How to Survive Long Sales Cycles (The Four "Ps")

Like investing, selling is not a profession for the faint of heart. Both professions require a strong stomach and the ability to endure the ups and downs of long business cycles.

If you're an organization that deals with long selling cycles (typically selling big-ticket items or working with “major accounts”), you need a plan to thrive in both good times and bad.

I tell clients that there are four “Ps” for surviving long sales cycles and business fluctuations. They are: Planning, Pacing and Patience and Protection.

Planning
Many sales managers and sales people think short term. “What is coming in this week?” “What can I do to close this deal now?” However, the sales cycle for a large-ticket sale or corporate account can take months. In fact, I’ve worked on prospects that have taken years to develop. (I recall that it took me three years to get in the door of a major cruise line. They later turned out to be our biggest client.) To deal with a long sales or prospecting cycle, salespeople must take a longer-term view and anticipate the steps required to close a big sale. Ask customers planning questions directly, such as “Tell me about your decision-making process.” “What steps are involved in this decision?” “How urgent is this?” and “What are your timeframes?” Customers appreciate your asking (they don’t want you hounding them every other day if their sales cycle is long), and it helps you plan and schedule your follow-up.

Pacing
Working a long-term sale is like dancing with a partner. You and your partner (customer) must be in step at all times. It can be really tempting, when a salesperson has a number to achieve or when a sales division isn't making budget, to move faster than your customer. Out of desperation, you push your customer faster than they’re ready to move. The result is that you look desperate and pushy – and you likely lose the sale. I suggest living by your Outlook calendar. I schedule every customer contact during a sales process, months in advance. If a prospective customer says, “We’ll be ready to talk on August 15th” and it’s only March, I’ll put a reminder on my calendar for August 15th. On that day, I call back the prospect and remind them that they asked me to call that day…and even recap our previous call. I’ve found that customers are very impressed – they feel confident that if they give you their business, you’ll be diligent in your follow-up and deliver as promised. (You’d be surprised how many salespeople don’t follow-up during a long sales cycle. If you’re the person who doesn’t give up and is reliable, you’ll stand out.)

Patience
This goes hand-in-hand with Pacing. I’ve found that the best salespeople have immense patience. This is a personal trait that really can’t be taught. If you’re an impatient person, you shouldn’t be selling to customers with long sales cycles. You’re probably better suited for quick, short-term sales (such as selling stereo systems to consumers or selling office supplies) which give you immediate gratification.

Protection
Salespeople by nature are optimists. They don’t like to think about the possibility that a sale won’t close right away. So often they put all of their eggs into one basket – that “big sale” that’s going to make the year a success. This “waiting game” can wreak havoc on a salesperson's paycheck. And if enough salespeople are overly optimistic in their projections, the entire sales organization's budget projections are thrown off.

Often, salespeople are derailed when sales don't close as quickly as anticipated. In our consulting business, we call this the “hurry up and wait” syndrome. Customers initially want your proposal “yesterday” – they can’t wait to get started on a project. The need is “urgent.” Yet once the proposal is submitted to the customer, it loses priority or gets stuck in their internal decision-making process. The “urgent” need suddenly loses urgency. If you’re a salesperson and were banking on getting those dollars in the next month or two, you’d better be prepared. As a salesperson, always ask yourself, “What if this sale doesn’t close in the expected time frames?” “What if this big sale falls apart?” Make sure that you always have other sales activity happening as you’re following up on the big potential sale. This is your insurance policy for your business. If the long-term sale doesn’t pan out, or takes longer than expected, will you be able to survive?

©2006 The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved. www.TheLoyaltyGroup.com

Find the Fear (If You Want to Sell Your Idea or Gain Support)

I thought of this Blog topic after reading an article in last Wednesday's Wall Street Journal (Why Your Lizard Brain Makes You a Bad Investor - and How to Battle Back), in which writer Jonathan Clements discusses the psychology of financial investing. His article makes the point that humans instinctively (dating back to caveman days) have a strong aversion to loss. And this fear of loss tends to be much more powerful than the desire to gain.

He quotes economics Professor Robert Frank of Cornell University, who notes that "animals will fight viciously to protect territory that they hold, but they won't fight nearly as hard to extend their territory." Most humans have this same protective instinct, which is why we tend to be more motivated by fear than desire.

Why should business people care? Think about those times you tried to sell an idea, make a proposal or get someone's help and you got a "no." Chances are there is some fear behind the response. Think about the following examples:

- Your boss dumped a bucket of cold water on your last budget request. (He was worried that if his boss called him on the expenditure, he wouldn't be able to defend it, making him look bad.)

- Your process improvement idea was rejected by other departments, despite the fact that it would save the company thousands of dollars. (They like their current processes, they created them, and only they understand them. Now you want to take that all away.)

- You hit a brick wall when you asked someone from your IT Department to show you how to fix your own computer problem. (They felt threatened. If they show you how to fix your own problems, you won't need them.)

Granted, not every decision is fear-based. But you can have greater influence over others if you tune into their worries and fears.

Below are some pointers for getting more "yes" responses to your ideas and proposals by finding people's hidden fears - and alleviating them...

Before presenting your idea or proposal:

• Stay objective - No matter how good your idea is or how much time and money it will save, don't assume that just because you're excited about your idea, others will be.

• Play devil's advocate with yourself and someone else - Before presenting your idea, test it. List all of the possible arguments against it...and go beyond the obvious. For example, if you're asking for a raise, think beyond the actual dollars. Even if there is budget for your salary increase, your boss may be afraid that if he gives you the raise and word gets out, others will ask for more money as well. Check yourself by asking an objective third party - preferably someone who knows the person to whom you're presenting the idea - to play devil's advocate with you. That person will likely think of arguments against your idea that you've missed.

