As I write this article, Americans are basking in the glow of a spectacular Super Bowl. The glow will be short-lived, however, with the Iowa caucuses a few hours away, an impeachment vote next on the agenda, and the COVID-19 spreading throughout the world. Nevertheless, we were treated on Sunday to a brilliant performance by […]
Read MoreBrown noser, bootlicker, backslapper. These are the more polite terms we use to describe someone who makes their primary job at work garnering the praise and adulation of their boss (and not actually doing real work). Most people’s reaction to fawning coworkers is to refuse to do anything that looks political at all. An executive […]
Read MoreI remember running my first half marathon. It looked a lot like a typical sales year. I charged out of the starting gate with 30,000 of my new best friends, lost steam midway through the race, considered quitting at mile ten, then sprinted through the finish line at the end, collapsing in exhaustion. Most of […]
Read MoreI live a public life. You probably do too. My work consists of meeting after meeting where I’m called on to coach and counsel, speak and facilitate, discuss and collaborate. Sometimes in person, sometimes online, many in multiple time zones. More often than not, these meetings take place back to back in rapid succession, most […]
Read MoreJanuary is a time for new perspective and a fresh start, whether your sales year parallels the calendar year or fiscal ends in the middle of the summer. As a sales leader, your energy and insight are critical for the success of your team. You set the tempo. You set the tone. So here are […]
Read MoreLet me brutally honest with you. Salespeople hate going to meetings. There, I’ve said it. Here’s why. First, salespeople are action-oriented. They don’t like sitting in meetings. It’s not in their DNA. For most of your sellers, school was a painful experience for this very reason, and your sales team meetings remind them of being […]
Read MoreIt makes perfect sense. You’re good at sales. Perhaps, even, one of the best on your team. So, you should be a sales manager. The role comes with more money, greater visibility within the organization, increased power and prestige. What could possibly go wrong? Before I answer that question, let me explain the logic of […]
Read MoreEvery leader I know conducts some, or even most, of their team meetings online in a virtual environment. This is an inescapable reality in today’s business world. Not being live, in-person with your people, however, poses unique challenges for meeting effectiveness and leadership success in them. Here are six essentials for overcoming these challenges: Invest […]
Read MoreNeed more sales? Hire more salespeople. That’s been that strategy for the past decade in sales organizations large and small. Throw bodies at a number. But now that strategy is broken. Why? Three reasons: 1. More headcount is too costly. With rising salaries and the rapidly accelerating expense of health insurance (and other benefits), increased […]
Read MoreOne of the most frustrating sales management experiences happens when a rep who’s at the top of her game suddenly nosedives. A high performer who’s usually 150% of plan (or more) is now only producing 40% of plan (or less). As I write this article, it’s the middle of the year and many sales leaders […]
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