tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75256325141396263502024-03-05T01:18:21.790-05:00Sales CollaborationSharing ideas on sales, management and tales from the trenches. Enjoy!Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.comBlogger156125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-59833757605874261922013-01-02T06:30:00.000-05:002013-01-02T06:30:03.463-05:0021 Tips for Productivity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpoFx24DAGzWuH8eIiLiJ_lZjfegHS-2xyLBQIXuOT42FPQIIql_lG0NhVfTvYtE0cDhix-rwH4q_uERzurHjPnUJfBwupO0TnNMZeU2aPrhMoNuyRd2ZD4FhJZ_m-cZ03hJ_7YHiRtum/s1600/Productive+people.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpoFx24DAGzWuH8eIiLiJ_lZjfegHS-2xyLBQIXuOT42FPQIIql_lG0NhVfTvYtE0cDhix-rwH4q_uERzurHjPnUJfBwupO0TnNMZeU2aPrhMoNuyRd2ZD4FhJZ_m-cZ03hJ_7YHiRtum/s1600/Productive+people.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Ready for explosive productivity so you get big things done
(and make your life matter).<br />
<br />
<strong>Here are 21 tips to get
you to your best productivity:</strong><br />
<br />
#1. Check email in the afternoon so you protect the peak energy hours of your
mornings for your best work. <br />
<br />
#2. Stop waiting for perfect conditions to launch a great project. Immediate
action fuels a positive feedback loop that drives even more action.<br />
<br />
#3. Remember that big, brave goals release energy. So set them clearly and then
revisit them every morning for 5 minutes.<br />
<br />
#4. Mess creates stress (I learned this from tennis icon Andre Agassi who said
he wouldn't let anyone touch his tennis bag because if it got disorganized,
he'd get distracted). So clean out the clutter in your office to get more done.<br />
<br />
#5. Sell your TV. You're just watching other people get successful versus doing
the things that will get you to your dreams.<br />
<br />
#6. Say goodbye to the energy vampires in your life (the negative souls who
steal your enthusiasm). <br />
<br />
#7. Run routines. When I studied the creative lives of massively productive
people like Stephen King, John Grisham and Thomas Edison, I discovered they
follow strict daily routines. (i.e., when they would get up, when they would
start work, when they would exercise and when they would relax). Peak
productivity's not about luck. It's about devotion.<br />
<br />
#8. Get up at 5 am. Win the battle of the bed. Put mind over mattress. This
habit alone will strengthen your willpower so it serves you more dutifully in
the key areas of your life.<br />
<br />
#9. Don't do so many meetings. (I've trained the employees of our FORTUNE 500
clients on exactly how to do this - including having the few meetings they now
do standing up - and it's created breakthrough results for them).<br />
<br />
#10. Don't say yes to every request. Most of us have a deep need to be liked.
That translates into us saying yes to everything - which is the end of your
elite productivity.<br />
<br />
#11. Outsource everything you can't be BIW (Best in the World) at. Focus only
on activities within what I call "Your Picasso Zone".<br />
<br />
#12. Stop multi-tasking. New research confirms that all the distractions
invading our lives are rewiring the way our brains work (and drop our IQ by 5
points!). Be one of the rare-air few who develops the mental and physical
discipline to have a mono-maniacal focus on one thing for many hours. (It's all
about practice).<br />
<br />
#13. Get fit like Madonna. Getting to your absolute best physical condition
will create explosive energy, renew your focus and multiply your creativity.<br />
<br />
#14. Workout 2X a day. This is just one of the little-known productivity
tactics that I'll walk you through in my new online training program <strong><i>YOUR PRODUCTIVITY UNLEASHED</i></strong>
(details at the end of this post) but here's the key: exercise is one of the
greatest productivity tools in the world. So do 20 minutes first thing in the
morning and then another workout around 6 or 7pm to set you up for wow in the
evening.<br />
<br />
#15. Drink more water. When you're dehydrated, you'll have far less energy. And
get less done. <br />
<br />
#16. Work in 90 minute blocks with 10 minute intervals to recover and refuel
(another game-changing move I personally use to do my best work).<br />
<br />
#17. Write a Stop Doing List. Every productive person obsessively sets To Do
Lists. But those who play at world-class also record what they commit to stop
doing. Steve Jobs said that what made Apple Apple was not so much what they
chose to build but all the projects they chose to ignore.<br />
<br />
#18. Use your commute time. If you're commuting 30 minutes each way every day -
get this: at the end of a year, you've spent 6 weeks of 8 hour days in your
car. I encourage you to use that time to listen to fantastic books on audio +
excellent podcasts and valuable learning programs. Remember, the fastest way to
double your income is to triple your rate of learning.<br />
<br />
#19. Be a contrarian. Why buy your groceries at the time the store is busiest?
Why go to movies on the most popular nights? Why hit the gym when the gym's
completely full? Do things at off-peak hours and you'll save so many of them.<br />
<br />
#20. Get things right the first time. Most people are wildly distracted these
days. And so they make mistakes. To unleash your productivity, become one of
the special performers who have the mindset of doing what it takes to get it
flawless first. This saves you days of having to fix problems.<br />
<br />
#21. Get lost. Don't be so available to everyone. I often spend hours at a time
in the cafeteria of a university close to our headquarters. I turn off my
devices and think, create, plan and write. Zero interruptions. Pure focus.
Massive results.<br /><br />
Stay productive.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">www.IndigoOceans.com</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-39502748828018672522012-12-17T06:30:00.000-05:002012-12-17T06:30:02.160-05:00Top 10 best practices for keeping your business competitive in 2013Having had the pleasure of working with some exceptional business owners in 2012, we have seen patterns that are transformational for businesses to be competitive even in highly competitive industries. Here are the 10 best practices for keeping business competitive in 2013.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUOecFkUriaKyjIrfdlYtlQwJKxRW-c9FeoJKQNJqcIF8UhdLRCoEotu7mpkkWr_UQYNHP2qf3jBD2YI9DFMJjJ_o1XotjqrtlNBmFrf9UOb2jgQj7PDRZz95El53yDXgiVmEJWkUM8kXy/s1600/better+faster+stronger+slider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUOecFkUriaKyjIrfdlYtlQwJKxRW-c9FeoJKQNJqcIF8UhdLRCoEotu7mpkkWr_UQYNHP2qf3jBD2YI9DFMJjJ_o1XotjqrtlNBmFrf9UOb2jgQj7PDRZz95El53yDXgiVmEJWkUM8kXy/s320/better+faster+stronger+slider.jpg" width="320" /></a>1. Identify your bottom 10% of employees and fire them. Sounds harsh but you can't do great things with poor performers.<br />
<br />
2. Identify your top 10% of employees, the folks that run your business, your top performers and the people who are critical to your business and implement a reward system to keep them engaged. They likely are responsible for the lions share of your revenue or your day to day operations. Love them.<br />
<br />
3. Give your employees the technology tools they need to be successful. We see businesses bleed to death by a thousand cuts with manual processes, no reporting, limited visibility and slow systems. Tablets for sales, software for accounting, proper network speeds... if you have outgrown a software package, put it to pasture. Upgrading technology will not only make your staff be more efficient but will also make your company more valuable.<br />
<br />
4. Document and display your key differentiators and value proposition and make sure everyone - staff, customers, vendors, advocates, everyone, see it everyday. Ensure everyone knows your mantra inside and out and that they are focused on the actions and choices that they make every day are supporting this vision. Don't assume that everyone knows your business or can articulate it.<br />
<br />
5. Don't let your employees hide behind email. Relationships with clients, coworkers and vendors are not built on email. Pick up the phone, walk over, video skype them - anything where they can hear a voice. Email is a requirement for efficiency but we are seeing less and less personal interaction that is the stickiness of long standing successful relationships.<br />
<br />
6. Have one on ones with your employees every week. Even if it's only for 15 minutes. Keep communication open, inspect what you expect, take their temperature. One on ones keep employees focused and helps them understand what is expected of them.<br />
<br />
7. For the love of god don't hire friends, your friends kids or family. To date we have never seen this work out. You can't have a level playing field where employees feel there is a fair work environment when friends and family are involved. Don't under estimate how perceived unfairness can damage a culture or worse, they turn out to be below average contributors and you have to deal with that powder keg.<br />
<br />
8. Include your ground level employees in product evaluation and new features that will help you sell more and improve the customer experience. Use master minds and white board sessions with your employees to find out what they see from the competition, what customers are saying to them, what product/service exists already that can be improved upon.<br />
<br />
9. Make sure YOU as the business owner know the top 20% of the customers who generates 80% of your revenue. Schedule a lunch, invite them in for a facility tour, have a client event, break bread, dinner, breakfast - whatever it takes to get an hour of their time once a quarter. Be part of the team that retains and grows the your revenue and margin. This will also be your insurance plan if a key member of you staff leaves. Besides, business owners like to hang out with other business owners.<br />
<br />
10. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. What's going to be different for your business in 2013? Laser focus on a new vertical? Change your comp plan to reward what you want your people to sell? Give every employee commission for enabling the sales cycle? Move the office around to enable collaboration? SEO? New products? Whatever it is, step outside of your comfort zone and mix it up. What do you have to lose?<br />
<br />
On behalf of all of us at Indigo Oceans, we wish you every success for 2013.<br />
<br />
www.IndigoOceans.com<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-63134870681201502402012-12-04T07:07:00.000-05:002012-12-04T07:07:00.171-05:00Always give 100%<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJv4SYqqdU9l9905H8zfoMpK0IbMq6A02WTtl5k1kaAAVvksmUwYxs9n0FxUUyLNaGY2HFZ8O56MTGt_QEz52tmxjWoOoAecHayrf3IxzQCn61aecL50bqtdh6cZQQotZw4VZuLYlAU3-i/s1600/Always+give+100+percent.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJv4SYqqdU9l9905H8zfoMpK0IbMq6A02WTtl5k1kaAAVvksmUwYxs9n0FxUUyLNaGY2HFZ8O56MTGt_QEz52tmxjWoOoAecHayrf3IxzQCn61aecL50bqtdh6cZQQotZw4VZuLYlAU3-i/s400/Always+give+100+percent.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-43628610981768593792012-11-26T06:19:00.000-05:002012-11-26T06:19:00.794-05:00Need for Achievement<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwnYeFz2NVqwi3M2Y621YU6FS1uqohugPX8Bqk4XARcyUvTese2gpkwm0en8ordCpTzl20h2M_jYZPDYb4bzhvxUQxBEmRrDF7-v1wN-l7gi_P9qXT62JwMKHSYEXlrMAdhU7j5NcJC2B/s1600/Need+for+Achievement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwnYeFz2NVqwi3M2Y621YU6FS1uqohugPX8Bqk4XARcyUvTese2gpkwm0en8ordCpTzl20h2M_jYZPDYb4bzhvxUQxBEmRrDF7-v1wN-l7gi_P9qXT62JwMKHSYEXlrMAdhU7j5NcJC2B/s1600/Need+for+Achievement.jpg" /></a></div>
Need for achievement is not just an expression but an area of study in Psychology. This desire known as N-Ach can be tested in personality tests such as an AVA and TAT. For Managers, Business Owners and Senior execs, being able to determine N-Ach and Grit should be taken into consideration when recruiting and promoting people talent.<br />
<br />
<b>Need for
achievement</b> (<b>N-Ach</b>) refers to an individual's desire for significant
accomplishment, mastering of skills, control, or high standards. The term was
first used by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Murray" title="Henry Murray">Henry
Murray</a><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-0" jquery182027901624221678456="63" sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 6" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Need_for_achievement#cite_note-0">[1]</a></sup> and associated with
a range of actions. These include: "intense, prolonged and repeated efforts to
accomplish something difficult. To work with singleness of purpose towards a
high and distant goal. To have the determination to win". The concept of NAch
was subsequently popularised by the psychologist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_McClelland" title="David McClelland">David McClelland</a>.<sup class="Template-Fact" sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 8" sizset="false" style="white-space: nowrap;">[<i sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 8" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources from July 2010">citation
needed</span></a></i>]</sup><br />
Need for Achievement is related to the difficulty of tasks people choose to
undertake. Those with low N-Ach may choose very easy tasks, in order to minimize risk of failure, or highly difficult tasks, such that a failure would not be
embarrassing. Those with high N-Ach tend to choose moderately difficult tasks,
feeling that they are challenging, but within reach.<br />
People high in N-Ach are characterised by a tendency to seek challenges and a
high degree of independence. Their most satisfying reward is the recognition of
their achievements. Sources of high N-Ach include:<br />
<ol sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 9" sizset="false">
<li sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 9" sizset="false">Parents who encouraged
independence in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childhood" title="Childhood">childhood</a>
</li>
<li>Praise and rewards for success
</li>
<li>Association of achievement with positive feelings
</li>
<li>Association of achievement with one's own competence and effort, not luck
</li>
<li>A desire to be effective or challenged
</li>
<li>Intrapersonal Strength </li>
</ol>
<div>
<h2 sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 16" sizset="false">
<span class="mw-headline" id="Theory">Theory</span></h2>
<div sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 17" sizset="false">
The pioneering research
work of the Harvard Psychological Clinic in the 1930s, summarised in
<i>Explorations in Personality</i>, provided the start point for future studies
of personality, especially those relating to needs and motives. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_McClelland" title="David McClelland">David C. McClelland's</a>
and his associates' investigations of achievement motivation have particular
relevance to the emergence of leadership. McClelland was interested in the
possibility of deliberately arousing a motive to achieve in an attempt to
explain how individuals express their preferences for particular outcomes — a
general problem of motivation. In this connection, the need for achievement
refers to an individual's preference for success under conditions of
competition. The vehicle <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_McClelland" title="David McClelland">McClelland</a> employed to establish the presence
of an achievement motive was the type of fantasy a person expressed on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thematic_Apperception_Test" title="Thematic Apperception Test">Thematic Apperception Test</a> (TAT),
developed by Christiana Morgan and Henry Murray, who note in <i>Explorations in
Personality</i> that "...when a person interprets an ambiguous social situation
he is apt to expose his own personality as much as the phenomenon to which he is
attending... Each picture should suggest some critical situation and be
effective in evoking a fantasy relating to it" (p531). The test is composed of a
series of pictures that subjects are asked to interpret and describe to the
psychologist. The TAT has been widely used to support assessment of needs and
motives.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-multiple_1-0" jquery182027901624221678456="66" sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 20" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Need_for_achievement#cite_note-multiple-1">[2]</a></sup></div>
<div sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 17" sizset="false">
<br /></div>
<div sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 21" sizset="false">
The procedure in
McClelland's initial investigation was to arouse in the test audience a concern
with their achievement. A control group was used in which arousal was omitted.