• Figure out how to "Tip the Value Scale" - Imagine that inside everyone's head is a little scale - the "Value Scale." Humans use this value scale to make decisions. The scale helps the brain weigh the benefits (gains) they'll receive from saying "yes" to a decision, versus the losses (fears) they'll face if they say "yes". Since the loss/fear side of the Value Scale can be a more powerful motivator than the benefit/gain side, your job as the proposal-presenter is to get inside the other person's head and tip that scale, so that the gain outweighs the fear. You've got to figure out, "What is it going to take to alleviate that person's fear of my proposal?" and "How do I tip the 'value scale', so that in the other person's head, the gains from my proposal outweigh the fears about it?"

• Think about other influencers or decision-makers - A note of caution. Make sure that you're presenting your proposal or idea to the right person. Ask yourself, "Is this person truly the decision maker, or will he/she have to check with others for approval?" If others are likely to influence or be involved with the decision, you must assess each person individually. Everyone has different concerns and fears. Make sure that you've thought through each person's value scale and prepare to address potential fears. For example, when you're asking the person in your IT Department to help you, think about who else might be impacted if he says "yes". Not only may the IT person be threatened by your desire to learn how to fix your own computer problem - but he may also need to ask his manager for an extension on a project deadline because he'll be spending more time with you (it would be quicker for him if he just fixed your problem and went back to his project). In other words, his manager's fear may be that the project work won't get done because the IT person is wasting time teaching you how to fix a problem. To get the IT person to help you, you may need to help him think about how to ask his boss for the project deadline extension.

When presenting your idea or proposal:

• Ask first - Don't start the conversation by launching into an explanation of your idea, or trying to sell the benefits. It's important to get the individual talking, so you can confirm whether your assessment of the person's fears and desires was accurate. For example, if you've anticipated that the IT person may resist your request to teach your team how to do basic troubleshooting, you might ask questions such as: "How much time have you spent fixing this problem over and over again for our department?" "What other projects are you working on, when you're not trouble-shooting for us?" "If you didn't have to fix these recurring problems, what could you be doing with your time?" "If our team were willing to invest the time on our end...how would you feel about teaching us some of the trouble-shooting basics - so you could focus on the more complex, business-critical work?" What's good about these questions is that they're addressing the person's potential underlying worry, that he won't be valued, in a non-threatening way. You're helping him see that by teaching your team some basic trouble-shooting, he'll actually increase his value to the organization by focusing on more complex, business-critical work.

• Don't be cagey - Most people can smell a manipulation job a mile away. It's ok to acknowledge the fact that you have an idea or proposal right up front. You might say, "I've been toying with an idea, but first I'd like to ask you a few questions to see if it's even viable." Then start asking your questions. If the person says, "Can't you just tell me your idea and I'll tell you if I like it or not?" it's all right to say, "I could, but I don't want to waste your time trying to sell you on an idea that won't work. If you give me a minute to ask a few questions, I can probably save both of us some time." Very few people will resist that approach, because most people fear having their time wasted, or having a bad idea pushed on them. In most people (because we're such a busy society), these fears will outweigh their desire to hear your idea quickly or skip the questions.

• Acknowledge and encourage challenges - No matter how much analysis you did in advance, you'll occasionally be caught off guard by a challenge you weren't prepared for as you present your idea. Welcome these challenges! In fact, thank the person for bringing up these issues. Once their concerns are on the table, you have the chance to address them. As long as concerns are unspoken, you'll be in the dark about why your ideas are being rejected.

• Tell a story with your proposal - One of the biggest mistakes people make when presenting ideas or proposals is forgetting to put them in context. In other words, forgetting to tell the story of why your idea's benefit (value) outweighs the cost (fear). If you've done your work in advance by assessing the other person's fears and desires, and asked questions to get the person talking about costs and benefits, you have what you need to tell a strong story. A story sounds something like this, when presenting your idea:

• "Here's the idea..."
• "Here's how it's going to address your needs and here's the assessment I've done."
• "I recognize that there are some issues, such as X and Y. Here's how we can address those issues."
• "What additional questions do you have - or what other information do you need?"

If there are no other questions, just ask for the approval to proceed. For example, ask

• "How should we move forward on this?" or just recommend a next step.

Keep in mind, it's not about using fear to manipulate others. Rather, it's about working to understand what people worry about (what keeps them up at night)...and figuring out ways to alleviate those worries with your ideas. In other words, you get what you want when you're a problem-solver (aka: fear-remover). The best part is, you're giving the other person what they want - making the problem/fear go away.

Are you a salesperson who wants to learn how to be a problem-solver by uncovering customers' concerns and needs? Click here for more information on TLG's Sales in Action programs.

©2006 The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved. www.TheLoyaltyGroup.com

Cost of a Bad Sales Hire in Your Organization

What’s the impact of making a hasty hiring decision? Think about the cost of a bad sales hire in your organization by completing the table below. You will need to calculate costs using your best estimate. Consult with others in your organization for help as needed. For example, human resources may have numbers on costs for recruiting, hiring and training a new salesperson.

Assume that the ineffective salesperson remains in the territory for three months.

While the poor sales performer is in the job for three months:
1. Lost sales revenue in territory (Calculate what the territory should be producing versus what a poor performer actually produces.)	$
2. Value of manager time, dealing with poor performer’s issues.	$
3. Cost of recruiting and hiring the poor performer.	$
4. Cost of training and coaching the poor salesperson.	$
5. Cost of low morale on team, caused by poor hire (think about burnout, turnover, and negative attitudes).	$
6. Value of human resource’s time facilitating the termination.	$
7. Other	$
When the poor performer leaves the organization:
8. Revenue drops in other territories while salespeople are covering the open territory.	$
9. Time and dollars spent repairing damaged customer relationships or making good on promises made by the poor salesperson.	$
10. Dissatisfied customers who left for a competitor (lost accounts).	$
11. Other	$
Total estimated cost of a bad sales hire: ©2006 The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved. www.TheLoyaltyGroup.com	$

Fill Your Funnel with Stronger Sales Candidates

Sales managers often ask salespeople what they have in the “sales prospecting funnel”. The funnel is a prospecting tool used to predict how much new business a salesperson will bring in over the next few months. The idea is that salespeople who “fill their funnels” with a high volume of quality sales leads typically end up with a high volume of viable prospects…which if pursued, turn into a high volume of new business.

