968 Dallas sales convention when veteran salesman Charlie Thompson challenged his customer-focused approach, saying: "All this talk about 'helping people' is fine and dandy, but I've got bills to pay, and my customers just want the cheapest deal!" Rather than becoming defensive, Ziglar recognized the deeper question behind the objection: "How does this actually help me succeed?" He shared a personal story about Mrs. Evelyn Carter, a single mother who initially rejected his cookware pitch until he asked about her cooking challenges. When she mentioned struggling with cornbread that burned on the bottom, Ziglar connected his product to solving her specific problem, resulting in a complete set purchase. Application Tip: Before your next proposal presentation, create a list of potential stakeholder objections, then reframe each as a question (e.g., turn "This costs too much" into "How will this investment deliver value that justifies its cost?"). Prepare stories that show how your solution addresses each underlying concern with specific, measurable benefits. | 3. De-Risk New Ideas Like Martin with "Yesterday": Make It Safe to Try the Unknown George Martin mastered the art of overcoming resistance by making experimentation feel safe. When Paul McCartney initially rejected Martin's suggestion to add a string quartet to "Yesterday," fearing it would make The Beatles sound "syrupy" like Mantovani, Martin didn't force his vision. Instead, he reduced the perceived risk by promising a clean, Bach-like arrangement with no vibrato from the strings, addressing McCartney's specific fear of sentimentality. Crucially, Martin offered an escape clause: "If we record it and you genuinely don't like it, we won't use it. It'll be our secret." This approach removed the threat to The Beatles' rock identity while creating space for artistic growth. When they recorded at Abbey Road's Studio Two, the stark, vibrato-free strings perfectly complemented McCartney's vocal, creating what became one of their most iconic songs. Martin's approach shows that when talented people resist change, understanding their core fear (often loss of identity or control) and then providing both specific accommodations and a safety net can transform resistance into enthusiastic adoption. Application Tip: When introducing a significant change to your team, create a low-risk pilot program with a clear opt-out provision. Tell team members, "We'll try this approach for two weeks in just one department, then evaluate results together. If it doesn't work better than our current method, we'll return to the previous approach with no questions asked." |
There are 17 More Takeaways - applicable leadership lessons. These will all be taught in my forthcoming Ullmen Leadership Academy. Stay tuned!
Final Thoughts
George Martin and Zig Ziglar teach us that overcoming objections isn't about overpowering resistance but transforming it into creative energy through deep listening, genuine respect, and collaborative problem-solving. By treating resistance as valuable feedback, creating safe spaces for experimentation, and connecting your vision to others' deepest concerns, you can build trust that transcends initial skepticism. Remember that persistence fueled by integrity and a genuine desire to serve will ultimately overcome even the staunchest opposition, turning your most vocal critics into your most passionate advocates.
Email John Ullmen to hire him to speak at your next event or for executive coaching.
THE TRIPLE PLAY
Great leaders grow their understanding of people by exploring similarities, differences, and possibilities. Let’s practice this skill each week, with inspiration from our Trio guests.
1. COMPARE: Something they share.
Boundary-Breaking Believers
Both were men of faith who integrated their spiritual beliefs into their professional work. Martin composed and produced religious music alongside pop hits, while Ziglar openly incorporated his Christian faith into his motivational teachings. They demonstrated how spiritual principles could inform secular success.
2. CONTRAST: Something they see differently.
The Art of Experimentation
George Martin embraced musical experimentation, constantly pushing The Beatles to try unconventional sounds, instruments, and recording techniques that had never been attempted before. He believed innovation came from breaking rules and venturing into the unknown. He often worked intuitively in the studio, allowing creative spontaneity to guide recording sessions and embracing happy accidents that led to breakthrough sounds. He might have argued that over-planning stifles the creative spirit.
Ziglar, conversely, advocated for proven formulas and time-tested principles, believing that success comes from consistently applying established methods rather than reinventing the wheel. He was famous for his meticulous goal-setting systems, detailed planning methods, and structured approaches to achievement. He taught that success required written goals, specific timelines, and systematic execution.
3. CREATE: Something they might innovate.
To help us exercise our own leadership creativity, here we imagine the guests were alive today and joined forces to create something new.
I’ll share one of my favorites next week, and I welcome yours in the meantime!
Last week our guests were Stella Adler (1901-1992) and Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993), and this could be one of theirs:
"The Deliberation Room" – Interactive Theater Experience
An immersive theatrical experience where audience members become jurors in landmark civil rights cases. Stella Adler's techniques for emotional truth would train actors to present compelling testimonies, while Marshall's legal expertise would ensure accurate representation of courtroom dynamics. Participants would deliberate real historical cases, experiencing firsthand the weight of justice and the human stories behind legal decisions.
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