In the course of this experiment, McClelland discovered through analyzing the
stories on the TAT that initial arousal was not necessary. Instead, members of
the control group — individuals who had had no prior arousal — demonstrated
significant differences in their stories, some writing stories with a high
achievement content and some submitting stories with a low achievement content.
Using results based on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thematic_Apperception_Test" title="Thematic Apperception Test">Thematic Apperception Test</a>,
McClelland demonstrated that individuals in a society can be grouped into high
achievers and low achievers based on their scores on what he called "N-Ach".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-multiple_1-1" jquery182027901624221678456="69" sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 22" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Need_for_achievement#cite_note-multiple-1">[2]</a></sup></div>
<div sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 21" sizset="false">
<br /></div>
<div sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 23" sizset="false">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_McClelland" title="David McClelland">McClelland</a> and his
associates have since extended their work in fantasy analysis to include
different age groups, occupational groups, and nationalities in their
investigations of the strength of need for achievement. These investigations
have indicated that the N-Ach score increases with a rise in occupational level.
Invariably, businessmen, managers, and entrepreneurs are high scorers. Other
investigations into the characteristics of the high achievers have revealed that
accomplishment on the job represents an end in itself; monetary rewards serve as
an index of this accomplishment. In addition, these other studies found that the
high achievers, though identified as managers, businessmen, and entrepreneurs,
are not gamblers. They will accept risk only to the degree they believe their
personal contributions will make a difference in the final outcome.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2" jquery182027901624221678456="72" sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 24" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Need_for_achievement#cite_note-2">[3]</a></sup></div>
<div sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 23" sizset="false">
<br /></div>
<div sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 25" sizset="false">
These explorations into
the achievement motive seem to turn naturally into the investigation of national
differences based on Max Weber's thesis that the industrialization and economic
development of the Western nations were related to the Protestant ethic and its
corresponding values supporting work and achievement. McClelland and his
associates have satisfied themselves that such a relationship, viewed
historically through an index of national power consumption, indeed exists.
Differences related to individual, as well as to national, accomplishments
depend on the presence or absence of an achievement motive in addition to
economic resources or the infusion of financial assistance. High achievers can
be viewed as satisfying a need for self-actualization through accomplishments in
their job assignments as a result of their particular knowledge, their
particular experiences, and the particular environments in which they have
lived.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3" jquery182027901624221678456="75" sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 25" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Need_for_achievement#cite_note-3">[4]</a></sup></div>
<h2 sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 26" sizset="false">
<span class="mw-headline" id="Measurement">Measurement</span></h2>
<div sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 27" sizset="false">
The techniques
McClelland and his collaborators developed to measure N-Ach, <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N-Affil" title="N-Affil">N-Affil</a> and <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N-Pow" title="N-Pow">N-Pow</a> (see McClelland et
al., 1958) can be viewed as a radical break with the dominant <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychometric" title="Psychometric">psychometric</a>
tradition. However, it should be recognised that McClellend's thinking was
strongly influenced by the pioneering work of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Murray" title="Henry Murray">Henry Murray</a>, both in terms of Murray's model of
human needs and motivational processes (1938) and his work with the OSS during
World War Two. It was during this period that Murray introduced the idea of
"situation tests" and multi-rater / multi-method assessments. It was Murray who
first identified the significance of Need for Achievement, Power and Affiliation
and placed these in the context of an integrated motivational model.</div>
<div sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 27" sizset="false">
<br /></div>
<div sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 31" sizset="false">
Whilst trait-based
personality theory assume that high-level competencies like initiative,
creativity, and leadership can be assessed using “internally consistent”
measures (see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychometrics" title="Psychometrics">psychometrics</a>), the McClelland measures recognize
that such competencies are difficult and demanding activities which will neither
be developed nor displayed unless people are undertaking activities they care
about (i.e. are strongly motivated to undertake). Furthermore, it is the
cumulative number of independent, but cumulative and substitutable, components
of competence they bring to bear while seeking to carry out these activities
that will determine their success. Accordingly, the N-Ach, N-Aff and N-Pow
scoring systems simply count how many components of competence people bring to
bear whilst carrying out activities they have a strong personal inclination (or
motivation) to undertake.</div>
<div sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 31" sizset="false">
<br /></div>
<div sizcache006530983316248434="37 101 32" sizset="false">
An important corollary
is that there is no point in trying to assess people’s abilities without first
finding out what they care about. So one cannot (as some psychometricians try to
do) assess such things as “creativity” in any general sense. One has always to
ask “creativity in relation to what?” So McClelland’s measures, originally
presented as means of assessing “personality”, are best understood as means of
measuring <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skill" title="Skill">competence</a> in ways which break
radically with traditional <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychometric" title="Psychometric">psychometric</a> approaches. (See Raven (2001) for a
fuller discussion).</div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-2311895538321319892012-11-19T06:49:00.000-05:002012-11-19T06:49:00.116-05:00Fortune Cookie Wisdom for Sales: On Success<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAtuiXocx7BSyCTKZR9x5fD1zCcl0uux5ZQ0zrJ0iVyWutozAiQ8oCYrlXGwmm51tFf7TUyIntyxWc5NAqYEkZ4XnDfcD00Ia0-gX-952D2AwcwgMMpSCObGsjZSBanplFQjpc1BV9NMm/s1600/Fortune+Cookie+Get+off+the+bench.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAtuiXocx7BSyCTKZR9x5fD1zCcl0uux5ZQ0zrJ0iVyWutozAiQ8oCYrlXGwmm51tFf7TUyIntyxWc5NAqYEkZ4XnDfcD00Ia0-gX-952D2AwcwgMMpSCObGsjZSBanplFQjpc1BV9NMm/s400/Fortune+Cookie+Get+off+the+bench.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-65830565227222870502012-11-12T06:58:00.000-05:002012-11-12T06:58:00.164-05:00What is Grit? Thinking of some of successful people, one of the greatest attributes they hold is grit. It's an odd term and not main stream in most talk paths, more studies have come out on how grit contributes to over achievement.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStuHvSZ-j65jgXTpn95V9qMMQEmRbmfkA_6I2e0kuW7w9bymEYP_xp1Y_Rsq_3aNmE0IWmGnvQchkejBtFFXT_SxWADTsvHZ-b0qFthUR0LASEWhw4ySWgjM8Y55yxuqPFSgACSEgEL13/s1600/True+Grit+and+Sales.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStuHvSZ-j65jgXTpn95V9qMMQEmRbmfkA_6I2e0kuW7w9bymEYP_xp1Y_Rsq_3aNmE0IWmGnvQchkejBtFFXT_SxWADTsvHZ-b0qFthUR0LASEWhw4ySWgjM8Y55yxuqPFSgACSEgEL13/s1600/True+Grit+and+Sales.jpg" /></a>I pulled this off Wikipedia as a reference and it has some interesting definitions, links and empirical data.<br />
<br />
If you DISC or personality test your candidates, perhaps a "Grit" test would be a better gauge of future success, especially in sales.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 3" sizset="false">
<b>Grit</b> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychology" title="Psychology">psychology</a> is a positive,
non-cognitive <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trait_theory" title="Trait theory">trait</a>, based
on an individual’s passion for a particular long-term goal or endstate coupled
with a powerful <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motivation" title="Motivation">motivation</a> to
achieve their respective objective. This perseverance of effort promotes the
overcoming of obstacles or challenges that lie within a gritty individual’s path
to accomplishment and serves as a driving force in achievement realization.