The funnel concept also applies to recruiting and selecting sales candidates for open positions:

• The more sales talent your company consistently attracts;
• The bigger the pool of qualified applicants for each open sales position;
• The more strong candidates make it through the selection process;
• Yielding a better quality sales hire.

The recruitment and selection funnel works on a “garbage in – garbage out” principle.

If your sales recruitment process (filling the funnel) and your sales selection process (screening and filtering through candidates) aren’t in sync, you’ll be disappointed when it comes time to make the hiring decision. You may be stuck with no good options and have to repost the job...or you may hire a "warm body" out of desperation to fill the position.

Check out Issue 6 of our company's e-newsletter, thinktwice™ Today, for tips and advice on keeping your sales selection funnel full of top quality candidates - and ensuring that you're making the best hiring decisions.

©2006 The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved. www.TheLoyaltyGroup.com

What Makes a "Champion" Business Leader?

What separates good leaders from great leaders? And does the business world have truly great leaders - those legendary, "championship" leaders who are the Tiger Woods and Michael Jordans of their professions?

In today's issue of USA Today, an article by Erik Brady shows that elite athletes share common threads. (Article: Soul of a Champion) In this first of a series of articles profiling "champions", Brady focuses on the sports world. I couldn't help but wonder - what makes a "champion" leader in today's business world? Do the world's legendary athletes and the world's legendary leaders share common traits?

The article quotes Patrick Cohn, a sports psychologist and president of Peak Performance Sports in Orlando Florida. He lists four "mental and emotional characteristics common to champion athletes."

• Competitiveness (I'd add the word "healthy" to competitiveness)
• Confidence
• Composure (under pressure)
• Focus

It can be argued that these traits - or competencies - also distinguish good leaders from those who are exceptional. Who in modern business fits this profile? The first person who comes to mind is Jack Welch. In modern politics, I think of Arnold Schwartzenegger (who also happens to have been a very successful businessman and athlete). Martha Stewart may not have been popular with everyone who worked with her, but she certainly built a business empire with confidence and competitiveness. And after her arrest and imprisonment for securities violations - kept her composure and stayed focused as she ran her empire from jail.

If we had to define these four traits in terms of behaviors that "champion leaders" demonstrate, it might look something like this:

Competitiveness: Willing to do whatever it takes - without compromising ethics or sacrificing others - to achieve success. Taking smart risks and bouncing back quickly from failure. Constantly surveying the competitive landscape, knowing where you stand relative to the competition and anticipating competitors' next moves.

Confidence: Self-motivated and driven internally. Standing by decisions, yet comfortable admitting mistakes and failures. Unafraid to make unpopular choices and disagree. Standing up for beliefs. Staying the course even when faced with obstacles.

Composure: Staying cool under pressure. Controlling behavior and actions when faced with stress. Able to function effectively - or even perform better - in tense situations.

Focus: Always keeping sight of the goal and taking purposeful action to achieve that goal. Able to rally others around a common goal. Eliminating roadblocks, obstacles and distractions that get in the way of success. Knowing when to stay the course - and when to change direction.

How do your company's leaders stack up against these traits?

©2006 The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved. www.TheLoyaltyGroup.com

Marketing to Your Internal Customers

Marketing to Your Internal Customers for Effective Organizational Communication
Each year, companies spend millions of dollars on communicating the benefits of their products to an end user…but what about when they communicate to their internal customers—their employees? It is crucial to communicate effectively internally as well as externally. If you get the message across well to your employees, in turn, it sets the standard of how they communicate with consumers. Here are some tips on how you can use your company’s marketing and branding skills to achieve effective communication within your organization:

• Use simple messages: “Taste Great, Less Filling”, “We Try Harder.” According to a 2005 survey of the Most Influential Taglines, these are among the top 10. Having a short, succinct message helps employees remember the message. If you are communicating a culture change for example, try coming up with a short title or tagline about it so that it becomes easy to understand. Longer messages tend to get lost in the crowd.

• Repeat those messages: By repeating the message over and over in different circumstances, you reassure the audience that this is not just a fleeting “Flavor of the Month” change. Talk about the message consistently after the usual Annual Company Town Hall Meeting to help your employees live the message on a daily basis.

• Use consistent language: Give credibility to your message by defining and using consistent vocabulary. Starbucks, for example, uses the term “tall” to mean the smallest serving available—and even though it’s counterintuitive, it’s caught on everywhere because they are persistent about their vocabulary. Using consistent language helps eliminate confusion as more and more people repeat the message throughout the organization.

• Build champions: Who doesn’t want to “Be Like Mike?” To give credibility to a company-wide change or announcement, find people who are respected and well liked to champion your idea. Even though major communication begins at the top level, it helps to have “local leaders” also pitching the message.

• Use visuals: Remember that different people communicate differently. Some understand better visually and some need to hear messages. Companies like BMV and Atari talk advantage of this and have created widely recognizable logos to represent their communication. While you don’t have to come up with a logo for every announcement you make, remember that visually showing how everything fits together or depicting a timeline is usually more effective then a wordy description.

If you ask five people on the street about Nike’s latest marketing, most likely you’ll hear “Just Do It” from everyone. What will you hear if you asked five of your employees about your latest organizational message?

©2006 The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved. www.TheLoyaltyGroup.com

Interview Etiquette for Companies

The WSJ recently had an article about how all the little things you do as a job candidate - from the minute you pull up to the building - leave a lasting impression. It gives funny examples of how everything gets noticed by prospective employers, from what you read in the lobby to how clean your car is.

As I was reading this article, I realized that this is a two-way street. While employers scrutinize everything candidates do, remember that candidates also scrutinize everything employers do. What kind of an image is your company projecting to job candidates?

I thought back to some of my experiences as a job candidate. One particularly disorganized company knew I was coming in but had nothing prepared…including the fact that the suite number to their offices was wrong in their directions to me! After finally finding the right office space, I was shuffled between a few interviewers who looked like they didn’t want to be there. Consequently, I decided I didn’t want to be there either.

