Written by:
Greta Schulz, President of ProActive Training & Consulting
I heard this story and thought it is so telling about why some salespeople and for that matter businesspeople fail and why some are successful.
A famous Mountain Climbing resort in the Swiss Alps caters to businesses that encourage their employees to hike up the mountain trails together. The goal is to build camaraderie and to teach teamwork. Although it is about an eight-hour trek to the summit, anyone with normal walking ability can reach the top. Each morning, the hikers gather at the base of the mountain for a pep talk before starting the climb. Usually, the group is so excited, they can hardly wait to head up the slopes, to have a group picture taken, and to celebrate their victory.
They hike for several hours before taking a break. Approximately halfway up the mountain stands a quaint alpine restaurant. About noon, the weary hikers trudge into the restaurant, peel off their hiking gear, and plop down by the fireplace to have a cup of coffee, or drink some hot chocolate, and eat their lunch. With the mountain as their backdrop, the hikers savor the warm, cozy, picturesque setting.
Interestingly, after they are full and comfortable, less than half the hikers choose to continue climbing to the top of the mountain. It isn’t because they aren’t able; it isn’t because the climb is too difficult. Their reluctance to continue is simply because they are satisfied with where they are. They lose their drive to excel, to explore new horizons, to experience vistas they’d never previously imagined possible. They have tasted a bit of success, and they think. This is good enough.
In sales, similar happens. We have a goal to reach, like to lose some weight, or to pay off our credit cards. At first, we’re so excited. We’re fired up and we go for it! But over time, we get lazy; we get complacent. Maybe we see a little improvement, but then we get comfortable where we land. Where we are may not be a bad place, but we know it’s not where we’re supposed to be. We’re not stretching ourselves. We’re not pursuing the excellence that we have inside of us.
“Well, Steve, I’m doing pretty well with my goal,” one man said. “I used to smoke two packs of cigarettes a day, and now I smoke only one.” Another person said, “I used to be fifty pounds overweight, but I’ve lost ten pounds recently.”
That’s a good start, and it took some real effort to get where you are. But don’t get comfortable. Don’t be satisfied with a little improvement. Begin believing for better progress, and press on to do your best.
Maybe in sales and you’ve experienced a bit of success. Lately, however, you’ve been thinking that perhaps you’ve reached your limits. You’re not stretching yourself. You aren’t believing that you can reach that next level, you are satisfied with where you are.
You need to step out of your comfort zone. You have so much more in you. Keep pursuing and keep believing. It doesn’t take any more effort to believe and stay filled with drive than it takes to develop a negative and defeated attitude. I am amazed what people can achieve if they want to. So go ahead, want to! Satisfaction is the death of sales and business. Never be satisfied. Once you are, it’s over.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Do the Best Companies Join Chambers of Commerce?
Alexandria, VA - (March 11, 2008) - The best places to work tend to belong to their local chamber of commerce, according to a recent study by the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). Of Fortune magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For" in the United States and Canada this year, 94 are members of their local chamber, including all of the top 24.
Separately, ACCE found that in a random sample of 100 companies in the Fortune 1000, at least 75 were members of their local chamber.
"This 'Best Companies to Work For' information is one more indication that the best companies tend to be chamber members," according to ACCE President Mick Fleming. "If a company cares about its employees, there's a good chance it also cares about its community and the chamber is the way that great employers invest in both."
Local chambers of commerce are associations of businesses that come together to improve the local economic climate and help members network and find new business. Strong employers link with and learn from like-minded peer companies through business-led civic organizations - chambers of commerce.Here is the Fortune list of the best places to work:http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2008/ Consumers seem to expect chamber members to be better-than-average companies. A study by the Atlanta-based Schapiro Group last August found that consumers are 63 percent more likely to buy products from companies that they believe are chamber members.
John Bachmann, senior partner at Edward Jones (St. Louis, MO), which placed No. 4 on the "Best Places to Work For" list, said, "I find in my experience, both locally and nationally, that the single most effective voice on issues is the chamber. Because of that, we want to be involved. Whether it is healthcare, performing arts, public schools or universities, people most interested in the community are members of the local chamber." Bachmann is a former chair of both the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Paul Speranza Jr. is vice chairman of Wegman's Food Markets (Rochester, NY), which placed No. 3 on the Fortune list. His company is active in the local, state, and U.S. Chamber, of which he is the current chair. He's travelled to many local chambers and appreciates what they do. "It is easy for me to see the great value that many of these chambers provide their members in so many areas, including education and workforce development - showing member companies how to be excellent and appreciated employers by partnering in developing great programs and sharing best practices."
ACCE plans to probe further into which kinds of companies join their local chamber and which ones don't. "We are not surprised that many of the best companies join chambers of commerce," said Mick Fleming. "And, I believe when more people are aware of this, we're going to see still more firms joining their local chamber."
* * *
Established in 1914, ACCE serves the professional development needs of chamber executives throughout the United States and Canada. Representing more than 7,000 individuals, ACCE enhances the knowledge, leadership skills, and management effectiveness of chamber executives and their staff through education, benefits programs, trend analysis, benchmarking, and network development. ACCE supports and develops chamber professionals to lead businesses and their communities. To learn more about ACCE, visit www.acce.org.
Separately, ACCE found that in a random sample of 100 companies in the Fortune 1000, at least 75 were members of their local chamber.
"This 'Best Companies to Work For' information is one more indication that the best companies tend to be chamber members," according to ACCE President Mick Fleming. "If a company cares about its employees, there's a good chance it also cares about its community and the chamber is the way that great employers invest in both."