Commonly associated concepts within the field of psychology include
"perseverance," <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardiness_(psychological)" title="Hardiness (psychological)">"hardiness,"</a> "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_resilience" title="Psychological resilience">resilience</a>,” “ambition,” “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Need_for_achievement" title="Need for achievement">need for
achievement</a>” and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscientiousness" title="Conscientiousness">conscientiousness</a>. These constructs can be
conceptualized as <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individual_differences" title="Individual differences">individual differences</a> related to the
accomplishment of work rather than latent ability.This distinction was brought
into focus in 1907 when <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_James" title="William James">William James</a> challenged the field to further
investigate how certain individuals are capable of accessing richer trait
reservoirs enabling them to accomplish more than the average person,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-0" jquery182005644801838656244="63" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 12" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-0">[1]</a></sup> but the construct
dates back at least to <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galton" title="Galton">Galton</a>, and the ideals of persistence and tenacity have
been understood as a virtue at least since <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotle" title="Aristotle">Aristotle</a>. Although the last decade has seen a
noticeable increase in research focused on achievement-oriented traits, there
continues to be difficulty in aligning specific traits and outcomes.</div>
<div sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 3" sizset="false">
<br /></div>
<div sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 3" sizset="false">
</div>
<h2 sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 26" sizset="false">
<span class="mw-headline" id="Definition_of_Grit">Definition of Grit</span></h2>
<div sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 27" sizset="false">
Grit is defined as
“perseverance and passion for long-term goals.” <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Duckworth2007_1-0" jquery182005644801838656244="66" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 27" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-Duckworth2007-1">[2]</a></sup>
Building upon biographical collections of famous leaders in history, researchers
and scientists have reached similar conclusions about high achieving
individuals. Specifically, those individuals who were deemed more successful and
influential than their contemporary counterparts typically possessed traits
above and beyond that of normal ability.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2" jquery182005644801838656244="69" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 28" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-2">[3]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3" jquery182005644801838656244="72" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 29" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-3">[4]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4" jquery182005644801838656244="75" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 30" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-4">[5]</a></sup> While ability was
still critically important, these individuals also possessed “zeal” and
“persistence of motive and effort.”<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Duckworth2007_1-1" jquery182005644801838656244="78" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 31" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-Duckworth2007-1">[2]</a></sup>
Duckworth and colleagues (2007) believe this dual-component of Grit to be a
crucial differentiator from similar constructs. Grit is conceptualized as a
stable trait that does not require immediate positive feedback.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Duckworth2007_1-2" jquery182005644801838656244="81" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 32" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-Duckworth2007-1">[2]</a></sup>
Individuals high in Grit are able to maintain their determination and motivation
over long periods of time despite experiences with failure and adversity. Their
passion and commitment towards the long-term objective is the overriding factor
that provides the stamina required to “stay the course” amid challenges and
set-backs. Essentially, the Grittier person is focused on winning the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon" title="Marathon">marathon</a>, not the <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprint_(race)" title="Sprint (race)">sprint</a>.</div>
<h2 sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 35" sizset="false">
<span class="mw-headline" id="Literature_Comparisons">Literature
Comparisons</span></h2>
<h3 sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 36" sizset="false">
<span class="mw-headline" id="Grit_and_Positive_Psychology">Grit and Positive
Psychology</span></h3>
<div sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 37" sizset="false">
Grit also ties in with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positive_psychology" title="Positive psychology">positive
psychology</a> and in particular, with perseverance. As mentioned earlier, the
ability to stick with and pursue a goal over a long period of time is an
important aspect of Grit. This area of positive psychology has been interested
in the process of perseverance as a positive indicator of long term success.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5" jquery182005644801838656244="84" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 38" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-5">[6]</a></sup> Grit’s inclusion of
the perseverance construct is perhaps unsurprising as Angela Duckworth was a
doctoral candidate under <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Seligman" title="Martin Seligman">Martin Seligman</a>.</div>
<h3 sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 40" sizset="false">
<span class="mw-headline" id="Grit_and_Intelligence">Grit and
Intelligence</span></h3>
<div sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 41" sizset="false">
One of the best
predictors of future achievement has been <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence" title="Intelligence">intelligence</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-6" jquery182005644801838656244="87" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 42" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-6">[7]</a></sup> This relationship
has been found in scholastic achievement as well as in job performance.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-7" jquery182005644801838656244="90" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 43" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-7">[8]</a></sup> As such, one might
expect that grit would be strongly correlated with intelligence. In fact, this
prompted one of the early questions asked in Grit research, “Why do some
individuals accomplish more than others of equal intelligence?”.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Duckworth2007_1-3" jquery182005644801838656244="93" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 44" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-Duckworth2007-1">[2]</a></sup>
Somewhat surprisingly, in four separate samples, Grit was found to be either <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthogonal" title="Orthogonal">orthogonal</a> to or
slightly inversely <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Correlated" title="Correlated">correlated</a> with intelligence.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8" jquery182005644801838656244="96" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 47" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-8">[9]</a></sup> This means that
Grit, unlike many traditional measures of performance is not tied to
intelligence. As the researchers have suggested, this helps explain why some
very intelligent individuals do not consistently perform well over long periods
of time.</div>
<h3 sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 48" sizset="false">
<span class="editsection" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 48" sizset="false">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Grit_(personality_trait)&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Grit and Personality Measures">edit</a>]</span>
<span class="mw-headline" id="Grit_and_Personality_Measures">Grit and Personality
Measures</span></h3>
<div sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 49" sizset="false">
The Grit measure has been
compared to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Five_personality_traits" title="Big Five personality traits">Big Five</a> personality model, which
are a group of broad personality dimensions consisting of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Openness_to_experience" title="Openness to experience">openness to
experience</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscientiousness" title="Conscientiousness">conscientiousness</a>, <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraversion" title="Extraversion">extraversion</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agreeableness" title="Agreeableness">agreeableness</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuroticism" title="Neuroticism">neuroticism</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-9" jquery182005644801838656244="99" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 55" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-9">[10]</a></sup> In one study by
Duckworth and Quinn, the Short Grit Scale (Grit–S) and 12-item self-report
measure of Grit (Grit–O) measuring Grit was strongly correlated with
conscientiousness (r = .77, p <.001 and r = .73, p <.001) (2009). While
Grit is related to conscientiousness measures, it also differs from
conscientiousness in important ways. For example, while both Grit and
conscientiousness are often associated with short term accomplishments, Grit is
also associated with longer term and multi-year goals.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Duckworth2007_1-4" jquery182005644801838656244="102" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 56" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-Duckworth2007-1">[2]</a></sup> This
long-term persistence and dependability are important aspects that make Grit
distinct from conscientiousness. Another personality characteristic that is
often linked to Grit is the need for achievement. One way in which Grit differs
from the need for achievement is that individuals with high scores in Grit often
set extremely long-term goals for themselves and pursue them deliberately even
without positive feedback,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Duckworth2007_1-5" jquery182005644801838656244="105" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 57" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-Duckworth2007-1">[2]</a></sup> while
need for achievement lacks this long-term component.</div>
<h3 sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 58" sizset="false">
<span class="mw-headline" id="Comparison_with_related_psychological_constructs">Comparison with related psychological constructs</span></h3>
<div sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 59" sizset="false">
Traditional constructs in
this area include <a class="extiw" href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/perserverance" title="wikt:perserverance">perseverance</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_resilience" title="Psychological resilience">hardiness</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resilience" title="Resilience">resilience</a>, <a class="extiw" href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ambition" title="wikt:ambition">ambition</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Need_for_achievement" title="Need for achievement">need for
achievement</a>. Grit has been argued to be distinguishable from each of these
in the following ways. <a class="external text" href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/perseverance">Perseverance</a> is the
steadfast pursuit of a task, mission, or journey in spite of obstacles,
discouragement, or distraction. In contrast, Grit is argued to be trait to
perseverance. Grit enables an individual to persevere in accomplishing a goal
despite obstacles over an extended period of time.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Duckworth2007_1-6" jquery182005644801838656244="108" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 65" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-Duckworth2007-1">[2]</a></sup> When
compared with the construct of persistence, Grit adds a component of passion for
the goal.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10" jquery182005644801838656244="111" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 66" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-10">[11]</a></sup> This goal passion
also contributes to the ability of the individual to sustain effort over the
long term.</div>
<div sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 67" sizset="false">
Maddi (2006) defines
hardiness as a combination of attitudes that provide the courage and motivation
to do the hard, strategic work of turning stressful circumstances from potential
disasters into growth opportunities.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Maddi_11-0" jquery182005644801838656244="114" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 67" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-Maddi-11">[12]</a></sup> While Grit
is primarily a measure of an individual’s ability to persist in obtaining a
specific goal over an extended time period (Duckworth et al., 2007), hardiness
refers to an individual’s ability to persist through difficult circumstances and
does not address the individual’s long term persistence toward a specific
goal.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Duckworth2007_1-7" jquery182005644801838656244="117" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 68" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-Duckworth2007-1">[2]</a></sup> Maddi
(2006) developed a theoretical model of hardiness as a tool for developing
resilience.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Maddi_11-1" jquery182005644801838656244="120" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 69" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-Maddi-11">[12]</a></sup></div>
<div sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 70" sizset="false">
Resilience is a dynamic
process in which an individual overcomes significant adversity, usually in the
form of a life changing event or difficult personal circumstances. Resilience
can be conceptualized as an adaptive response to a challenging situation.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-LDZ_12-0" jquery182005644801838656244="123" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 70" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-LDZ-12">[13]</a></sup> Grit involves
maintaining goal focused effort for extended periods of time, often while facing
adversity but does not require a critical incident. Importantly, Grit is
conceptualized as a trait while resilience is a dynamic process. Finally,
resilience has been almost exclusively studied in children (cf. Luther,
Doernberger, & Zigler, 1993) who are born into “at-risk” situations.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-LDZ_12-1" jquery182005644801838656244="126" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 71" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-LDZ-12">[13]</a></sup> Although
resilience researchers recognize that adults likely demonstrate resilience in a
similar manner to children, the resilience process has not been studied in a
mature population.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-13" jquery182005644801838656244="129" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 72" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-13">[14]</a></sup></div>
<div sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 73" sizset="false">
<a class="external text" href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ambition">Ambition</a> is broadly defined as
the desire for attainment, power, or superiority. In contrast to ambitious
individuals, Gritty individuals do not seek fame or external recognition for
their achievements. Ambition is often associated with a desire for fame.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-14" jquery182005644801838656244="132" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 74" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-14">[15]</a></sup> Unlike ambitious
individuals, gritty individuals do not seek to distinguish themselves from other
people, but to obtain personal goals.</div>
<div sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 75" sizset="false">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_McClelland" title="David McClelland">McClelland</a> (1961)
describes <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Need_for_achievement" title="Need for achievement">need
for achievement</a> as a drive to complete manageable goals that enable the
individual to receive immediate <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feedback" title="Feedback">feedback</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-15" jquery182005644801838656244="135" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 78" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-15">[16]</a></sup> In contrast to
need for achievement, Gritty individuals consciously set long-term goals that
are difficult to attain and do not waver from these difficult goals, regardless
of the presence of feedback. Additionally, need for achievement has been studied
for almost 50 years and has been found to positively correlate to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-efficacy" title="Self-efficacy">self-efficacy</a> and learning <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goal-oriented#Goal_orientation" title="Goal-oriented">goal
orientation</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-16" jquery182005644801838656244="138" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 81" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-16">[17]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-17" jquery182005644801838656244="141" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 82" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-17">[18]</a></sup> These links have
not yet been tested in the Grit literature.</div>
<h2 sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 83" sizset="false">
<span class="mw-headline" id="Scientific_Findings">Scientific Findings</span></h2>
<div sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 84" sizset="false">
The primary scientific
findings on Grit come from Duckworth and colleagues’ examination of Grit as an
individual difference trait capable of predicting long-term success.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Duckworth2007_1-8" jquery182005644801838656244="144" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 84" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-Duckworth2007-1">[2]</a></sup> It was
proposed that individuals who possess a drive to tirelessly work through
challenges, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Failure" title="Failure">failures</a>, and <a class="external text" href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/adversity">adversity</a> to achieve set
goals and are uniquely positioned to reach higher achievements than others who
lack similar stamina. In a series of six studies Duckworth et al. proposed,
developed, and tested a two-factor Grit scale with notable results. In addition
to validating their Grit scale, the authors also found support suggesting that
Grit provided incremental predictive validity for education and age above and
beyond the Big 5 personality traits (Study 2); that higher levels of Grit were
more highly associated with cumulative grade point average (<a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPA" title="GPA">GPA</a>) in an <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivy_league" title="Ivy league">Ivy league</a> sample when compared
to those with lower Grit levels (r = .25, p < .01; Study 3); that Grit
predicted <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employee_retention" title="Employee retention">retention</a> after their first summer in two
classes of cadets at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Military_Academy" title="United States Military Academy">United States Military Academy</a>
(Study 4); and that participants in a <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Spelling_Bee" title="National Spelling Bee">National
Spelling Bee</a> with higher Grit scores typically work harder and longer than
less Gritty peers, ultimately resulting in better performance. This series of
studies provides <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empirical_evidence" title="Empirical evidence">empirical evidence</a> that an individual
difference conceptualized as Grit can account for significant <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variance" title="Variance">variance</a> in performance across a variety of settings.