In another company, a hiring manager kept sneaking peeks at his Blackberry while I was answering questions— and once his secretary popped in unannounced to let him know his wife was on the line and needed to ask him something! Although I had turned off my mobile phone and cleared my mind of all distractions for this opportunity, he clearly didn’t value my time enough to do the same.

Here are some tips on what you can do to leave a lasting positive impression on the candidates who interview YOU:

1. Treat the candidate like you would a client. Would you keep a potential client waiting around for an hour? Do you make an announcement that a big sales prospect is coming in and everyone should be on their best behavior? Whether they are hired or not, remember that all candidates are walking billboards for how your company treated them during the selection process. You never know who they might know!

2. Orchestrate every minute of the interview. Do you know where candidates will be at all times? Who is taking them to the next interview appointment? Is anyone meeting them downstairs to get them through security? Make sure you coordinate with other selection managers in advance so that you are not wasting anyone’s time by “winging it.”

3. Pay Attention to the candidate. Are you subtly glancing at your Blackberry or your open email inbox on the computer screen? Have you asked for all calls to be held unless it’s an emergency? Treat the interview seriously to show how serious you are about finding the right person for this job.

Finding the right job means “finding the right fit”— and that definitely goes for both candidates and employers. What other tips or ideas do you have to help hiring managers make a positive impression on all job candidates?

©2006 The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved. www.TheLoyaltyGroup.com

Explaining Competencies in Simple Language

Some people "get" competencies and behaviors right away and love them. If you're charged with implementing competencies in an organization full of these people, lucky you. Your job is easy. In most organizations, however, there's a contingent of people who don't "get" - or don't want to get - the whole idea of using competencies. They may see them as too soft or subjective, they may be too numbers-driven to focus on people, or they may just not be accustomed to thinking about behavior, motivations and feelings.

This blog entry is dedicated to keeping your explanation of competencies and behaviors as simple as possible. It's easy to over-explain, use consultant/HR jargon or just overcomplicate the whole idea of competencies and behaviors. That's when you start to see people checking their watches and cell phones.

I thought it would be helpful to share some of the visuals, analogies and tips we use for explaining the whole concept of competencies and behaviors. We find it helps to start by analyzing your audience - who they are, what they care about and what they relate to. Then put competencies and behaviors into their language, using analogies and examples that they can get their arms around. This makes competencies simpler, more practical and easier for them to implement.

The Competency Yardstick

We use the "yardstick" or "ruler" analogy to show managers and employees that competencies are merely units of measure. A competency profile is a yardstick that sets a standard for what "ideal behavior" looks like. In other words, the competency yardstick shows what the "ideal performer" would look like in terms of how they behave.

It can be used to:

• Take an individual measurement ("What are my current strengths and development needs?"),
• Compare different measurements ("How do I stack up against my peers, using the competency profile as a guide?"),
• Measure growth ("How do I compare to my past measurements? Where have I grown?")

No one is expected to be perfect. The competency yardstick is a model, against which people can assess themselves and others...the goal being to get as close to perfect as possible, and keep getting better over time.

The slide below shows how the competency yardstick can be used in a number of business applications, such as selecting the right people, career planning and development, and managing performance. It's a good discussion starter. I use this slide in all types of meetings and trainings, to reinforce the importance of competencies.



What are Competencies?

"Competency" is a tough word to define, particularly because experts and academics disagree on definitions. Ask 100 consultants what competencies are, and you'll likely get 100 different definitions. Ours is below. We like it because it's simple and most people can relate to it.

Competencies are the things people need to know (knowledge), to do (skills) and have (traits), to be successful in a role. They are defined by behaviors that describe what that competency would look like if someone were using it effectively.

Here's a frequently asked question. "Why do we have to be so specific about putting behaviors and actions into the right competency category, and why be so specific in defining behaviors? Aren't we splitting hairs?" Valid question. It may seem like wordsmithing and being nit-picky. Here's the explanation I give. Labeling the "soft stuff" - behaviors that we observe - and defining them clearly allows us to talk about them. It gives us a common language, so that when we say that we want to improve our Coaching skill (for example)...we all know that we're talking about the same thing. If our competencies, definitions and behaviors are fuzzy or open to interpretation, we'll have misunderstandings and disagreements down the road when we talk about strengths, development needs, performance reviews and who we should hire.

Another frequently asked question:
"Why group competencies into knowledge, skills and traits/motivations?"

We break them down into knowledge, skills and traits/motivations because the first two - knowledge and skills - are trainable. Personal traits and motivations are deeply engrained in people. In business, sending people to a training class to improve their personality rarely works. Grouping competencies helps us, as managers, understand what's within our control to change and what isn't.


How Companies Use Competencies

We use this visual with all audiences. It's helpful to show over and over again in meetings and training, to remind people of how all "people-systems" are linked in best-practice companies. It can be used as a very simple diagnostic tool, by asking the group: "Where are our systems aligned and where are there gaps?" Or, "Do we hire for the right competencies, then train people to those competencies?" This is also a good visual to use when making the business case to senior leadership for integrated "people-systems". When all of these systems are aligned, and based on competencies that are critical to future business success, the company works efficiently. There is less wasted effort, hiring is more on-target and everyone is working toward common goals.




Analogies
For some people, often those who are numbers or technically oriented, competencies and behaviors are too "squishy". They may have trouble relating to them, or see more value in focusing on numbers and hard data (more tangible ideas). That's where analogies help. Below are some analogies I've used with different audiences to help them understand how to use competencies and behaviors - and see their value.

Just a note...my intent here isn't to stereotype anyone. I acknowledge that every individual is different and unique.

Taking with Engineers or Scientists

Engineers and scientists are trained to look for precise measurements. They like to analyze. Scientists and engineers learn by observing patterns and trends. So they should enjoy working with competencies and behaviors when presented this way. Competencies and behaviors are units of measure that help us take something very intangible - how people behave - and make it more tangible and measurable.

Talking with IT/Systems Groups

A key function of IT or Systems staff is to problem solve and diagnose. They're driven to figure out what's going on and make systems run better.