Local chambers of commerce are associations of businesses that come together to improve the local economic climate and help members network and find new business. Strong employers link with and learn from like-minded peer companies through business-led civic organizations - chambers of commerce.Here is the Fortune list of the best places to work:http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2008/ Consumers seem to expect chamber members to be better-than-average companies. A study by the Atlanta-based Schapiro Group last August found that consumers are 63 percent more likely to buy products from companies that they believe are chamber members.
John Bachmann, senior partner at Edward Jones (St. Louis, MO), which placed No. 4 on the "Best Places to Work For" list, said, "I find in my experience, both locally and nationally, that the single most effective voice on issues is the chamber. Because of that, we want to be involved. Whether it is healthcare, performing arts, public schools or universities, people most interested in the community are members of the local chamber." Bachmann is a former chair of both the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Paul Speranza Jr. is vice chairman of Wegman's Food Markets (Rochester, NY), which placed No. 3 on the Fortune list. His company is active in the local, state, and U.S. Chamber, of which he is the current chair. He's travelled to many local chambers and appreciates what they do. "It is easy for me to see the great value that many of these chambers provide their members in so many areas, including education and workforce development - showing member companies how to be excellent and appreciated employers by partnering in developing great programs and sharing best practices."
ACCE plans to probe further into which kinds of companies join their local chamber and which ones don't. "We are not surprised that many of the best companies join chambers of commerce," said Mick Fleming. "And, I believe when more people are aware of this, we're going to see still more firms joining their local chamber."
* * *
Established in 1914, ACCE serves the professional development needs of chamber executives throughout the United States and Canada. Representing more than 7,000 individuals, ACCE enhances the knowledge, leadership skills, and management effectiveness of chamber executives and their staff through education, benefits programs, trend analysis, benchmarking, and network development. ACCE supports and develops chamber professionals to lead businesses and their communities. To learn more about ACCE, visit www.acce.org.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Leadership
Leadership and management are often misunderstood as one in the same. They are not! Certainly a good leader should be able to manage and visa-versa. But, it is important to understand the difference. Both are important to the success of an organization.
The key difference between the two is that management is about processes and leadership is about people. You manage your accounts payables but you lead your accounts payable administrator. Understanding this is the key to motivating, coaching and growing your people to the very best of their ability.
This happens in an organization for many different reasons. Most often it is because we promote people for all of the wrong reasons. The most common ones are length of service, the next manager is the one who has worked there the longest, and the other is that they are good at the task at hand. For example they have had the best sales record so they become the sales manager; they have had the least mistakes in accounting so they become the accounting manager etc.
Unfortunately, we learn management skills as opposed to leadership skills very early on. Our parents tell us what to do as opposed to teaching us to think of the answer to questions on our own. This is one among several reasons why management as opposed to leadership is how we typically run an organization.
Management is about effecting positive change in the organization by recognizing process problems, correcting those process problems and teaching others how to implement the new processes.
The top 4 most important aspects of leadership are;
1) Recruiting. The ability to attract and retain the best is imperative in success of an organization. Recruitment should be an ongoing process and should never wait for a need. There is always a need for someone better then your best person isn’t there?
2) Coaching. Coaching is always teaching, rarely telling. Teaching is helping subordinates self realize the answer on their own and not always blurting out the answer for them. The old adage, “Give someone a fish, they eat for a day, teach them how to fish, they eat for a lifetime”. There is a real pride in coming up with answers on their own which is what we all strive for in an employee.
3) Accountability. Creating a clear and detailed written plan that involves a 30-60-90 day written goal that not only involves revenue goals but behavior goals as well. Behavior goals are the action steps that are taken to prospect daily, weekly and monthly.
4) Motivating. Understanding what motivates each individual is what will elevate
them to the next level. Motivation is different for each individual and a true leader
knows how to unlock it.
So are you a good leader or just a manager? How about your sales manager? Better ask the questions. You never know what you might learn.
Danielle MooreProActive Training & Consulting
The key difference between the two is that management is about processes and leadership is about people. You manage your accounts payables but you lead your accounts payable administrator. Understanding this is the key to motivating, coaching and growing your people to the very best of their ability.
This happens in an organization for many different reasons. Most often it is because we promote people for all of the wrong reasons. The most common ones are length of service, the next manager is the one who has worked there the longest, and the other is that they are good at the task at hand. For example they have had the best sales record so they become the sales manager; they have had the least mistakes in accounting so they become the accounting manager etc.
Unfortunately, we learn management skills as opposed to leadership skills very early on. Our parents tell us what to do as opposed to teaching us to think of the answer to questions on our own. This is one among several reasons why management as opposed to leadership is how we typically run an organization.
Management is about effecting positive change in the organization by recognizing process problems, correcting those process problems and teaching others how to implement the new processes.
The top 4 most important aspects of leadership are;
1) Recruiting. The ability to attract and retain the best is imperative in success of an organization. Recruitment should be an ongoing process and should never wait for a need. There is always a need for someone better then your best person isn’t there?
2) Coaching. Coaching is always teaching, rarely telling. Teaching is helping subordinates self realize the answer on their own and not always blurting out the answer for them. The old adage, “Give someone a fish, they eat for a day, teach them how to fish, they eat for a lifetime”. There is a real pride in coming up with answers on their own which is what we all strive for in an employee.
3) Accountability. Creating a clear and detailed written plan that involves a 30-60-90 day written goal that not only involves revenue goals but behavior goals as well. Behavior goals are the action steps that are taken to prospect daily, weekly and monthly.
4) Motivating. Understanding what motivates each individual is what will elevate
them to the next level. Motivation is different for each individual and a true leader
knows how to unlock it.
So are you a good leader or just a manager? How about your sales manager? Better ask the questions. You never know what you might learn.
Danielle MooreProActive Training & Consulting
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