This fall I accomplished a goal I’ve had for a couple of years… to see a Notre Dame game in South Bend. I put the whole thing together on a trip to Chicago and saw the Irish lose on the last play of the game to Boston College.
Truly and incredible college football game and experience – the pep rally the night before, the morning rain and constant storm clouds made for a lifetime of memories. The loss – it hurt.
I’m sure it hurt Coach Tyrone Willingham the most… as I was driving the wet Interstate back to Chicago I imagine the powers that be in Irish Football were making the only decision they could - Willingham was out and only a couple of wins including victory over SC could change that direction.
Harsh? Maybe, but winning at Notre Dame is not something that just happens – it’s a constant pursuit. If things are not progressing in that one direction then they are regressing, and that is where things stood the rainy afternoon of October 23rd in South Bend. After mass, the football gods got together and made the call - miracles or else.
Willingham is a class act. The other day in USA Today I read this quote and smiled. Tyrone Willingham had nailed the answer for why he was let go, and let go before his contract was over at Notre Dame.
Here it is:
"I understand that I did not meet the expectations or standards that I set for myself… and when you don't meet your own expectations, you make yourself vulnerable to the will of others."
That is accountability. No need to make excuses and I doubt he will do so in the future.
You know what’s great about taking 100% responsibility for your failure? This is it – you get to take 100% responsibility for your success. That is something we should all embrace.
Good luck Coach.
TK
Friday, December 03, 2004
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Recruit, Hire, Train, Inspire and Monitor...
The five things sales managers must be consistently doing is Recruit, Hire, Train, Inspire and Monitor.
Once these five actions are underway and consistently taking place (the plates are spinning), momentum will take over and managing a sales team becomes more of a joy and less of a pain.
Recruit - Finding people that will be the right fit at the right time is the first step. Accepting the fact that team members will transition, even when you are doing things right is important to maintain your SANITY. Turnover is part of business and happens more frequently in sales than accounts payable!
Hire - Selecting people that will be the right fit at the right time comes next. Your best bet is to see as many prospects as possible (gee, sounds like sales to me) so you can make the good selections. Just like turnover, making the wrong selection happens A LOT. I don't know why, but sales professionals sell really well during the hiring process. The longer you recruit and hire the better you'll become at knowing who is the real deal and who is blowing smoke up your butt.
Train - Most sales professionals love good training. Training should be consistent, relevant and with topics that cover attitude and skills. If your team doesn't want to come to training do the following then you are stale or they are stale. You can fix your training but you cannot fix someone who just isn't interested (this is why you recruit, hire etc.)
Inspire - If your product or service doesn't inspire your sales team... you've got to inspire your sales team. Without inspiration, the negative impact of consistent rejection will push your sales team over the edge. Why are your sales people representing your product, service or company? What benefits are they bringing to their clients? If you've got something really special - make sure your people know it! If you don't have a special product or service (say garbage collection...) you better make your organization a haven of personal development and growth.
Monitor - I attended a meeting a few years ago where Brian Tracy was lavishing praise on an individual for selling his company for a few million dollars. Brian asked the gentlemen, "give everyone here the secret to doing well in your industry..." without hesitation the guy said "know your numbers - always know your numbers."
He was referring to sales people. As sales managers we need to make sure our team members know their numbers. It's the key to accountability. It's the key to success.
These five things have made a difference in our business and hope they will help make a difference in your efforts to help your team achieve great success.
TK
Once these five actions are underway and consistently taking place (the plates are spinning), momentum will take over and managing a sales team becomes more of a joy and less of a pain.
Recruit - Finding people that will be the right fit at the right time is the first step. Accepting the fact that team members will transition, even when you are doing things right is important to maintain your SANITY. Turnover is part of business and happens more frequently in sales than accounts payable!
Hire - Selecting people that will be the right fit at the right time comes next. Your best bet is to see as many prospects as possible (gee, sounds like sales to me) so you can make the good selections. Just like turnover, making the wrong selection happens A LOT. I don't know why, but sales professionals sell really well during the hiring process. The longer you recruit and hire the better you'll become at knowing who is the real deal and who is blowing smoke up your butt.