That's why competencies and behaviors should appeal to IT-types. People are like systems...we're all programmed differently. Competencies and behaviors give us a common language and "platform" from which to assess our behavior, just like programmers, IT analysts, and others need a common language and tools to assess why information systems work and why they don't work.

Talking with Sales Groups

Numbers rule in sales. Salespeople make their money, get recognition and are judged by the numbers they produce. Why care about competencies and behaviors? We like to give examples to show why competencies and behaviors very directly impact sales numbers. "What if you're not making your numbers?" Typical sales manager will say "go sell more" or "make more calls" or "be more aggressive". But how? What does that mean? It's not actionable...doesn't tell the salesperson what they should be doing differently tomorrow when they get in their car. And it doesn't really diagnose what the root problem is. What if the salesperson isn't asking enough questions? What if the salesperson isn't listening to customers? "Go sell more" or "make more calls" won't help. Competencies and behaviors give sales managers and reps tools to diagnose what is working...and what isn't. They help improve the numbers.

Tell me your tips for simplifying competencies and behaviors for people in your organization!

©2006 The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved. www.TheLoyaltyGroup.com

Bosses From Hell: What's Trainable and What's Not

Maybe you've worked for this boss. Maybe you are this boss (and don't realize it). Or maybe you've quietly simmered as you've watched this boss get promoted, rewarded or just forgiven for his or her steamroller management approach or piercing comments to subordinates.

If you're in the training or HR profession, you've probably been asked at some point to rehabilitate this manager by sending him or her to a magical training session (aka: charm school for interpersonally-challenged leaders) that will teach them how to play nicely with others. This is usually a reaction to employee complaints, a negative 360 feedback survey, or extremely high turnover in the department or division.

My point is that we've all seen managers from hell...the "Teflon leaders" who, despite their lack of interpersonal skills or empathy for others, still seem to climb the corporate ladder and receive positive recognition.

In severe cases, managers like these need years of therapy, not a training session or executive coach. Training or coaching only helps when the leader:

- Has the ability (Emotional Intelligence) to change and empathize with others.
- Wants to change and sees a painful consequence for not changing.

When these two conditions don't exist, no amount of training, coaching or executive development will help. Therapy probably won't help either, but it's a start.

For fun, below are a few links to movies about bosses from hell. They're extreme, but really illustrate in a funny, dark way how abusive leaders can rise to the top - and make life painful for the people who report to them. They also show how these leaders' dysfunctional styles have domino effects through their organizations...creating extremely dysfunctional behavior among their staffs who desperately try to survive and guess their bosses' next moves.

Devil Wears Prada

Swimming with Sharks

Glenngarry Glen Ross

©2006 The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved. www.TheLoyaltyGroup.com

Seven Tips for Effective Sales Performance Management

In many sales organizations, performance management sounds something like this:

"Are you going to make your number?"
"How many did you sell?"
"You need to get in front of five customers a day."
"You did great this year. That's why I know I can count on you for an additional 10% next year."

By nature sales organizations are revenue and numbers focused. Whether or not these organizations achieve their numbers depends, in large part, on how well they manage and leverage their human capital - their sales people.

Performance management, when designed and executed effectively in sales organizations, boosts sales productivity and helps retain sales talent. Below are seven best practices for implementing performance management in sales organizations. How does your organization stack up?

1. Communicate company and sales organization goals, vertically and horizontally. Does every manager, salesperson and support staff member know the sales organization's strategies and goals - and where their department and individual goals fit? Test this by asking various people in your organization to explain the links to you.

2. Focus on manager behavior first. Define manager competencies by doing a validated job analysis. Make sure the competencies stress performance management behaviors, such as setting clear expectations, observing salespeople in the field, coaching, addressing performance problems and developing talent.

3. Make sure all leaders talk about your culture and vision often. Do leaders just talk about numbers and revenue performance...or do they also talk about how to get those results? From the top down, send the message that your company expects people to get the “right results, the right way.”

4. Define and communicate competencies for salespeople. If you already have sales competencies, review them. Do they read like a generic job description (self-starter, aggressive, closer) or are they specific and unique to selling at your company? Think about what distinguishes your best sales performers, in terms of both results and behaviors. Chances are, in addition to being good closers, they show adaptability, they're open to coaching and feedback, they're constantly learning, and they welcome the opportunity to coach others.

5 . Focus your sales efforts, new products and strategic initiatives. Avoid flavor of the month. When changes do happen, communicate them clearly and have an open dialogue with the sales organization. Not everything is equally important. When you introduce a new initiative or product, ask, "What can we take away or stop doing?" Confused salespeople = confused customers. They don’t know what to sell and can’t keep up with the changes.

6. Link sales training, selection, incentive and performance management systems to your business goals and competencies. A rigorous, competency-based selection process will give you a clear profile of each candidate's strengths and development needs. When you do make your hiring decision, use the selection process data to help you create a development plan for the salesperson, starting him or her off on the right foot. Fold this development plan into the performance management process. Coach the new hire to leverage his or her strengths and develop in other areas.

7. Hold managers accountable for coaching and managing performance effectively. Often managers are accountable on paper, but in practice...managers who make their numbers are "forgiven" for poor interpersonal skills, lack of coaching or "not having time" to work with their reps. Decide if this is acceptable in your organization. If managers get their numbers, does it matter how they treat their salespeople, whether they have high turnover or whether they coach and develop their teams? If it does matter, put some teeth into your systems. Reward and recognize managers who develop salespeople and make their numbers. Assign consequences to managers who ignore or consistently mishandle the people-side of management. And don't forget to look at who you're promoting into management positions. Do salespeople get promoted to management as a reward or entitlement for good sales performance...or do they get promoted because they're motivated to lead others and have the skill and patience to coach?

©2006 The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved. www.TheLoyaltyGroup.com

Three Tips for Staying Connected to Your Sales Team

One of the biggest challenges for sales managers today is keeping in touch with salespeople - and keeping them engaged. We asked 50 salespeople and their managers for their best tips on how managers can stay connected with their sales teams. We got a lot of "We don't do much that's creative" and "That's a great question...I could use some ideas" responses. Here are a few of the best ideas we did receive. And we know first-hand that they work, based on TLG's experience in working with sales organizations. We'd like to hear from sales managers and salespeople - tell us your ideas and we'll add them to the list! Email me at info@theloyaltygroup.com.

