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 MorePrivate Practices for a Public Life
I 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 MoreThree Powerful Sales Leader Resolutions for 2020
January 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 MoreA Template for Every Sales Team Meeting
Let 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 MoreShould You Be a Sales Manager? Five Key Questions
It 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 MoreSix Essentials for Virtual Team Meetings
Every 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 MoreWhen a Sales Superstar Slips into a Slump: Four Critical Steps
One 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 […]
Read MoreSix Secrets to a Successful Skip Level Meeting
It’s great being a senior sales leader. There’s greater visibility within the organization and greater say in overall strategy. And, of course, there’s increased salary and status. That’s pretty great, too. But there’s one thing that’s not so great. You’re removed from the frontline, sometimes by as much as two to three levels. In fact, […]
Read MoreIntentional Culture Creation for Senior Sales Leaders
Culture! Culture! Culture! Culture! Everyone you follow these days, from business gurus to corporate executives, talks about the importance of organizational culture. If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’ll find no less than two dozen articles that in some way address culture. It’s key to leadership and motivation. It’s key to hiring and […]
Read MoreHow to Change the Habits of Your People (or Yourself!)
Change, like death and taxes, is one thing you can always count on in life and leadership. Especially today in the dynamic marketplace in which we work, we must change or die. Just ask Research in Motion, the makers of Blackberry. The people dynamics of change, however, are extremely challenging, because we’re asking team members […]
Read MoreHow Humility Helps You Make More Sales … Yes, Humility!
Look up the meaning of humility and one thing you will not see in any dictionary in any language in any country on the face of the earth is reference to a salesperson. No, you will not find this: humility, noun, a modest or low view of one’s own importance. USAGE: The salesperson received his […]
Read MoreThe Five Biggest Sales Hiring Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
The most repeated question I’m asked everywhere I travel in my sales consulting practice is this: How do we hire good salespeople? With unemployment at historic lows and generational transitions sweeping through the workforce—Baby Boomers retiring from jobs with no one to fill their place—sales hiring has become a critical business priority. The “war for […]
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