Chapter 371: The Most Important Thing is Confidence

"Manager Zhou, Xia Lang, take care on your way. I'm counting on you for this shipment... Come by often, and next time, I'll treat you to drinks and a meal."

Boss Li saw Zhou Ming and Xia Lang off to the door, continuously expressing his gratitude and making small talk. Zhou Ming, however, remained indifferent. At the door, he reminded Li, "Alright, Boss Li, let's leave it at that for now. Don't forget the 40,000 yuan for the goods. It must be gathered within these few days. If there are any delays, I can't guarantee the outcome."

Boss Li nodded vigorously, "Got it, Manager Zhou. I'll make sure to gather the money as soon as possible. But please take care of things on your end."

"Don't worry, Boss Li. Since I came to see you, I'm sure you want things done well. I don't have a habit of running around aimlessly. As long as you handle your end, I'll take care of the rest," Zhou Ming assured him.

Boss Li continued to express his thanks. Zhou Ming patted his shoulder and said, "Alright, Boss Li, actions speak louder than words. It's up to us to see it through. Your shop still has business to attend to, so don't see us off any further."

After Zhou Ming's words, Boss Li stopped his farewells. Zhou Ming and Xia Lang left and returned to their car. Xia Lang's younger brother was the first to run over and said to Xia Lang, "Brother, don't worry. Boss Li may seem like a big player, but he's stingy. We didn't hold much hope here anyway. We'll just work harder elsewhere."

At this moment, Xia Lang was still stunned, unable to come to terms with what had just happened. He was shocked and incredulous.

If Xia Lang had memories of his past life, he would have described Zhou Ming with one term: Dragon Overlord. The way Zhou Ming had convinced Boss Li was akin to the aura of a Dragon Overlord, making Boss Li seem like his intelligence had plummeted to an unacceptable low, merely echoing Zhou Ming's every word, unable to think for himself.

Seeing his brother's reaction, Xia Lang gave him a nudge to snap him back to reality and said with a wry smile, "You're mistaken. Boss Li didn't refuse us. On the contrary, he agreed to give us the 40,000 yuan."

His younger brother's eyes widened in disbelief, "What? You're saying that the stingiest Boss Li, who we had no hope with, agreed to give us 40,000 yuan? Is that for real? That's amazing! It seems big business owners have a keener eye, unlike those small-time ones."

Xia Lang shook his head, "It's not about Boss Li's vision. It's all about what Manager Zhou negotiated."

This revelation surprised his younger brother even more. He nearly jumped up and asked Zhou Ming, "Manager Zhou, are you really that impressive? Or do you have some kind of spell to sway people's hearts? How else could you make the usually stingy Boss Li suddenly come up with so much money?"

Zhou Ming merely smiled and said nothing more. Xia Lang's younger brother then turned to Du Peng and said with admiration, "Boss Du, your judgment is impressive. Manager Zhou truly is exceptional!"

Du Peng scoffed dismissively, "That's obvious. There's nothing surprising about it. When Zhou Ming first arrived in Nanjiang, he managed to dazzle a group of bank presidents and tighten their loans with just a few words. These bank heads are high-ranking figures, much tougher than Boss Li. If Zhou Ming could handle them easily, dealing with Boss Li is a piece of cake."

Xia Lang, still deep in thought, was jolted by Zhou Ming's voice, "Xia Lang, have you thought of anything after being in a daze for so long? Or are you just going to stand there?"

Zhou Ming's words were like the first spring thunder, waking Xia Lang up. Just as Zhou Ming said, he had been stunned and amazed by Zhou Ming's actions without considering why.

Xia Lang wanted to come up with something on the spot, but his mind was a muddled mess. Anything he said would be disrespectful to Zhou Ming and not fool him either.

Finally, Xia Lang admitted, "Manager Zhou, I really don't understand why Boss Li was so compliant with you and why you could lead him so easily."

"It's simple. Xia Lang, let me ask you: Is it easier to get what you want by asking someone else or by having them ask you?" Zhou Ming asked.

"Of course, it's easier if they're asking you," Xia Lang answered without hesitation.

Zhou Ming nodded, "Exactly. It's better to have others seek you out because you hold the initiative. You can decide whether to accept or reject, and manage the situation as you please. Conversely, if you're the one asking, you're at their mercy and must read their mood. The same principle applies to business; you need to control the initiative."

"Think about how you've approached business compared to me," Zhou Ming continued. "When you negotiate, you end up seeming like you're begging for help. But in my case, others are the ones seeking my assistance. That's the difference, and it's what leads to different results."

"It's true. But Manager Zhou, how can one gain the initiative and make clients seek us out?" Xia Lang asked.

"It boils down to two things: confidence and assertiveness," Zhou Ming said. "When you approach clients, are you thinking about how to extract money from them? I, on the other hand, think about how much they must give me!"

Zhou Ming's words hit Xia Lang like a shockwave, profoundly affecting him.

The difference between asking for money and demanding money isn't just words; it's about confidence and presence.

Is this the mindset of Nanjiang's legendary entrepreneur, Zhou Ming? It's an unattainable height that ordinary people can only look up to. The kind of self-assurance Zhou Ming displayed wasn't something easily feigned but came from deep within.

In the end, Xia Lang said, "Manager Zhou, you truly live up to your reputation. Your approach and thinking are beyond what we can match."

"It's useless to envy others. What's important is to change yourself," Zhou Ming replied. "Xia Lang, the reason you were at a disadvantage before was that you worried about raising the money. You need to change that mindset. Tell yourself that no matter who the client is, whether they will give you money or not, you'll definitely raise the amount needed. Whether they give you more or less doesn't matter. As long as you have this belief, you'll naturally become more assertive and confident."

"There's another point. I know you're worried about the news leaking. But I'll tell you now, you don't need to worry about that at all."

Zhou Ming then elaborated, "The reason is simple. This news isn't a big secret. Those who should know already know. Those who don't, telling them won't change anything. Why? Because they face the same problem as you, and they also can't raise that much money. So, what's there to worry about?"

Zhou Ming's words were like an injection of enthusiasm, pushing Xia Lang to excitement. They shattered his final psychological barriers.

Xia Lang's main worries had been fear of not raising the money and missing the opportunity, as well as concern about the news leaking and others getting ahead. But now, Zhou Ming's words had made him realize these were not real issues. His worries were unnecessary.

With these concerns out of the way, there was nothing left to fear. It was just about using the initiative to negotiate with clients.

"Thank you, Manager Zhou. I understand now. I will definitely close the deal!" Xia Lang said confidently.

"That's the spirit. As businesspeople, we need this kind of mindset," Zhou Ming encouraged.

What Zhou Ming had shared with Xia Lang was a form of mental reinforcement, a self-encouragement. However, this was precisely what Zhou Ming wanted to instill in him.

Zhou Ming's two lifetimes of experience had taught him that no one is truly less capable than others. Many people have the potential to become great in business, but most fail because they lack confidence. They are afraid to take charge and lack the domineering confidence required to succeed.

This kind of confidence isn't childish naivety but a belief rooted in enduring hardships and remaining steadfast in success, seeing the rainbow after the storm.

Many people give up when faced with difficulties and setbacks, missing out on the end of the road. Thus, leaders must inspire confidence in themselves and their team to overcome challenges together.

As for Xia Lang, Zhou Ming knew from his past life that he was not foolish, just inexperienced and lacking in resilience. This is why he faltered under pressure.

"Alright, let's go find the next client. You need to keep up the effort," Zhou Ming encouraged Xia Lang.

Xia Lang nodded firmly, "I will!"