Grit predicts beyond the typical and unrelated cognitive construct of <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IQ" title="IQ">IQ</a> and can account for variance
over and above what is observed in the Big 5 personality construct of
conscientiousness.</div>
In 2009, Duckworth and Quinn found additional support for the Grit construct
when they developed and validated a more condensed version of the Grit Scale
(Grit-S) by removing four of the previous items and improving its psychometric
properties. Using samples from the data collected in their 2007 studies, the
authors were able to achieve complementary results that suggested the positive
relationships between Grit and educational attainment, GPA, retention in
college, and success in a national spelling bee competition.<br />
<h2 sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 95" sizset="false">
<span class="mw-headline" id="Future_Directions">Future Directions</span></h2>
<div sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 96" sizset="false">
Questions may surface
relating to what additional <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive" title="Cognitive">cognitive</a> and non-cognitive traits play complementary
roles in the development of Grit. Of additional interest may be how the
distinctive environmental conditions, specifically the interrelationships of
emotional and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_load" title="Cognitive load">cognitive
load</a>, might moderate and assist in explaining why some individuals succumb
to significant challenges or struggle with obstacles that block their path to
goal achievement, while others are able to overcome these barriers. The <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military" title="United States military">United States military</a> believes that
this and similar constructs may assist in explaining why some <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soldiers" title="Soldiers">soldiers</a> are better
equipped to handle the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_trauma" title="Psychological trauma">psychological trauma</a> of combat.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-18" jquery182005644801838656244="147" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 101" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-18">[19]</a></sup> Other on-going
work includes investigations of the combined or multiplicative impacts of both
cognitive and Grit-like predictors of achievement in <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leader" title="Leader">leader</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptability" title="Adaptability">adaptability</a> situations.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-19" jquery182005644801838656244="150" sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 104" sizset="false"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)#cite_note-19">[20]</a></sup></div>
<div sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 96" sizset="false">
<br /></div>
<div sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 96" sizset="false">
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)</div>
<div sizcache02010513154748717="36 99 96" sizset="false">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-15828053536515197872012-11-05T06:45:00.000-05:002012-11-05T06:45:00.170-05:00Fortune Cookie Wisdom: Where the Grass is Greener<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7B3S37t8BtBPEQAYvbOp_6vmG3tjWzSxsx6TF9ORppDCl5dUWuiv_cyfxXIPRYUj0ODgBYC66n4dK2qNAGYWck7oE-6EG2ZdLz-4d_6c2hyphenhyphenfEu-EC9eyl9jmdbajW62gavOr7AOwUTA4/s1600/Fortune+Cookie+Grass+is+greener.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7B3S37t8BtBPEQAYvbOp_6vmG3tjWzSxsx6TF9ORppDCl5dUWuiv_cyfxXIPRYUj0ODgBYC66n4dK2qNAGYWck7oE-6EG2ZdLz-4d_6c2hyphenhyphenfEu-EC9eyl9jmdbajW62gavOr7AOwUTA4/s400/Fortune+Cookie+Grass+is+greener.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-31658145116482575992012-10-30T10:32:00.000-04:002012-10-30T10:32:00.479-04:00Fortune Cookie Wisdom for Sales on Commission<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_uO8SqftInO3CHBlks_79Zby8xqc78jwRdjDxVgDWPtVyco-KRWI3oxWJTHRAWzjxqd3xCL3np0OStUzHCYlF9NfI1keW-I2mNTRJWcPOqZR27w5HRRP2gF56p9qiZZRNUbWG225Bbe8N/s1600/Fortune+Cookie+wisdom+for+sales+on+Commission.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_uO8SqftInO3CHBlks_79Zby8xqc78jwRdjDxVgDWPtVyco-KRWI3oxWJTHRAWzjxqd3xCL3np0OStUzHCYlF9NfI1keW-I2mNTRJWcPOqZR27w5HRRP2gF56p9qiZZRNUbWG225Bbe8N/s640/Fortune+Cookie+wisdom+for+sales+on+Commission.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-44006431267219504102012-10-23T05:38:00.000-04:002012-10-23T05:38:00.059-04:00Fortune Cookie Wisdom for Customer Service<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LxcsAGQAV38NItVbsxnoTvQT446kqmXu7tAJ-PT0kaXftpTP4sG1JpWuuLW84owIsKn5OKMvjdlmihmmPk3U114UvmCg8LMUKQV_tlYNOEpkjPDB8CgrA-L8PD5WmLSSlHPYnXZznCVS/s1600/Fortune+Cookie+wisdom+on+Customer+Service.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LxcsAGQAV38NItVbsxnoTvQT446kqmXu7tAJ-PT0kaXftpTP4sG1JpWuuLW84owIsKn5OKMvjdlmihmmPk3U114UvmCg8LMUKQV_tlYNOEpkjPDB8CgrA-L8PD5WmLSSlHPYnXZznCVS/s320/Fortune+Cookie+wisdom+on+Customer+Service.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-43067147201815103012012-10-19T08:47:00.000-04:002012-10-19T08:47:00.086-04:00When you are having a bad day in sales...<div style="text-align: center;">
Find a little inspiration :)</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rP-hYPk3cdzdVpd5aRgZ6UACISXomT1ktL1V8x72A20D5w2TNbDwDjrmZrgYoxsicf11oTmM63k-iuxvCryjXhL3xwsWikDg5kS9hQP_DqVuezen9UCPaExiVH1Z4DrrCzTWanImY5w9/s1600/words+of+wisdom+for+sales.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rP-hYPk3cdzdVpd5aRgZ6UACISXomT1ktL1V8x72A20D5w2TNbDwDjrmZrgYoxsicf11oTmM63k-iuxvCryjXhL3xwsWikDg5kS9hQP_DqVuezen9UCPaExiVH1Z4DrrCzTWanImY5w9/s640/words+of+wisdom+for+sales.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-9248595776374595402012-10-18T13:07:00.004-04:002012-10-18T13:07:40.052-04:00The Do's and Don't of submitting your resume<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Don't</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> have your mother submit your resume for you. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">On principal alone you would never get the interview.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZQ9bWpDM0CNSQndWZs-cfSkX6ypZjOg6cQhIxiKjXjtDwgbZSLOBP2eAlY14AftE9G_2OkDVahQCUKkEm5eKFZrUbSQC_6_5fL4bIP95wAWYracBK40I10z6AyWnkSL9CEwu6etlNSYE/s1600/The+dos+and+donts+of+submitting+a+resume.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZQ9bWpDM0CNSQndWZs-cfSkX6ypZjOg6cQhIxiKjXjtDwgbZSLOBP2eAlY14AftE9G_2OkDVahQCUKkEm5eKFZrUbSQC_6_5fL4bIP95wAWYracBK40I10z6AyWnkSL9CEwu6etlNSYE/s640/The+dos+and+donts+of+submitting+a+resume.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-15411182727535084112012-10-16T20:48:00.001-04:002012-10-16T20:48:26.077-04:00Fortune Cookie wisdom for sales: On making money<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRVJOrJ7Yqa7Tr-GTN0KuCg_enhdXULwzGQmGE8kVGIsbiqFeXAqaZfGsEuFzKMElpJFpSOzU-yT6lEZLl_21CogDB3CvaEnrqHn1XcyS7hsdwfmg3eBfpCanYXkpGIFvy8IVtksvN1u9P/s1600/Fortune+Cookie+wisdom+for+sales+on+making+money.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRVJOrJ7Yqa7Tr-GTN0KuCg_enhdXULwzGQmGE8kVGIsbiqFeXAqaZfGsEuFzKMElpJFpSOzU-yT6lEZLl_21CogDB3CvaEnrqHn1XcyS7hsdwfmg3eBfpCanYXkpGIFvy8IVtksvN1u9P/s320/Fortune+Cookie+wisdom+for+sales+on+making+money.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-24611949121817160602012-10-03T07:34:00.000-04:002012-10-03T07:35:13.497-04:00How Collaboration and Social Networks Improve ProductivityReport<span class="pipe">|</span><em>McKinsey Global Institute</em><br />
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<h1 class="mockH2" id="rightframe_1_articleTitle">
The social economy: Unlocking
value and productivity through social technologies</h1>
<span class="silverNote small" id="rightframe_1_publishDetails"><span class="bold"><a href="http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/mgi/research/technology_and_innovation/the_social_economy" target="_blank">July 2012</a> </span>| by Michael Chui, James Manyika, Jacques Bughin, Richard Dobbs,
Charles Roxburgh, Hugo Sarrazin, Geoffrey Sands and Magdalena
Westergren</span></div>
</div>
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In a few short years, social technologies have given social interactions the
speed and scale of the Internet. Whether discussing consumer products or
organizing political movements, people around the world constantly use
social-media platforms to seek and share information. Companies use them to
reach consumers in new ways too; by tapping into these conversations,
organizations can generate richer insights and create precisely targeted
messages and offers.<br />
<div class="module standalone small border" id="Social media payoff" sizcache="34" sizset="86">
<h3 id="displayTextH3">
Social media’s untapped productivity payoff</h3>
<div class="moduleContent" id="moduleContent">
<div class="grayNote">
MGI principal Michael Chui discusses the potential value in
using social tools to enhance communications, knowledge sharing, and
collaboration within and across enterprises.</div>
<div class="grayNote">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
While 72 percent of companies use social technologies in some way, very few
are anywhere near to achieving the full potential benefit. In fact, the most
powerful applications of social technologies in the global economy are largely
untapped. Companies will go on developing ways to reach consumers through social
technologies and gathering insights for product development, marketing, and
customer service. Yet the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) finds that twice as
much potential value lies in using social tools to enhance communications,
knowledge sharing, and collaboration within and across enterprises. MGI’s
estimates suggest that by fully implementing social technologies, companies have
an opportunity to raise the productivity of interaction workers—high-skill
knowledge workers, including managers and professionals—by 20 to 25 percent.