1. Do More than Talk about Numbers

David, a computer software salesperson from Chicago, says he communicates with his current manager "only when I have to." Conversations with his manager focus on the numbers, the sales forecast and "why didn't they buy from us?" In contrast, David describes a past manager who was "excellent." She would "take the time to walk through things, take a look at different angles (to approaching sales opportunities), and discuss the 'what ifs." This showed that she cared about his success, and motivated him by focusing on opportunities, not just the negatives.

2. Infuse Meetings with Learning and Fun

According to Monica Frederick, V.P. of Sales at ModernHealth, Inc., "Staying connected to the sales team on a consistent basis is one of the biggest challenges for a sales manager!" She uses meetings to build teamwork and keep salespeople engaged. In her biweekly meetings, she kicks off by reviewing the company's mission and team meeting ground rules. She has also been using The Loyalty Group's thinktwice® Sales Cards to make meetings more learning oriented. Each meeting, a sales team member takes a turn facilitating a 45-60 minute sales lesson from the thinktwice® Sales Meeting Leader Guide. Team members leave with in-field assignments and discuss their results at the next sales meeting. Monica has also chartered a Modern Toastmaster's Club for her sales team that meets biweekly, to build teamwork and strengthen presentation skills.

3. Schedule Sacred Time on your Calendar

There's a saying: What gets scheduled gets done. If you are like most time-challenged sales managers, you live by your calendar. Most sales managers would never miss a meeting with a big prospect, but are willing to reschedule meetings with salespeople for more important priorities. As a sales manager, your salespeople are your customers. You reach your goals through them. So treat them like your best customers. Schedule time on your calendar to talk on a regular basis. And keep those appointments. What should you talk about? Get them talking by asking for examples of:

• The recent sales call they're most proud of.
• The biggest sales challenge they've faced this week.
• The best question they asked a customer this week.
• The toughest objection they've heard recently and how they addressed it.
• How they've applied a skill taught in a recent sales training class, and how it worked.

Just listen. You'll be surprised at what you learn, and the positive impact it will have on your relationships with your team.

©2006 The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved. www.TheLoyaltyGroup.com

Managing Customer Loyalty

About a month ago, I was promoted from Marketing Coordinator at The Loyalty Group (TLG) to the Manager of Customer Loyalty. Since it was a new position at the company, I was asked to help define the role and responsibilities…and decided to write on what Customer Loyalty means in today’s business world as well as here at TLG.

First, I opted to Google “customer loyalty” — and 0.27 seconds later I came up with 28 million definitions.

Next, I thought about my past role as a Consumer Market Knowledge Manager for Procter & Gamble and what I’ve learned about Loyalty in my personal experiences — Here are some of my insights, lessons learned, and some questions that I’ll be thinking about in my new role as Manager of Customer Loyalty.

• Customer Loyalty often starts internally with Employee Loyalty. According to Deloitte Consulting there is a strong correlation between employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction and, in turn, between employee loyalty and customer loyalty. On my first day in this role, my manager made it a point to really define my goals, show me how they link to company goals and even wanted to know about my work style. Showing me where I fit in made me a loyal internal customer…and set the stage for on how I should communicate to our clients. Ask Yourself: What can I do to first create loyal employees?

• Customer Loyalty begins before the sale. Loyalty starts way at the beginning of the business cycle, when people start looking for a particular product or service. They may see your ad, hear about your company from a friend, or find your website while researching the Internet. After implementing a system to track visitors on our newly revamped website at TLG, I’ve learned the value of knowing who really is looking at what we offer. Where are they from? How long do they stay? Where do they click? These valuable numbers help me understand what seems interesting to website visitors and what keeps them coming back. Ask Yourself: What can I do to create loyalty from that initial point of contact?

• Customer Loyalty is not just about getting positive feedback, but about being open to all kinds of feedback. To really get the valuable insight, you need to ensure that the customer is comfortable enough to tell you the good, the bad and the ugly. My family is in the restaurant business and they are constantly encouraging managers to get feedback from their patrons on a daily basis. One thing they teach is a role playing activity where the manager approaches a table and asks “How is everything going?” The standard answer from customers is usually an enthusiastic “Great!” Nothing more, nothing less. Next, we ask the manager to rephrase the question by saying, “It looks like everything is going well tonight. What ELSE could we have done to make your visit with us even better?” By showing customers that you are sincerely open to all feedback, you earn their respect — and are much more likely to get useful, honest data. Ask Yourself: Am I making it easy for the customer to give me all their feedback, or am I encouraging just the feedback I want to hear?

• You build loyal customers by actually TALKING to customers. In the age of voice prompted customer service lines and web contact forms, I’ve learned that most clients still yearn for an actual person. The other day a client had an emergency and couldn’t find training materials that had been shipped to them. You can bet that our voicemail system didn’t have an option to press 7 “for when you can’t find your materials and the meeting starts in 10 minutes!” People still appreciate that human touch sometimes. Ask Yourself: Am I really providing wanted customer service…or just making things more efficient for me?

• You can earn the Loyalty of your suppliers by treating them like partners. At TLG we work with a Network of Associates, independent contractors with varying roles who choose how involved they want to be with our company. Because as independent contractors they are “free agents,” we must earn their loyalty or they’ll work for someone else. One of our latest initiatives has been to host complimentary Webinars for our Associates so they really understand what the company is about, and how to market us. We also developed a secure login section on our website to make their jobs more efficient while working remotely. Keeping our Associates loyal first, in turn helps keep our ultimate customer loyal. Ask Yourself: How can I earn the Loyalty of others who work with me?

The definition of Customer Loyalty is broader than I originally thought, and it looks like none of the 28 million Google answers really fit—but one thing I know for sure is that it already has had a big impact on me…and our business.

