Everyone has had this happen to them. You’re taking a shower, driving the car, walking the dog and—wham—an idea pops into your head that’s a perfect solution to a pressing problem. A solution that comes to you in a flash: not by thinking about the problem, but by doing the exact opposite. What’s going on? It […]
Read MoreDamned if you do and damned if you don’t. That’s the dilemma facing leaders dealing with a strong personality on their team. If you do try to coach the strong personality, the whole thing can blow up in your face, causing more trouble than it’s worth. If you don’t try to coach the strong personality, […]
Read MoreOne of the most impressive minds in the consulting world today, Alan Weiss, famously wrote that the oft-used planning tool called the SWOT Analysis is “insipid and simplistic” and using it “ought to get any consultant thrown out into the street.” Tell me how you really feel! Alan is mostly right, but partly wrong. To […]
Read MoreIt’s the statistic that sent chills up the spine of sales leaders everywhere. It’s not your ordinary, run-of-the-mill statistic that you can shrug off, either. This one strikes at the heart of the very existence of the sales role in business. The statistic was reported by none other than the Marketing Leadership Council, a division […]
Read MoreI look back on it now with complete and total embarrassment. I had been tossing and turning since 2:00 AM, and it was now 4:00 AM. A slight that had been served me became amplified in my sleepless mind into a full-blown violation of my basic human rights. I was incensed! Finally getting out of […]
Read MoreIt was a big eye-opener for me. I was circling back with a client of mine who hadn’t returned an important email. So, naturally, I went back to that email to pick up the train of thought, and there it stood. Screaming at me. No wonder he hadn’t responded. He probably hadn’t even read my […]
Read MoreBusinesses in the United States spent $67 billion on training their employees last year. You read that right, that’s billion with a “b” and dollars with a “d”. Sixty-seven of them! The sales training portion of that price tag is estimated at $4-5 billion. With 49% of all sales reps under quota in any given […]
Read MoreRemember taking science in high school? Yeah, I know it was a (very) long time ago, but think back with me for a moment. Remember a certain gentleman by the name of Isaac Newton? Considered by many as the greatest scientist of all time, those of us who can actually remember anything from that time […]
Read MoreThere is no right leadership style and no wrong leadership style. Every leader has their own unique voice and their own individual approach to people and projects. Being effective as a leader means understanding your style and staying true to it. Finding your own voice comes first. It also means bringing others into your inner […]
Read MoreI had just taken over a small group of radio stations, and we were cash-starved. Due to poor management of those who had preceded us and rapid industry deregulation, creditors were knocking at our door on a daily basis and paychecks were routinely 1-2 weeks late. A new surprise—not the good kind, like an IRS […]
Read MoreSign up to now receive Bill Zipp’s free audio podcast, Five Essential Steps for an Effective Sales One-on-One.