<br />
<br />
<div class="mck_h6">
<img alt="The social economy - improved communication" height="397" src="http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/mgi/research/technology_and_innovation/~/media/03219A83C00A47E4ADBE65AC3230FA87.ashx" width="510" /></div>
<br />
<br />
MGI’s report, <em>The social economy: Unlocking value and productivity
through social technologies</em>, explores their potential economic impact by
examining their current usage and evolving application in four commercial
sectors: consumer packaged goods, retail financial services, advanced
manufacturing, and professional services. These technologies, which create value
by improving productivity across the value chain, could potentially contribute
$900 billion to $1.3 trillion in annual value across the four sectors. <br />
<br />
Two-thirds of this potential value lies in improving collaboration and
communication within and across enterprises. The average interaction worker
spends an estimated 28 percent of the workweek managing e-mail and nearly 20
percent looking for internal information or tracking down colleagues who can
help with specific tasks. But when companies use social media internally,
messages become content; a searchable record of knowledge can reduce, by as much
as 35 percent, the time employees spend searching for company information.
Additional value can be realized through faster, more efficient, more effective
collaboration, both within and between enterprises. <br />
<br />
The amount of value individual companies can capture from social technologies
varies widely by industry, as do the sources of value. Companies that have a
high proportion of interaction workers can realize tremendous productivity
improvements through faster internal communication and smoother collaboration.
Companies that depend very heavily on influencing consumers can derive
considerable value by interacting with them in social media and by monitoring
the conversations to gain a richer perspective on product requirements or brand
image—for much less than what traditional research methods would cost. <br />
To reap the full benefit of social technologies, organizations must transform
their structures, processes, and cultures: they will need to become more open
and nonhierarchical and to create a culture of trust. Ultimately, the power of
social technologies hinges on the full and enthusiastic participation of
employees who are not afraid to share their thoughts and trust that their
contributions will be respected. Creating these conditions will be far more
challenging than implementing the technologies themselves.<br />
<br />
http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/mgi/research/technology_and_innovation/the_social_economy<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-13373483230649971182012-09-12T18:00:00.000-04:002012-09-12T18:00:04.870-04:00Social Networking Policy considerations<br />
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By <a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/author/17" target="_blank">Mikal Belicroft</a></div>
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For as long as I’ve been writing about the National
Labor Relations Board and <a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/tag/2164">social-media use policies</a>, I’ve
been advising businesses to ensure that their policies and guidelines for
employees are reviewed and vetted by <a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/tag/1738">legal counsel</a>. That’s because
the NLRB hasn’t been a bit shy in ruling that a number of employers have
violated the National Labor Relations Act when setting such policies. The
problem was that the board hasn’t exactly been forthcoming in providing specific
guidance with respect to what it wants to see in such policies and guidelines in
the first place.</div>
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<br /></div>
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That all changed recently when the agency -- which
is responsible for, among other things, investigating and remedying unfair labor
practices -- issued a <a href="http://mynlrb.nlrb.gov/link/document.aspx/09031d4580a375cd" target="_blank">27-page memo</a> (PDF) on the topic. In it, the board reviewed
social-media policies from several businesses that it claims run the risk of
infringing on employees’ free speech and labor rights, then offered guidance for
businesses going forward.</div>
Among the recommendations to businesses when creating and distributing social
media policies for employees are the following six points:<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>1. Know and follow the rules: </strong>All of your employees should
be urged to read your social media policies and guidelines, and you should make
it perfectly clear what is considered inappropriate, being assured that such
acts will not be tolerated.<br />
<br />
<strong>2. Be respectful: T</strong>he board suggests that your policy
explicitly state that employees should be “fair and courteous to fellow
associates, customers, members, suppliers or people who work on behalf of the
employer.”<br />
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<br /></div>
<strong>3. Be honest and accurate: </strong>This includes never posting
information or rumors that are known to be false.<br />
<br />
<strong>4. Post only appropriate and respectful content:</strong>
Specifically, maintain the confidentiality of company trade secrets and private
or confidential information; express only personal opinions; don’t represent
yourself as a company spokesperson without permission.<br />
<br />
<strong>5. Use of social media at work:</strong> Don’t use company equipment
for personal messaging unless it is work related.<br />
<br />
<strong>6. Media contacts: </strong>Don’t speak to the press without checking
with the company’s human-resources department or function beforehand.<br />
<div sizcache="8" sizset="121">
The NLRB acknowledges in the memo that more
fine-tuning of social media policies and guidelines on the part of employers
will be necessary in the future. For example, warning employees about releasing
confidential materials online might sound reasonable, but such action might
prohibit those very same employees from discussing and disclosing information
regarding their own conditions of employment, which the board considers a <a href="http://www.nlrb.gov/concerted-activity" target="_blank">"protected concerted
activity."</a></div>
<br />
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-79566685021160026192012-08-02T07:30:00.000-04:002012-08-02T07:30:00.204-04:00Six Ideas for Finding New Sales Leads<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zfQ3nSYvbfLNGW3Vl6vxy0g6ThfGfXPSIiP598SXJ9yrDAjBwmq-D8v8vM3QhShmjwUpqKZW24hvhpMhDhhFjf4b8mDHdR-7-u0hBEy3AGAe7uFr8NREXOZyOBunoZP2WaNiEtdQ4G2s/s1600/uncover-new-territories.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zfQ3nSYvbfLNGW3Vl6vxy0g6ThfGfXPSIiP598SXJ9yrDAjBwmq-D8v8vM3QhShmjwUpqKZW24hvhpMhDhhFjf4b8mDHdR-7-u0hBEy3AGAe7uFr8NREXOZyOBunoZP2WaNiEtdQ4G2s/s320/uncover-new-territories.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sometimes in life, you kick over a rock and find a thriving colony of activity. So, too, in business. With so many tools, niches, sites, apps and platforms to look for and nurture customers, it's easy to overlook less obvious opportunities. Here are some to try.</div>
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<strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">1. SlideShare</strong><br /><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/" style="color: #365977; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">SlideShare.net</a> offers the ability to upload and share presentations, e-books, PDFs and webinars. It isn't exactly a backwater, but it's a bit of an undervalued spot. With 60 million visitors per month and 130 million page views, it's the world's largest professional content-sharing community and one of the top 200 sites on the web.</div>
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SlideShare is also one of the only high-traffic platforms that integrates organic and near-seamless lead generation. The network's LeadShare service requires viewers to fill out a contact form in exchange for downloading a presentation or PDF, and it encourages viewers to contact the business for additional information at various points throughout a presentation. Of course, this feature comes at a price: To enable lead-capture, you'll have to spring for a Pro SlideShare membership, which can cost $19 to $249 per month.</div>
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<strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">2. Product videos</strong><br />Well-produced product videos are a slam-dunk for increasing sales. Visitors to housewares retailer <a href="http://www.stacksandstacks.com/" style="color: #365977; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">StacksAndStacks.com</a> were 144 percent more likelyto make a purchase after seeing a product video, according to analytics technology company Kissmetrics.</div>
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Keep product videos brief--less than 30 seconds is optimal--and consider embedding calls to action in a way that's helpful and not irritating. Online catalog aggregator FlipSeek does this effectively; for example, it can make the cute shoes a model is wearing clickable, providing a direct link to the corresponding product page.</div>
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<strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">3. E-mail signatures</strong><br />Including a brief, text-based call to action in your e-mail signature may not be the sexiest idea, but considering the volume of e-mail you are likely sending, it's a tactic worth trying. Consider integrating your blog's URL, a new e-book or some other relevant download into your e-mail signature as a way to nurture relationships with prospects. Technology like <a href="http://www.wisestamp.com/" style="color: #365977; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">WiseStamp</a> allows you to add dynamic content like your latest blog post to any outgoing message.</div>
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<strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">4. LinkedIn Answers</strong><br />Browse the questions asked on LinkedIn and use your expertise to solve problems for others, looking for opportunities to link to your relevant product or service. But, as with most things in life, moderation is key: Don't shill your own stuff unless it truly offers a relevant solution.</div>
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<strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">5. Error pages</strong><br />Turn the most boring pages of your site (even a 404 error page!) into lead-gen opportunities.<a href="https://www.mint.com/404" style="color: #365977; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Mint.com's playful error page</a> shows a nerdy-looking developer saying, "Page not available. But Justin is." It goes on: "Justin is a Mint developer who likes slow cars, sharp crayons, reheated pizza and awkward silence." The page gives links to other Mint.com pages "if you're more interested in personal finance."</div>
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<strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">6. Pinterest</strong><br />This new kid on the <a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/socialmedia/index.html" style="color: #365977; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">social media</a> block is worth checking out as a traffic-generating lead-gen referral tool. Visits to the invitation-only online bulletin board skyrocketed in the second half of 2011 to 11 million. Brands with compelling boards drive traffic to their own sites.</div>
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What's "pinnable" for a business looking to generate leads? Consider moving beyond product shots to include other images, infographics, videos or articles. <a href="http://pinterest.com/marketingprofs/" style="color: #365977; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">My company's page</a>, features vintage marketing ads as well as marketing fails, charts and stats and a board reserved for business "inspiration."</div>
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Source: <a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/223129" style="background-color: white;">http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/223129</a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-58581638237544124552012-07-26T07:26:00.000-04:002012-07-26T07:26:13.167-04:005 Sales Tips to Recharge During the Lazy Days of Summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLC3C3wJ4UsAncrJDnX_QKJxT5MsY4WNinkKKtwU-ksAs0AfRAm5yINIZsCL3QPzLjVqKXrfYq-EIZVnB9qL3htpY_l249hpeBkZZKNdvi2BYg7mLdNSYxga98fhk9ehRBHbgc8GJRuLv/s1600/iStock_000009379672Small%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLC3C3wJ4UsAncrJDnX_QKJxT5MsY4WNinkKKtwU-ksAs0AfRAm5yINIZsCL3QPzLjVqKXrfYq-EIZVnB9qL3htpY_l249hpeBkZZKNdvi2BYg7mLdNSYxga98fhk9ehRBHbgc8GJRuLv/s320/iStock_000009379672Small%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Many people accept that a slowdown in </span><a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/sales/index.html" style="color: #6699cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">sales</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"> is a fact of business life during the lazy days of summer. Well, nothing could be further from the truth, and as a business owner you need to get out of that frame of mind.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">A summer slowdown may be something many people want because they expect this to be a season for vacations when the living is easy. But you don't have to accept that. When others go to sleep, you need to wake up. If you follow these tips, you can create opportunity for your small business while others are off to the beach.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">1. Make a firm decision not to participate in a slowdown.</b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"> Don't allow your employees to buy into this thinking because I assure you that they will make a summer slowdown one of the first excuses if there are any issues with their job performance. Hold a daily meeting to discuss what you are going to do to prosper--not contract—this summer. Set clearly defined goals and list the activities that need to be undertaken to achieve them. Give yourself deadlines for your goals and create a no excuses, no negativity environment. You'll be surprised by what you can achieve.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">2. Work your power base.