*To learn where the name The Loyalty Group came from, click here.

©2006 The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved. www.TheLoyaltyGroup.com

What Makes a Successful Project Team?

It seems that these days, everyone's on a project team. There are new product development teams, process mapping teams, customer service teams, sales teams, special project teams, strategic planning teams...teams to discuss teamwork, teams to oversee other teams, etc.

This means lots of time spent in meetings, much of which is spent spinning wheels. During these meetings, people often bring other work, check their Blackberries, or think about what else they could be doing if they weren't in this meeting.

My experience is that most project teams, departmental or cross-functional, aren't very efficient or effective. So what makes a project team successful?

Last week I was at Harvard, delivering a half-day session for the Maynard Institute's Media Academy, a leadership development program for high-potential managers from diverse backgrounds. The group of 20 managers was divided into project teams at the beginning of the week-long program and given a business case study. The week ended with project team presentations, with each team giving their analysis and recommendations. My session was early in the week; the topic was team dynamics and process. The point was to help these project teams recognize what makes teams successful and what derails them, to set them up for success.

Below are some of the key points from the session I delivered.

- Research from Eckes and Associates shows that the root cause of most project team failures is poor team dynamics.

- The Loyalty Group's experience shows that the following are success factors for project teams:

• Common, clearly-defined goals.
• Trust and a “safe” environment.
• Everyone participates.
• Perceived importance of the project or goals.
• Team agreements/ground rules.
• All team roles are fulfilled (diverse styles, approaches, ways of thinking, etc.)
• An effective Team Process (see graphic below, copyright The Loyalty Group, Inc.).

- Most project teams move too quickly through the first step, defining outcomes, deliverables and milestones. They don't clearly define the end. As I told my Mayard group, one of my mantras is "Start with the End." If you're not clear on where you're going, why, and what success will look like...you're throwing darts at a moving target while blindfolded. It's inefficient and unproductive.

- Depending on the team dynamics and styles of team members, teams may get stuck in the assessment phase (over-analyzing) or jump to selecting solutions too quickly (driving to get the project done).

In our session, we used a Team Dimensions Profile, developed by Inscape Publishing. It worked really well and gave us a framework for talking about people's roles in teams. The Harvard session participants had very rich discussions after seeing their personal profiles and gained insights into why their project teams were working or stuck in storming (wheel spinning). My only advice if you're going to use this instrument is that you do it yourself first, then walk your participants through it step by step. The instructions are a bit confusing in the participant assessment booklet.

There is so much more out there on team dynamics and what makes project teams work. It's a very complex topic (read Animal Farm or Lord of the Flies). What can you do? The next time you're assigned to a project team, step up by: insisting on a clear process that "starts with the end", defining roles and ensuring diversity on the team, and facilitating healthy discussions about team dynamics along the way. Your time is too valuable to waste.

©2006 The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved. www.TheLoyaltyGroup.com

Freakonomics - Smart Airplane Reading!

I'm getting ready for a flight to Salt Lake City tomorrow. I'll be delivering a one-day Coaching and Performance Management session at Wasatch Advisors. I'm packing my latest "favorite" business book, Freakonomics by Levitt and Dubner. Since I'm now seven months pregnant, flying isn't as comfortable as it used to be, so an engaging book is more valuable than ever.

I bought Freakonomics at the ASTD conference after seeing Levitt and Dubner keynote there. When I saw them on the ASTD agenda, I remember wondering what economics had to do with the Training and Development profession.

I get it now. This is a great, stimulating read. Anyone who's curious about the world - or wants to develop a healthy sense of curiosity - should read this book. Steven D. Levitt, who labels himself a "rogue economist", epitomizes the competencies of innovation, curiosity and analysis. He asks questions that no one else asks, sees connections between things that other people don't see, and takes risks by going places where other economists won't go.

American business needs more people who think like Levitt. He challenges conventional thinking and asks "Why?"

I highly recommend this book!

©2006 The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved. www.TheLoyaltyGroup.com

How to Select Job Candidates with Integrity (Pay Attention to Clues)

In the film Meet the Parents, Robert DeNiro's character is a parent/ex-CIA agent who is known as a "human lie detector." Although he had a real polygraph machine in his basement, he didn't need it. He could just tell when people were lying by talking to them. He would have made a great interviewer.

It seems to be getting harder to find job candidates who have strong integrity. Candidates who are "integrity-challenged" don't necessarily have criminal records, shifty eyes or sweaty palms. They may be normal-looking (even highly skilled) employees who hide mistakes or blame others, take credit for other people's work, violate copyrights intentionally or sabotage others when upset.

In our company's Selection in Action training, managers often ask us, "What can we do as hiring managers to select for integrity and weed out those who lack it?" The easy answer is...there is no easy answer.

The best we can do is set up an effective selection system that has validated, built-in assessments for integrity, including psychological testing, behavioral interviewing and simulations.

However, even the best selection system can suffer from human error. Think about it. Well-built cars don't have accidents. Drivers have accidents. The same goes for selection systems. Well-built selection systems rarely make mistakes. Hiring managers who use selection systems have accidents. The biggest "accident" a hiring manager can make in the selection process is ignoring the objective data that a strong selection process provides.

If your selection system is set up properly, candidates who lack integrity will give clues throughout the selection process. They won't come out and tell you that they lack integrity - they probably won't admit to lying, cheating or sabotaging others. Here are some examples of what you might see and hear during a selection process, that are clues to a candidate's questionable integrity:

- Denying that they've made mistakes in the past or that they've had failures. When candidates consistently make comments such as, "I haven't ever had a big failure or disappointment," or "I haven't had a conflict at work. I always get along with everybody," you know they're not telling the truth. If you hire them, don't expect them to own up to mistakes in the workplace.

- Showing up late for phone calls and interviews, rescheduling appointments, not following up as promised...and making excuses. No matter how much you love these candidates or how "perfect" they are for the job, don't ignore how they behave during the selection process. This is your best clue as to how they'll actually behave when you hire them.

