The Oversimplification of Sales Performance Work Yes, you read that right. I’m worried about some of the things I’m reading and trends I’m seeing in the world of sales performance improvement. Simple is good. Oversimplified is not. If you’ve been reading my work for a while, you may remember that I define performance levers as […]
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Ch-ch-ch-changes If you haven’t seen my social profile updates yet, change is afoot. Friday, March 7 was my final day at Richardson. Monday, March 10 is my first day at GE Capital. (Technically, I guess that means I’m unemployed this weekend. Hadn’t thought about that until this instant.) Past Can something be bittersweet and exciting […]
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This past week, I was asked by my new employer to press the pause button on this personal blog, to become part of the collective voice at The Richardson Sales Excellence Review™ Despite the fact that I regret my wishy-washy, stop/start behavior with this blog, I couldn’t be more pleased to become part of the blogging […]
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I guess it’s somewhat funny that a simple, two-step addition to sales coaching has taken a 3-part blog series to communicate. Hopefully, it’s been a good journey for those who have come along for the ride. In Part 1, I laid out the overall framework of the two-step addition, and explained Addressing the Right Issues, […]
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In the first post in this series, I wrote that there are many good coaching models for having an open, engaging discussion with a rep, but not as many that focus on rigorous diagnosis and the application of the best solution, based on that diagnosis. Which, this time, leads us right into some details about […]
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Coaching & Fashion – Models Abound There are many solid models for generalized sales coaching and sales rep development. Most of these models address how to coach – meaning, how to conduct an effective, interactive coaching session. Appropriately, these models usually include some sort of Socratic, dialogue-based, facilitative approach, similar to effective selling, interactive classroom […]
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I’ve been thinking about this concept for about six months and have finally decided to document it here now, even as work in progress. The name I’ve given my concept is Adaptive Buying and Selling Alignment. It’s a mouthful; I know. Perhaps that name won’t stick, but it’s a “working title” and I like it […]
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In part one of this series, I discussed the misnomer inherent in the term “best practices” and recommended “top performer practices” instead. I also pinpointed the reason for the bad reputation, since poorly executed best practices projects often fail to produce tangible results. In the projects I’ve run over the past 25+ years, I’ve learned […]
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The term “best practice” is tossed around a lot. These days, it’s sometimes met with a groan or disbelief. There are many reasons for that, some valid, some not… but two of the most prominent reasons seem to be: The reaction to the misnomer inherent in the phrase “best practices.” The fact that it’s been […]
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I Love a Good Rant In 1989, Richard Bach released his follow-up book to “Jonathan Livingston Seagull,” called “Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah.” In the book, Bach struggles to learn from his new friend, Donald Shimoda, a man Bach believes is a Messiah who quit the job, but found him – based on […]
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