</b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"> Get out in front of the summer slowdown and let your best customers know you'll be available all summer. Target anyone who has bought from you in the last 90 days through direct mail, phone calls, emails or social media. Get into regular communication with these customers and figure out how to expand your business with them. For example, find out what you can do to assist as they prepare for vacation or to help fill a gap in their absence.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">3. Target busy customers who can't take a long vacation. </b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Focus some of your marketing efforts on prospective customers who plan to be around in July and August. Remember that these are clearly busy people who are pressed for time and can't afford a vacation or leisurely summer work pace. Take the initiative by distributing flyers, getting on social media and updating your website to let people know you will be around, too, and can offer something valuable to help them deal with their time constraints. For example, if you're an auto dealer, take that new convertible by the customer's office and let your prospective buyer test drive the car and sign the paperwork there. Or if you're a lunchbox delivery service, let prospects know you can provide food so they don't have to leave their comfortable, air-conditioned offices.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">4. Offer a value-added proposition to avoid discounting prices.</b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"> You will probably need to make even more profit from each sale to compensate for decreased summertime volume. So, figure out creative ways to repackage your products or services to provide something extra, such as a special summer-themed promotion. For example, I took two of my lectures series and packaged them into a Fourth of July special. The value-added proposition: When taken together, the lectures are both more informative and effective.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">5. Service is senior to selling and needs to be top of mind.</b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"> Service should be a year-around commitment, of course, but it is even more important during a summer slowdown when your competitors go into that "living is easy" mode and take their eye off the ball. Show that you are motivated to make things happen quickly and empower employees to accommodate special requests, even if it means opening your business early or letting customers enter your establishment in flip flops or beachwear. This is your chance to shine and make a lasting impression. After all, your goal is to make sure your new business keeps coming back to you long after summer is over.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/223927" style="color: #6699cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: none;">Source</a><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><a href="http://www.frontrow-solutions.com/" style="color: #6699cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: none;">http://www.frontrow-solutions.com/</a> and <a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/sales/index.html">http://www.entrepreneur.com/sales/index.html</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-82560496982237257812012-06-07T22:41:00.002-04:002012-06-07T22:41:26.647-04:005 Things I learned this week...<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The best part of consulting is the variety and here are 5 things I learned this week...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. When someone is having trouble staying focused - use the white board.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. If you have a work place bully, you need to write them up under the workplace violence and harassment
policy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. People can ruin their professional reputation and screw up a perfectly good funnel in the 15 days before and after they hand in their resignation</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Salesforce puts on a class act and highly sophisticated show seen this week at Cloud Force. Lots to learn from how these folks put on an event. They even colour code the laniers so they can pick out customers from vendors to recruits at a glance.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Tankless hot water heaters can run 3 showers and the dishwasher all at the same time with endless hot water.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEOzdsi1w8Xi85Tgg6K3Bi0J5tnTHBZRSubo8JGahR8jbsHbdtdzybQZ0SBsVxkN-EE3IpABGj5cL7wMlIjbnZfCMzjlBUb1YG6kwmlPhXfvylZt79uzs6FgW8MyLZWCOdkif87dKuGWp8/s1600/ban_reg_events.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEOzdsi1w8Xi85Tgg6K3Bi0J5tnTHBZRSubo8JGahR8jbsHbdtdzybQZ0SBsVxkN-EE3IpABGj5cL7wMlIjbnZfCMzjlBUb1YG6kwmlPhXfvylZt79uzs6FgW8MyLZWCOdkif87dKuGWp8/s320/ban_reg_events.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-74079332455196290222012-05-16T07:47:00.000-04:002012-05-16T07:47:00.059-04:00Mistakes of a CEO and Change Management<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEhA4K9tI3EL7w2i6bZmN5mGkyelXkb9phQtFvOpn2wSnmS8qT7_RKcwfEGeBQ2A54cyhFn-JOfS_DraiZz2ODvWdIRof1gUxJgJg1sdRwBw3hvZg0y7797zuedR-zjo-SfpBAH4zNbmt/s1600/change+ahead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEhA4K9tI3EL7w2i6bZmN5mGkyelXkb9phQtFvOpn2wSnmS8qT7_RKcwfEGeBQ2A54cyhFn-JOfS_DraiZz2ODvWdIRof1gUxJgJg1sdRwBw3hvZg0y7797zuedR-zjo-SfpBAH4zNbmt/s1600/change+ahead.jpg" /></a></div>
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Change Management, Process Improvement, New Directions - call
it what you wish, but avoid these common mistakes:</div>
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1. Fanfare - "Here we go again." "Another program to weather." "This too
shall pass!" Sound familiar?</div>
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All too often organizations announce big changes and new
programs with big events and fanfare, but then very little actually happens. The
initial energy and enthusiasm fades, specific changes are never identified let
alone implemented, results aren’t realized, managers don’t adjust, or maybe
something even better comes along leading to a new "launch" with new
fanfare.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The easy part is the announcement. And the fanfare is fun and
contagious. But if your staff isn’t capable of the details, the follow-through,
the implementation, then your program will die and the cynics will reign
supreme, ever bolder in their determination to out-last any new program.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Furthermore, while ostensibly trying to generate energy, the
fanfare simply signals big change and thus, raises anxiety. An impoverished
understanding of the program purpose, path or impact will leave most people
uneasy.</div>
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<br /></div>
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2. Controlled Messages - If it tastes like manipulation, smells like manipulation and
sounds like manipulation, it is manipulation! Respect your employees enough to
know they will recognize manipulation when they are the victims of it.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I’ve seen organizations so determined to control messages that
they plan every communication, ration information, create concentric rings of
need-to-know circles, and pretty much eliminate all honest, straightforward,
two-way communication. I can’t think of a better way to widen the Us vs. Them
gap within a company. Nor a better way to erode trust. Never mind the
productivity sacrificed to scheming and whispering on one side, guessing and
fuming on the other.</div>
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3. Closed Door Planning - Who are you kidding? Do you really think you can mastermind a
new way without involving the people who know the situation best? Trying to "Do
It To Them" is both arrogant and misguided.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="justify" class="style111">
4. Extensive Training - Extensive training is a cornerstone of many change programs.
But many people return to their old habits the minute they get back to their
desks despite the excitement exhibited during training. And if the training is
filled with new acronyms, complicated techniques, and secret decoder rings,
people will either give up or become distracted by the means at the expense of
the goal.</div>
<div align="justify" class="style111">
<br /></div>
<div align="justify" class="style111">
5. Big Hairy Audacious Change - More likely, Big Hairy Audacious Embarrassment. Part and parcel
of the others – the boisterous fanfare, dramatic unveiling of goal and plan, and
massive training – add huge expectations. Everything big. More "big" than
substance. Almost like announcing that you intend to win Wimbledon when you’ve
yet to hit your first tennis ball.</div>
<div align="justify" class="style111">
<br /></div>
<div align="justify">
The purpose of change management is to make change successful.
The largest component of many change management programs often involves managing
people’s reactions. Unfortunately, as the above list suggests, many change
management efforts actually create anxiety, the exact opposite of their
intentions.</div>
<div align="justify">
<br /></div>
<div align="justify">
For a better chance of success, consider the flip side of each
mistake:</div>
<div align="justify" class="style111">
<br /></div>
<div align="justify" class="style111">
1. Save the fanfare for celebrations of genuine
success </div>
<div align="justify">
Celebrate genuine success, even small steps, in order to build
momentum. Success increases energy, enthusiasm and the appetite for more
success. It’s contagious. Start small and others will line up to join the
improvement process.</div>
<div align="justify" class="style111">
<br /></div>
<div align="justify" class="style111">
2. Think in terms of increasing communication
rather than controlling it </div>
<div align="justify">
First, be sincere. Maintaining trust is as important as ever.
People can handle a lot if they trust they are being treated honestly and
fairly.</div>
<div align="justify">
<br /></div>
<div align="justify">
Help people understand the current situation, why improvement
is important, and the reasons for focusing on a particular area. Be clear about
desired outcomes; be open to discussion about methods of achieving those
outcomes. Listen to concerns and try to understand how they see things so that
you can help them gain a greater understanding of the situation and
implications. Appeal to their self-interests by clarifying their contribution to
and dependence on company success. Tell employees what you know and admit what
you don’t know. Express the desire to work together to achieve the desired
outcomes.</div>
<div align="justify" class="style111">
<br /></div>
<div align="justify" class="style111">
3. Open the doors </div>
<div align="justify">
Change is most alarming when it is done to you and the
destination is unknown. Be clear about the destination and then involve
employees in determining how to get there. Reveal the current state fully, float
alternatives or provide tools for developing alternatives, reiterate the goals,
particularly the reason they need to care, and let the improvement opportunities
speak for themselves.</div>
<div align="justify">
Most of the time, you won’t make good choices without the help
of your employees. You certainly can’t succeed without the help of your
employees. Partnership is critical when trying to make substantial
improvements.</div>
<div align="justify" class="style111">
<br /></div>
<div align="justify" class="style111">
4. Use Just-In-Time Training </div>
<div align="justify">
Provide tools and techniques as they are needed so that
employees are motivated to learn and have immediate opportunities to apply what
they have learned. Also, appeal to common principles and familiar thought
processes in order to leverage existing strengths. Cryptic techniques and jargon
intimidate. The most successful approaches are usually the simplest.</div>
<div align="justify" class="style111">
<br /></div>
<div align="justify" class="style111">
5. Leverage Success </div>
<div align="justify">
You can and should leverage success every step of the way to
significant improvement.</div>
<ul>
<li>First of all, target specific, important, but manageable, areas that are
ripe for improvement.
</li>
<li>Develop a systematic, repeatable approach to improvement. One advantage of
starting small is that you have an opportunity to test drive an approach and
tweak it to match your company’s culture and skill level.
</li>
<li>Build interest and commitment through a series of small successes.
</li>
<li>'Spread' the systematic approach to new projects, primarily to those eager
to participate in the success they have witnessed. </li>
</ul>
<div align="justify">
This leveraged approach lets your organization learn how to
change and helps to develop a culture that seeks opportunities to improve.</div>
<div align="justify">
<br /></div>
<div align="justify">
Change Management, in capital letters, seems to have become a
goal in and of itself, rather than a means for achieving other goals. People can
get so preoccupied with "Doing Change Management" that they have become
distracted from the real goals. Be clear about your reasons and your
destination. Then listen and you will know what to do.</div>
<div align="justify">
<br /></div>
<div align="justify">
Thanks to <a href="http://www.annlatham.com/" target="_blank">www.AnnLatham.com</a> for the advice!</div>
<div align="justify">
<br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-17912954714015801312012-05-04T07:30:00.000-04:002012-05-13T07:41:40.945-04:00The happy secret to better work<br />
<br />
<br />
How cool is Tedx? Here is Shawn Achor who studies positive psychology and it's impact on productivity.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwuAc-zQ9rEvb3seVmxdlBdUNszfSPqtqf-R0rYopmw96LUEykiSx_IBp8NkXyWOr8EFHWWlB2INfpE2QvCyk1KF2vY0aJRX36zg6h-1njRPXRSdupA12O4KNjIPQMxuEusWArCK91hQAe/s1600/TEDx+Happiness+and+Productivity.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwuAc-zQ9rEvb3seVmxdlBdUNszfSPqtqf-R0rYopmw96LUEykiSx_IBp8NkXyWOr8EFHWWlB2INfpE2QvCyk1KF2vY0aJRX36zg6h-1njRPXRSdupA12O4KNjIPQMxuEusWArCK91hQAe/s320/TEDx+Happiness+and+Productivity.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
http://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work.html</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-91884169461933732162012-04-30T07:00:00.000-04:002012-04-30T07:00:03.571-04:00YESability: Driving Growth with YesIn a world that is moving from a global economy driven by mass production to one
driven by mass customization—a now economy—the demand for mass ingenuity, mass
engagement, and mass action, has never been greater. <br /><br />In <a href="http://www.leadershipnow.com/leadershop/9781118054017.html" target="_blank"><i>Business at the Speed of Now</i></a>, author John Bernard says
that there must also be a shift in the way we manage our organizations.