Train - Most sales professionals love good training. Training should be consistent, relevant and with topics that cover attitude and skills. If your team doesn't want to come to training do the following then you are stale or they are stale. You can fix your training but you cannot fix someone who just isn't interested (this is why you recruit, hire etc.)
Inspire - If your product or service doesn't inspire your sales team... you've got to inspire your sales team. Without inspiration, the negative impact of consistent rejection will push your sales team over the edge. Why are your sales people representing your product, service or company? What benefits are they bringing to their clients? If you've got something really special - make sure your people know it! If you don't have a special product or service (say garbage collection...) you better make your organization a haven of personal development and growth.
Monitor - I attended a meeting a few years ago where Brian Tracy was lavishing praise on an individual for selling his company for a few million dollars. Brian asked the gentlemen, "give everyone here the secret to doing well in your industry..." without hesitation the guy said "know your numbers - always know your numbers."
He was referring to sales people. As sales managers we need to make sure our team members know their numbers. It's the key to accountability. It's the key to success.
These five things have made a difference in our business and hope they will help make a difference in your efforts to help your team achieve great success.
TK
Monday, September 20, 2004
Selling Power Magazine
Have you ever seen this magazine? Selling Power is THE magazine for sales and sales management professionals. We've done promotional work with Selling Power and the magazine has sponsored our training events in the past.
Selling Power www.sellingpower.com
If anyone can tell me of another magazine for our industry (other than Sales and Marketing Management Magazine), I'll send you to one of our Results sales training programs for free. I don't know of anything else out there that covers all sales industries.
Each issue has articles on closing, managing and incentive ideas. As a tech nut - I look for new products that can help our team sell more efficiently, communicate more effectivly and make more money!
This is a great tool - check it out!
TK
Selling Power www.sellingpower.com
If anyone can tell me of another magazine for our industry (other than Sales and Marketing Management Magazine), I'll send you to one of our Results sales training programs for free. I don't know of anything else out there that covers all sales industries.
Each issue has articles on closing, managing and incentive ideas. As a tech nut - I look for new products that can help our team sell more efficiently, communicate more effectivly and make more money!
This is a great tool - check it out!
TK
Wednesday, September 08, 2004
Selling... It's a Wonderful Life!
After 13 years with our company, I am constantly amazed at how the need for our services never dries up. I love it, and I love what we do for people. The training we provide to sales professionals and sales managers makes them better at what they do - any maybe more than that...
I love the movie It's a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart. I often describe a scene from that movie when I help people visualize what we really do here at Results.
Jimmy Stewart
In the movie, there is a scene in which George Bailey (played by Stewart), extols the virtues of home ownership to a group of "suits" wanting to close down his father's financial operation, that specialized in building new homes for the average "Joe."
After being lectured by the movie's villain (can you remember his name...), George enlightens everyone in the room to the fact that owning something, especially a home makes a person better. A better father, a better mother, a better member of the community etc.
So what's the point?
The point is that when we help people increase their abilities in selling or managing - they "own" those skills. Armed with that knowledge they can build more value with their clients and within their companies and make more money.
Hopefully with that extra money they can provide more for their family and those around them. With that money they'll boost the economy and keep the free market system humming!
Doesn't that make them a better father, a better mother, a better member of the community on some level?
You bet it does...
TK
I love the movie It's a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart. I often describe a scene from that movie when I help people visualize what we really do here at Results.
Jimmy Stewart
In the movie, there is a scene in which George Bailey (played by Stewart), extols the virtues of home ownership to a group of "suits" wanting to close down his father's financial operation, that specialized in building new homes for the average "Joe."
After being lectured by the movie's villain (can you remember his name...), George enlightens everyone in the room to the fact that owning something, especially a home makes a person better. A better father, a better mother, a better member of the community etc.
So what's the point?
The point is that when we help people increase their abilities in selling or managing - they "own" those skills. Armed with that knowledge they can build more value with their clients and within their companies and make more money.
Hopefully with that extra money they can provide more for their family and those around them. With that money they'll boost the economy and keep the free market system humming!
Doesn't that make them a better father, a better mother, a better member of the community on some level?
You bet it does...
TK
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
.0.jpg)