Walking in Someone Else's Shoes

Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck): To Kill a Mockingbird

 Harper Lee, in her book "To Kill a Mockingbird" wrote a line for Atticus Finch the lawyer: "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view. Until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." 
This idea has been worked and overworked.  "You don't know someone until you walk a mile in his shoes" is another way to put it.
But this is more than a phrase--it's a deeply deeply true statement.  You can't understand your customers' motivations, you can't understand your manager's motivations, you can't understand what your boss is looking for--nothing makes sense unless you can truly get out of your skin and get into the other person's skin.  This is a very demanding idea.
Salespeople are typically driven by their egos--by necessity since we have to take so much rejection. 
But ego is something we have to let go of because it stands in the way of getting into our customer's mind.
What are your customer's needs, personally and corporately.  How does he "sell" your product to his bosses and make himself look valuable in their eyes.  Selling should not be transactional--it should be solutional--a solution for the customer, for his company, for you, the salesperson.  Leave your ego (and your cell phone) at the door and try to truly understand what the customer, what your customer's boss, what your boss, and what the people around you, want.
Walk a mile in their shoes.