“Centralized innovation and decision-making, the mainstays of the Mass
Production era, simply cannot get results in a world where unlimited choice
demands real-time response.” What is required is leadership at all levels—“one
that enables employees at all levels to solve problems and seize opportunities
autonomously and instantaneously.” <br /><br />To navigate this shift from mass
production to mass customization people need the freedom to sieve every
opportunity to solve problems quickly and efficiently. This requires a move from
what Bernard calls “then” thinking to “now” thinking. “<i>Then</i> relies
heavily on centralized control and specialization, whereas <i>now</i> relies
heavily on decentralized autonomous action.” It requires a YES mindset. It means
“ensuring that the people who first encounter customer problems possess the
tools, skills, information, and authority they need to say yes
now—<i>YESability</i>. <br /><br /><i>YESability</i> doesn’t mean anarchy. Bernard
explains, “Replacing no with yes does not mean that from now on you give
everyone permission to do whatever they want. You draw clear boundaries to
establish order, and you provide language and methods people can use to solve
problems. <b>You become an enabler of action rather than an unwitting obstacle
to performance.</b>” <br /><br />Every employee must be provided with five crucial
elements:
<br />
<ol>
<li>Context (“Where are we going?”)
</li>
<li>Accountability (“What role do I play?”)
</li>
<li>Skills (“What abilities do I possess?”)
</li>
<li>Facts (“What data must I access to make decisions?”)
</li>
<li>Authority (“Do I enjoy the freedom to act without fear of
reprisal?”)</li>
</ol>
<i>YESability</i> is important for developing leaders at
all levels. While Bernard’s focus is on customer relations, it is important to
think of his approach in terms of interactions within the organization. <br /><br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="2" style="width: 500px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#ffcc66" width="245"><b>The 9 Rules of THEN</b></td>
<td bgcolor="#ffcc66" width="249"><b>The 11 Rules of NOW</b></td></tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#ffff99">Follow orders even when they make no sense.</td>
<td bgcolor="#b9e5f7">Listen to your customer carefully.</td></tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#ffff99">Keep your mouth shut and your opinions to yourself.</td>
<td bgcolor="#b9e5f7">Keep the company goals in mind.</td></tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#ffff99">Please your boss because he/she controls your future.</td>
<td bgcolor="#b9e5f7">Measure your performance.</td></tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#ffff99">Do not challenge management or you will be labeled a
troublemaker.</td>
<td bgcolor="#b9e5f7">Access the data you need.</td></tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#ffff99">Blame others when things go wrong.</td>
<td bgcolor="#b9e5f7">Use data to make good and speedy decisions.</td></tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#ffff99">Do not waste company time on social media.</td>
<td bgcolor="#b9e5f7">Understand what your decision costs.</td></tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#ffff99">Punch the clock and leave your work at the office.</td>
<td bgcolor="#b9e5f7">Do not hide problems or they will go unsolved.</td></tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#ffff99">Never complain, never explain, except after work.</td>
<td bgcolor="#b9e5f7">First please the customer, not your boss.</td></tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#ffff99">Say no to customers who demand an exception to company
policy.</td>
<td bgcolor="#b9e5f7">Do not be afraid because your boss has your back.</td></tr>
<tr>
<td></td>
<td bgcolor="#b9e5f7">Honor the process not the department.</td></tr>
<tr>
<td></td>
<td bgcolor="#b9e5f7">Strive always to say yes to customers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-19740839270956329982012-04-26T21:55:00.000-04:002012-04-26T21:56:57.677-04:00All In: It’s Culture that Drives ResultsIn the <i>New York Times</i>, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/30/business/30corner.html?pagewanted=all" target="_blank" title="Sadove Interview">Stephen I. Sadove</a>, chairman and chief executive of Saks Inc.,
explains that it is culture that drives results:
<br />
<blockquote>
It starts with leadership at the top, which drives a culture.
Culture drives innovation and whatever else you’re trying to drive within a
company — innovation, execution, whatever it’s going to be. And that then drives
results. <br /><br />When I talk to Wall Street, people really want to know your
results, what are your strategies, what are the issues, what it is that you’re
doing to drive your business. They’re focused on the bottom line. Never do you
get people asking about the culture, about leadership, about the people in the
organization. Yet, it’s the reverse, because it’s the people, the leadership,
the culture and the ideas that are ultimately driving the numbers and the
results.</blockquote>
While we know that our most important resource is our
people, it’s not so easy to get people “all in”—convincing people to “truly buy
into their ideas and the strategy they’ve put forward, to give that extra push
that leads to outstanding results.” <br /><br />
<div class="img" style="float: right; margin: 2px 0px 2px 5px;">
<a href="http://www.leadershipnow.com/leadershop/9781451659825.html"><img alt="All In" border="0" height="120" src="http://www.leadershipnow.com/leadershop/images/new/9781451659825sm.jpg" width="80" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.leadershipnow.com/leadershop/9781451659825.html" target="_blank" title="All In"><i>All In</i></a> by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton explains why
some managers are able to get their employees to commit wholeheartedly to their
culture and give that extra push that leads to outstanding results and how
managers at any level, can build and sustain a profitable, vibrant work-group
culture of their own. <i>All In</i> takes the principles found in their previous
books—<i>The Orange Revolution</i> and <i>The Carrot Principle</i>—and expands
on them and places them in a wider context. <br /><br />They begin by explaining
that it all rests on the “<b>belief factor</b>.” People want to believe, but
given the fact that “failure could cost them their future security why shouldn’t
they be at least a little dubious about your initiatives?” But belief is key.
“As leaders we must first allow people on our teams to feel like valuable
individuals, respecting their views and opening up to their ideas and inputs,
even while sharing a better way forward. It’s a balancing act that requires some
wisdom.” <br /><br />To have a culture of belief employees must feel not only
engaged, but enabled and energized. What’s more, “each element of E+E+E can be
held hostage by an imbalance in the other two.” <br /><br />The authors have created
a <b>7 step guide to develop a culture where people buy-in</b>:
<br /><br /><b>Define your burning platform.</b> “Your ability to identify and
define the key “burning” issue you face and separate it from the routine
challenges of the day is the first step in galvanizing your employees to believe
in you and in your vision and strategy.” <br /><br /><b>Create a customer focus.</b>
“Your organization must evolve into one that not only rewards employees who spot
customer trends or problems, but one that finds such challenges invigorating,
one that empowers people at all levels to respond with alacrity and creativity.”
<br /><br /><b>Develop agility.</b> “Employees are more insistent than ever that
their managers see into the future and do a decent job of addressing the coming
challenges and capitalizing on new opportunities.” <br /><br /><b>Share
everything.</b> “When we aren’t sure what’s happening around us, we become
distrustful….In a dark work environment, where information is withheld or not
communicated properly, employees tend to suspect the worst and rumors take the
place of facts. It is openness that drives out the gray and helps employees
regain trust in culture.” <br /><br /><b>Partner with your talent.</b> “Your people
have more energy and creativity to give. There are employees now in your
organization walking around with brilliant ideas in their pocket. Some will
never share them because they don’t have the platform to launch those ideas on
their own. Most, however, will never reveal them because they don’t feel like a
partner in the organization.” <br /><br /><b>Root for each other.</b> “Our research
shows incontrovertible evidence that employees respond best when they are
recognized for things they are good at <b><i>and</i></b> for those actions where
they had to stretch. It is this reinforcement that makes people want to grow to
their full shape and stature.” <br /><br /><b>Establish clear accountability.</b>
“To grow a great culture, you need to cultivate a place where people have to do
more than show up and fog a mirror; they have to fulfill promises—not only
collectively but individually.” And this has to be a positive idea.
<br /><br />Gostick and Elton explain that the “modern leader provides the why,
keeps an ear close to those they serve, is agile and open, treats their people
with deference, and creates a place where every step forward is noted and
applauded.” <br /><br />The authors skillfully examine high-performing cultures and
present the elements that produce them. A leader at any level can implement
these ideas to drive results. A great learning tool. <br /><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5" style="width: 500px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><img alt="Quote" height="50" src="http://leadershipnow.com/leadingblog/images/BigIdea.gif" width="50" /></td>
<td bgcolor="#cccccc" width="1"> </td>
<td>
<table cellpadding="5">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>To succeed, you need everyone on your team <i>all in</i>; you need a culture
of belief. A high performing culture is characterized by people that are
engaged, enabled and energized.<br /><br />http://www.leadershipnow.com/leadingblog/2012/04/all_in_its_culture_that_drives.html</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-28902972082515312212012-04-03T21:06:00.000-04:002012-04-03T21:06:40.922-04:00An Offer You Can't Refuse: Leadership Lessons From "The Godfather"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3E_1QQ4h_sUQ-3w7mZOwuaeYj0lqyjFPQiiW67bNo5iQ9yKPpOOLaR3QcqXGq-kj6ZPw6ySSj29MLeuYICD7rQXeMcNaXTVrfxQW6ckpre9xD3lL0uqJRfj_5rNZL1SV5CBwOmMcLqMZQ/s1600/inline-An-Offer-You-Can't-Refuse-Leadership-Lessons-From-the-Godfather.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="175px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3E_1QQ4h_sUQ-3w7mZOwuaeYj0lqyjFPQiiW67bNo5iQ9yKPpOOLaR3QcqXGq-kj6ZPw6ySSj29MLeuYICD7rQXeMcNaXTVrfxQW6ckpre9xD3lL0uqJRfj_5rNZL1SV5CBwOmMcLqMZQ/s320/inline-An-Offer-You-Can't-Refuse-Leadership-Lessons-From-the-Godfather.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
What does a real-life CEO have in common with the central figures of a fictitious Mafia crime family in The Godfather? According to Justin Moore, CEO and founder of Axcient, plenty. <br />
<br />
Moore is a serial entrepreneur, early-stage advisor, and angel investor. He’s currently at the helm of Axcient, a company he founded that provides backup, business continuity, and disaster recovery services to the small and mid-sized business (SMB) market. Right now, Axcient is protecting more than 2 billion files and applications for businesses across North America.<br />
<br />
Moore also happens to think that The Godfather is “one of the best movies ever made” and had a chance to watch it again when the film was aired extensively last week to mark the 40th anniversary of its premiere. Though a decade had passed since the last time Moore watched it, his recent viewing offered an unexpected reward. This time he found the film rife with teaching moments for CEOs running a business today.<br />
<br />
“I certainly don’t endorse crime or violence, and I’m not suggesting business should operate like the Mafia,” explains Moore, “but there are some universal themes in the movie I can relate to as a CEO.” Moore says The Godfather offers valuable lessons in community and team building, making tough decisions, and playing to win while not neglecting friends and family.<br />
<br />
Here are five essential leadership lessons Moore distilled for Fast Company.<br />
<br />
1. Build a powerful community. <br />
<br />
Someday, and that day may never come, I'll call upon you to do a service for me. ~Vito Corleone<br />
<br />
Uttered in the iconic rasp of Marlon Brando, the words of Vito Corleone illustrate how he creates a loyal community among those he has helped. Moore says, “By granting these favors and helping people with their problems, Vito Corleone is building a network of influence--relationships that may or may not deliver a specific or quantifiable return, but all which serve to strengthen his power base and which have the potential to be reciprocal in the long run.”<br />
<br />
Moore says building strategic partnerships enables companies to work through challenging markets and fast-track overall success. “As a CEO, I see it as part of my job to be a super connector, networking with the technology and investment community without an expectation of reciprocation. Partnerships forged through time, trust, and mutual benefit--such as those Axcient has built with HP, Ingram-Micro, and a vast network of service providers and resellers--are the types of community relationships that bring about the greatest returns.”<br />
<br />
2. Hold people accountable. <br />
<br />
What's the matter with you? I think your brain is going soft. ~Vito Corleone<br />
<br />
The Godfather reminds us of the importance of being tough when necessary. “As soon as Vito Corleone allowed a few moments of weakness to be seen by his enemy, they attempted to assassinate him. And it was largely because of failures of his team,” Moore observes.<br />
