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I had supposed for this Cash Monday to be one thing highly effective, a brand new message that may get you fired up for this week and this season. However final week, whereas delivering coaching to an incredible group of younger salespeople with wide-open minds, I discovered that Charlie Kirk had been assassinated. It disturbed me deeply and I really feel compelled to ship this message.
The Assassination That Shook America
On September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk was fatally shot whereas addressing an viewers at Utah Valley College in Orem, Utah. A younger man, thirty-one years previous together with his entire life forward of him, was killed for no different motive than somebody disagreed with him.
After studying in regards to the assassination, I discovered myself extremely disturbed that an individual within the public sq. may simply be shot and killed like that – murdered proper in entrance of everybody. So I did what I all the time do once I wish to perceive one thing: I began studying.
I watched hours and hours, dozens and dozens of Charlie Kirk’s movies to be taught extra in regards to the man, his message, and why somebody would suppose it will be okay to assassinate him. I nonetheless haven’t discovered the reply to that final query.
This Isn’t About Politics
Earlier than I am going any additional, let me be crystal clear: This isn’t a political message. This isn’t a non secular message. It is about how we deal with one another as human beings.
If you realize me, for those who’ve been to my occasions or coaching, you realize I by no means discuss politics or faith. Should you take a look at my social media feeds on any channel, you received’t discover a lot that may provide help to perceive what my politics or faith are.
Do I’ve convictions? Sure. Do I imagine sure issues? Sure. However they’re my beliefs, and I hold them to myself as a result of my job is to coach salespeople. I’m a gross sales writer, coach, knowledgeable, and advisor. That’s my lane.
I prepare salespeople it doesn’t matter what they imagine. I prepare salespeople it doesn’t matter what their faith. I prepare salespeople and assist salespeople irrespective of the place they’re from or what their stroll of life is.
I don’t care the place you come from as a result of my whole function, my motive for being on earth, is that will help you promote extra, provide help to achieve confidence, and be there that will help you together with your largest gross sales questions and challenges.
What Charlie Kirk’s Instance Taught Me
What I found in watching these movies was one thing that transcends political opinions. Charlie Kirk’s instance was his willingness to go sit down face-to-face with individuals who disagreed with him, generally vehemently, and simply have a dialog. And do it respectfully.
I observed one thing outstanding in his movies: greater than as soon as, he stated, “ what, I stand corrected.” Somebody would come to him with a distinct set of information, and he would say, “Okay, that sounds proper. I agree with you.” In lots of instances, he would shake the particular person’s hand after a debate.
He was respectful. It was by no means in regards to the particular person. It wasn’t private. He didn’t hate the particular person. He had conversations about their concepts. How Charlie Kirk disagreed mattered.
That’s what we have to get again to. Not someplace sooner or later – at the moment, proper now.
The Human Price
I watched his spouse Erica’s message to the world, and I discovered myself on an airplane as a grown man with tears streaming down my face, attempting to not let everybody see that I used to be crying. It was heartbreaking watching her ache.
She has two youngsters – one is one 12 months previous, one is three. That murderer modified their lives without end.
I can’t think about when one among them will get older and both finds the video of their daddy getting assassinated or somebody places it in entrance of them. Should you step into that body for only a second together with your human empathy, it can make you harm.
Charlie’s youngsters will probably be raised with tales as a substitute of recollections, pictures as a substitute of laughter, and silence the place their father’s voice ought to have guided and beloved them.
The Battle We All Face
In every single place in our lives with different individuals, we’ve got disagreement. In every single place in our lives, we’ve got battle. It’s not simply politics or faith. It’s not simply philosophy.
We now have this battle in our households. We now have this battle at work. Should you’re in gross sales, you realize this since you’re all the time in battle with different individuals at work. the inner promote is tougher than the exterior promote. there are individuals inside your group who simply don’t imagine the identical stuff you imagine.
The selection you make is that this: You both push them apart, shun them, deal with them like objects, select to hate them – or you can also make the selection to go sit down and have a dialog with them.
The Energy of Face-to-Face Dialog
Right here’s the factor about speaking with individuals: Whilst you’re speaking with individuals, it’s laborious to hate them when you’re standing in entrance of them. You may’t see them as lower than human. It’s a must to see them as one other particular person. It’s simply essential to have that dialog.
Typically you possibly can comply with disagree, however the act of sitting down and speaking – that modifications every thing.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox stated one thing profound after Charlie’s assassination: “Phrases usually are not violence. Violence is violence.”
