Performance
October 16, 2018
In his classic The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey relates a parable about the importance of vision and leadership: A group of machete-wielding workers are cutting a path through dense jungle. It is hard, hot work. After some time,...
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October 9, 2018
“I’m not a salesperson; I’m in customer service,” Kelly insisted.
Her manager had asked if I could help her improve her job performance.
“But you get paid a bonus when someone buys something new…” I responded.
“Yes, if I get ...
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August 7, 2018
We all need feedback in order to learn. Touch a hot stove - immediate feedback! Say the wrong thing and the room goes quiet. Try something new and it doesn't work … until we modify our approach. Without feedback we would continue harmful and ineffe...
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July 16, 2018
Trust is an important element of successful strategic planning.
Every year, usually in the last fiscal quarter, senior leadership teams book an offsite meeting to set strategic objectives for the coming year. Perhaps part of that day is spent look...
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June 8, 2018
“Why are we here?” I asked the young salesperson I was coaching, as he sat next to me in my car.
“To make a sale?” he replied tentatively.
“What did you tell the prospect when you set up the meeting?”
“I told them we just wante...
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June 1, 2018
One of the challenges of being a manager is that you are the communication point between senior leaders and your team. Poor communication has a high cost. Clear expectations are critical for leading a team. As a new manager, I learned this important ...
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May 7, 2018
The next sales person you hire will likely be a Millennial. In order to successfully integrate new, younger individuals into the sales team it is important to put aside popularly held biases about the Millennial generation and recognize the talent an...
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April 6, 2018
A successful sale is a rewarding experience for both the client and the sales professional. But what does it take to be successful? Although a number of elements such as building a trusting relationship and credibility contribute to making the sale, ...
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March 26, 2018
Do you have your eye on customer service? As you prepare to sell or transition your business, you may be tempted to take employees or customers for granted, even if they have traditionally been quite important to you. You may feel you have bigger fis...
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March 19, 2018
What sets you apart from your competitors? That’s one question we like to ask the hundreds of business owners and sales people we speak to each year.
Most often they answer either “our people” or “our customer service.” However, when we ...
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