<br />
“In business, accountability isn’t achieved by a murderous rampage. But the lesson is this--to be successful in business you have to be tough, and you have to be extremely focused on hitting goals and getting results," says Moore. That doesn’t mean patience and understanding don’t have a place, he says, but ongoing tolerance of low-performing people or products just eats away at the success of the entire company. “You are ultimately responsible for all of your employees and shareholders, and that requires tough and swift decisions.<br />
<br />
3. Don’t get emotional. <br />
<br />
It’s not personal, Sonny. It’s strictly business. ~Michael Corleone<br />
“Many people don’t like to talk about the fact that in business, there are winners and losers. When Sonny Corleone reacts impulsively and emotionally, he gets taken out. In business, if you don’t take the opportunity to out-sell, out-bid, or out-market your competitor, they’ll take you out. I’m not suggesting doing anything outside the boundaries of morality or rightness--simply pointing out that when people make emotional decisions, they start making bad decisions. To lead successfully, you have to take your emotion and ego out of the equation."<br />
Likewise, Moore says it’s important to play to win. In business, that translates to knowing the competition and always staying at least one step ahead. “Operate your business with integrity and have respect for competition, but you also need to seize opportunities to eliminate your competition and win.”<br />
<br />
4. Be decisive. <br />
<br />
Moore says that he, like most people who appreciate The Godfather, watch the movie with a combination of shock and respect. “Shock because he is so ruthless that he kills his own family member, but respect for the fact that Don Corleone knows exactly what he wants, executes decisively, and commands respect through unwavering leadership.”<br />
<br />
While you don’t have to kill anyone to prove a point, as soon as you know what choice to make, move forward. “Know who on your team is making the right choices, and trust them to take decisive action as well. Hesitation too often leads to missed opportunities.”<br />
<br />
5. Spend time with your family. <br />
<br />
Do you spend time with your family? Because a man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man. ~Vito Corleone <br />
Moore isn’t endorsing 1940s machismo, but he is decrying 100-hour workweeks that many entrepreneurs fall prey to in hot pursuit of the next big thing. Though he’s been dedicated like that in the past, Moore finds it’s not sustainable in the long run. <br />
<br />
“A leader can’t be successful in creative problem-solving and making excellent decisions unless that person is connected to people and passions outside of work. I find that it’s often time with family and friends that gives me the perspective I need to build the relationships and make the decisive actions required for continued success in business,” says Moore.<br />
<br />
Thanks to <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/user/lydia-dishman" target="_blank">Lydia Dishman</a> from Fast Company for this article<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-69771038926163392942012-03-26T11:07:00.000-04:002012-03-26T11:07:12.711-04:00Why Top Talent Leaves: Top 10 Reasons Boiled Down to 1By: <a href="http://blogs.forbes.com/erikaandersen/">Erika Andersen</a><span class="desc">, Forbes Contributor</span> <br />
<br />
<a href="http://blogs.forbes.com/ericjackson/" target="_blank">Eric Jackson</a>, a fellow Forbes blogger I follow and find both funny and astute, wrote a really spot-on post last month about why top talent leaves large corporations. He offered ten reasons, all of which I agreed with – and all of which I’ve seen played out again and again, over the course of 25 years of coaching and consulting. The post was wildly popular – over 1.5 million views at this writing.<br />
<br />
<br />
So why do we find this topic so interesting? I suspect it’s because we’re genuinely curious: What would make a very senior executive – someone who most certainly has been courted by his or her organization and then paid huge sums of money to join – decide to pack it in? Is it greed (an even richer offer down the street)? Hubris? Short attention span? Or do 1%ers actually leave jobs for the same reasons as the average Joe or Josie?<br />
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According to Jackson (and, again, I agree with him) top talent does indeed leave for the same reasons everyone else does. If I were to distill his ‘top ten reasons’ down to one, it’s this:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Top talent leave an organization when they’re badly managed and the organization is confusing and uninspiring.</span></div><br />
About half of Eric’s ten reasons are about poor people management – either systemically, as in poor performance feedback, or individually, as in, my boss sucks. And the other half are about organizational lameness: shifting priorities, no vision, close-mindedness.<br />
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It really is that simple. Not easy, mind you, but remarkably simple. If you want to keep your best people:<br />
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1) Create an organization where those who manage others are hired for their ability to manage well, supported to get even better at managing, and held accountable and rewarded for doing so.<br />
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2) Then be clear about what you’re trying to accomplish as an organization – not only in terms of financial goals, but in a more three-dimensional way. What’s your purpose; what do you aspire to bring to the world? What kind of a culture do you want to create in order to do that? What will the organization look, feel and sound like if you’re embodying that mission and culture? How will you measure success? And then, once you’ve clarified your hoped-for future, consistently focus on keeping that vision top of mind and working together to achieve it.<br />
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I’ve worked with client organizations that do those two things, and people stay and thrive. I’ve worked with and observed client organizations that don’t – and it’s a revolving door. And that’s true at all levels – not just for “top talent.”<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-67772415617966176372012-03-09T06:42:00.002-05:002012-03-21T19:48:30.432-04:00Fire the Wrong People TodayBy <a href="http://www.inc.com/author/eric-markowitz" target="_blank">Eric Markowitz</a> Inc.com <br />
<br />
Kevin Ryan has hired--and fired--plenty of people in his day. Here, the Gilt CEO explains why not firing an employee can cause a bad situation to "fester."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNm4gR46s73mTuBVtT_RwZ7bi3PX2EVfC8yP00Si1b2nZdWuO1VNdyJbmkHQNk4VwDTGo6UsODqKV6d8isLWDBV3iPFN1g6lCnjehOZam9ortLAVeBpje2nnoyRWUUwXVCN4PP93WnOUC/s1600/Kevin-Ryan-Gilt-Group-Inc-500-conference-2-pan_11029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNm4gR46s73mTuBVtT_RwZ7bi3PX2EVfC8yP00Si1b2nZdWuO1VNdyJbmkHQNk4VwDTGo6UsODqKV6d8isLWDBV3iPFN1g6lCnjehOZam9ortLAVeBpje2nnoyRWUUwXVCN4PP93WnOUC/s320/Kevin-Ryan-Gilt-Group-Inc-500-conference-2-pan_11029.jpg" uda="true" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
"If you have a 100 person company, someone is No. 100," Kevin Ryan told the audience at the Inc. 500<br />
<br />
5000 Conference recently. "If you have a 20 person division, someone is No. 20."<br />
Six months ago, Ryan was tasked with hiring a new manager to oversee a division of Gilt. He gave the new manager three objectives, to be completed within the first few months. They were:<br />
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-Evaluate the people you have now and lay off the people that don't fit. <br />
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-Promote people internally.<br />
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-Maintain and retain your best people.<br />
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After six months, Ryan knew the manager hadn't built an effective team. Morale was low, and a couple of key employees left the company. Rather than giving the manager more time to solve the problem, Ryan let him go immediately. <br />
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"A bad situation will fester," he says. "It is your job as CEO to make sure those situations don't happen. You're ruining the DNA of that company…by letting it go."<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7525632514139626350.post-87647193464632951352012-03-05T07:00:00.000-05:002012-03-05T11:41:32.566-05:00Ten Commandments of Business Behaviour<div style="text-align: center;">Being efficient and productive aren't the only keys to a successful career. </div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">Keep these rules in mind for a healthy and happy workplace. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZ2Izs96kQSeWJUL7927j6WglMT24S-S-kV7BjXFQxgbDZY-i-5pXhwVbP_4mpE8UDpN-2J4xiS1yvx5sMnR2LlU2IxyP0i7rzJD8YlwyZ_MHaB4uuJOXPdCdZCIxCGF5TezZg-6XOanj/s1600/Holy+Grail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZ2Izs96kQSeWJUL7927j6WglMT24S-S-kV7BjXFQxgbDZY-i-5pXhwVbP_4mpE8UDpN-2J4xiS1yvx5sMnR2LlU2IxyP0i7rzJD8YlwyZ_MHaB4uuJOXPdCdZCIxCGF5TezZg-6XOanj/s1600/Holy+Grail.jpg" /></a></div><br />
1. Thou shalt have a positive attitude.<br />
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Everybody has bad days. Nobody has the right to take it out on others. Rudeness, impoliteness, surliness, ugly moods, unprovoked displays of anger, and general unpleasantness can be costly to your career - and your company's bottom line.<br />
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2. Thou shalt be on time.<br />
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Keeping others waiting is the ultimate power play - whether it's a meeting, an email, a telephone call, or that charmingly Jurassic example of business behaviour, a letter. In the end, it's self-defeating. Everybody's busy. Everybody's time is valuable. Being late only makes you look like you don't have your act together.<br />
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3. Thou shalt praise in public and criticize in private.<br />
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If you intend to improve a situation or someone's performance, public criticism is the worst approach. It serves no purpose except to humiliate the other person, and possibly lead to cutthroat retaliation. Remember that the office gossip looks far worse than those being gossiped about.<br />
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4. Thou shalt get names straight.<br />
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We all forget people's names. There is nothing wrong with saying: "Please tell me your name again. My brain just went on strike." But there is something wrong with not checking on correct spelling whenever you write a name. That's lazy. It can cost your career. And remember, it's a big mistake to assume you can call somebody by his or her first name. We have four generations working in a truly global marketplace. Each generation feels differently about using first names.<br />
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5. Thou shalt speak slowly and clearly on the telephone.<br />
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Texting makes us forget how we sound, or when we speed-talk. Again, remember those four generations in the work arena, as well as the diversity of cultures. A smile can be heard in your voice. So smile or you will sound irritated and put out. Not a good move when business is on the line.<br />
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6. Thou shalt not use foul language.<br />
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KIND is the only four-letter word for the workplace. Don't accept vulgarity, poor grammar and slang as your personal standards. They are three of the top reasons people don't get hired. On the other hand, liberal use of "please", "thank you", and "excuse me" can be most helpful in one's career ascent.<br />
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7. Thou shalt dress appropriately.<br />
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Don't enter your workplace without knowing its dress code. If you must, call the human resources department and ask. Good grooming is at least 10 times more important than making a fashion statement. Good taste and fashion are not always synonymous.<br />
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8. Thou shalt take clear messages.<br />
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It pays to take time to be sure the messages you take are clear, correct and complete.<br />
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9. Thou shalt honour social courtesies at business functions.<br />
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Etiquette is just a matter of common sense with a large dose of kindness. Make sure you respond to invitations promptly and never bring an uninvited guest without permission. Never be a no-show when you said you'd show. Good guests contribute as much to a party as good hosts.<br />
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10. Thou shalt be accountable.<br />
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We all make mistakes. That does not give us license to blame someone else for them. There is no shame in admitting you don't have all the answers. Yet there is shame in not being willing to look for them.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/sales/" title="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory"><img src="http://www.blogcatalog.com/images/buttons/blogcatalog7.png" alt="Award Winning Mastering the Art of the Sale Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory" style="border: 0;" /></a></div>Susan Corcoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620868312418007123noreply@blogger.com0