He additionally stated that social media is a most cancers, and I partly agree with him. Social media has been large for me as a businessperson. I exploit it on a regular basis. I really like LinkedIn – I also have a model new ebook popping out on LinkedIn.
However social media turns into a most cancers when, as a substitute of moving into our empathy and feeling what different individuals really feel and looking out on the world by means of their lens, we’re in a position to write probably the most horrific issues about them. We’re in a position to create memes a couple of younger man who was killed, who was assassinated within the public sq..
If you’re celebrating another person’s assassination on social media, it’s since you now not see them as a human being. That’s when it turns into a most cancers.
We Have a Alternative
Governor Cox wasn’t positive whether or not Charlie Kirk’s assassination could be a pivot level that modifications us. He stated solely historical past will reveal that. However he did say that every of us has a selection. We will make the selection to alter how we disagree with one another, to alter how we debate.
You have got a selection. You may select to disagree higher.
The selection is which you could see individuals – whether or not you’re them by means of the lens of social media, a TV display, or a telephone display – and select to step into their footwear and see them as an individual. You need to use your God-given empathy to take a second and attempt to see their perspective.
You don’t must agree with it, however you possibly can nonetheless view issues by means of their lens. And for those who can see another person’s perspective, there could also be a chance to seek out widespread floor or compromise.
America Was Constructed on Disagreement
The factor I really like about America is that we have been based on debate. America was based on disagreement. Our whole system is constructed for us to have a number of sides coming collectively.
It really works as a result of we’ve got all these totally different voices, and it’s messy as a result of we don’t agree with one another. However the lovely factor about that mess, the gorgeous factor about all these individuals disagreeing, is that one aspect nearly by no means will get all the ability.
Our founding fathers understood that absolute energy corrupts completely. As a result of we’ve got all these dissenting voices, as a result of we’ve got to compromise we make progress.
In latest 12 months although an evil mindset has slowly creeped into society. “You don’t agree with me, due to this fact you’re unhealthy, and unhealthy individuals such as you need to die.”
However when all these voices start to debate and sit down and see one another as human beings, someplace alongside the road we make small agreements that transfer us ahead. As a rustic, we’ve got persistently moved ahead and gotten higher over time as a result of we disagree with one another.
The Name to Motion
Governor Cox stated one thing I really like. Put social media down. Put the telephone down. Exit and contact some grass. Go hug somebody. Inform them that you simply love them. Go sit down and speak with somebody you don’t agree with. It’s possible you’ll stroll away and nonetheless disagree, however you possibly can nonetheless have a meal collectively.
Again in school, after we have been having debates – and once I was in school, you really bought to have debates with two sides – we might debate with one another in lecture rooms. We’d debate our concepts all the way in which to the purpose the place we principally needed to shake palms and say we’re strolling away. After which we might go hang around with one another.
We will do that. As human beings, we’ve got the company to make this selection. So long as we’re speaking with individuals, so long as we’re linked with individuals, it’s simpler to like and tougher to hate.
What This Means for How We Work and Reside
This is applicable to each space of our lives – together with our skilled relationships. In gross sales, you’re continually coping with individuals who see issues in another way than you do. Prospects who’ve totally different priorities. Colleagues who’ve totally different approaches. Managers who’ve totally different expectations.
The rules that made Charlie Kirk efficient in his debates are the identical rules that make nice salespeople:
- Hear first. Actually hear to grasp, not simply to reply.
- Present respect for the particular person, even if you disagree with their place.
- Management your feelings. Deal with the making your case somewhat than making the opposite particular person mistaken.
- Deal with concepts, not personalities. Assault the issue, not the particular person.
- Be prepared to be mistaken. Typically the opposite particular person has higher info or a greater perspective.
- Discover widespread floor. Search for areas the place you possibly can agree earlier than addressing areas the place you differ.
The Legacy We Select
Charlie Kirk was prepared to interact respectfully with individuals who vehemently disagreed with him. He confirmed us which you could maintain sturdy convictions whereas nonetheless treating others with dignity and respect.
His assassination was an try to silence that sort of civil discourse. The easiest way to honor his reminiscence is to show that assassination can’t silence the spirit of respectful disagreement that he embodied.
That is now not about saying “this has no place in America.” It’s time for motion. Go on the market on the planet. Discover individuals you disagree with and be prepared to take a seat down with them. Go on the market and debate one another and disagree. However do it higher. Our nation, our communities, our households, and our workplaces rely upon it.