- Telling stories about how they achieved a positive result, but cut corners or "fudged the truth" to get the result. As hiring managers, it's easy to be blinded by candidates' stories of making customers happy, saving the company money or making a sale. Don't ignore how they got those results. For example, a sales candidate who closed a million dollar contract at her last job may make a sales hiring manager salivate. But don't forget to ask how the candidate got that million dollar sale. Did she have to overpromise deliverables to get the sale? Did the sale actually cost the company money because the margins weren't high enough? Did she exaggerate her company's capabilities, or sweeten the deal with unauthorized "freebies", to close the sale? Dig deep and pay attention to the whole story.

Of course, none of this is a guarantee that you'll hire the perfect candidate with impeccable integrity. Like motivations or personal values, integrity isn't something you can see easily. But you can become more like DeNiro's "human lie detector" by engaging your integrity radar and paying attention to the clues candidates drop during the selection process. Chances are, candidates who are lacking integrity will subtly reveal themselves if you pay attention to the signs.

And remember, most people are good. Assume that people have integrity until they show you otherwise. Try to be smart and objective when hiring...without being cynical or prejudging.

©2006 The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved. www.TheLoyaltyGroup.com

Sales Training Best Practices Research

My PR person, Kimberly Hathaway, found this press release link. It's got some useful best practice research on sales training. I've used this site myself for other (non-sales) best practice business research. I recommend it. You have to register but there is some good stuff on it.


Recent benchmarking research completed by Best Practices Research and Consulting shows that the average sales employee receives 41.5 hours of training a year (based on a cross- industry study.) This research on the Design and Administration of Sales Training Programs (a complimentary study excerpt is available at http://www3.best-in-class.com/de215.htm) identifies how much training the average company provides to its sales associates, as well as the skills trained and the most effective medians for conveying information.

I also recommend trying the Best Practices company site for business best practices research on a variety of topics. You have to register but some of the reports are really interesting...great support for making a business case in an organization.

©2006 The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved. www.TheLoyaltyGroup.com

Toughen Up with Hard to Hear Feedback

In The Loyalty Group's June e-newsletter on Coaching, I promised my own personal story about how a coach impacted me. Here goes...

Several years ago my company was at a turning point and I had some tough decisions to make about our direction, and the role I would play as our company's leader. It was the perfect time to work with a coach.

We started with the usual stuff - goal setting, crafting my personal mission, my company's business plan, etc. We reviewed The Loyalty Group's values, which included Integrity. I stressed to my coach that this value was very personal to me - as well as critical to our business philosophy. I talked at length about what integrity looked like, why I valued it - and how I'd always prided myself on it.

In a later meeting, I shared with my coach a problem I was having with a long-term business associate. We were struggling to come to terms on a contract, and I thought that my associate was being petty. I was resentful that he was asking for what I perceived as unfair terms. I was considering pulling out of the relationship all together. I remember telling my coach, "This is causing me more time and stress than it's worth. It's easier to just walk away."

My coach asked if I'd shared my feelings with the associate.

"Not really," I said. "We've had lots of discussions about the business terms, but I haven't actually said how I feel, or that I'm ready to walk away. I don't think it'll do any good."

My coach called me out. He said, "So you don't truly value Integrity?"

I was taken aback. I asked what he meant.

He explained, "You say that you pride yourself on your high Integrity. Yet you're not being honest with your associate. You're stewing, stressing, complaining behind his back, talking to me about the problem, thinking that he's being petty...yet you haven't told him how you feel. Now you're thinking of ending this long-term relationship without giving him the benefit of knowing what's going on. How is that acting with Integrity?"

Now I don't recommend this type of tough-love coaching approach for everyone. My coach knew that, given my strong personality, it was what I needed. And he was right. His words were like icewater being thrown in my face. I had to rethink everything. Was it possible that I saw myself as someone who was candid and possessed high integrity - but was actually something different in practice?

This was an especially appalling thought for me, being a consultant. How many clients and organizations had I coached about "Walking the Talk?" But here I was, being called on the very same issue. I felt like a hypocrite.

Why am I sharing this story? Take what you want from it, but there are a few key lessons I learned:

- Great coaches are like great parents, in that they don't have to be your friends. If you want someone to always make you feel good, support you even when you're wrong and have laughs with...call a friend. If you want to hear the truth and be asked the tough questions that your friends won't ask...go get a good coach.

- When someone gives you feedback that hurts, there's probably some truth to it...even if the words themselves are harsh. My husband is an actor so I read some of the acting trade magazines. The world's most accomplished actors consistently say, "When I read a script and I'm afraid of taking the part, I know I have to do it. If it's going to be a tough role for me, it's probably the right one." Remember, from discomfort comes growth. When you get tough coaching feedback, take a deep breath, count to 10, resist the urge to defend yourself, and ask yourself, "What's behind this feedback?" Assume there is at least some grain of truth to it. Work with your coach to find it and do something about it.

In case you're wondering, I do believe that I've changed from the experience. After this coaching discussion, I had a very direct conversation with my associate. I won't lie. It was painful. But when it was done, we came out the other side in a very good place. We're closer than ever and have a new level of candor in our relationship. I always remember this when I'm confronted with a difficult interpersonal situation and I'm tempted to walk away. Face it. It'll be painful in the short-term, but easier in the long-term.

I'd like to hear your personal story about a tough coaching discussion. What's the most difficult feedback or coaching you've received - and how did it change you for the better?

©2006 The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved. www.TheLoyaltyGroup.com

Charisma...Are We Influenced?

When I saw that my Monday morning LA Times included a feature article on charisma called The "It" Factor, I braced myself for a fluffy story about skinny Hollywood "it girls" or Brad and Angelina's new baby. Refreshingly, it wasn't. In fact, it was a well-researched, substantial article in the Times Health section that has a lot of relevance to being a manager in the corporate world (or "non-entertainment world" as we call it in Los Angeles).

Not surprisingly, the experts say that charisma is an inherent trait, like creativity. Some of us are born with more of it than others. Yet the article by Janet Cromley also makes the case that people can learn to be more charismatic. Imagine the potential impact on the training profession. Some consulting company is going to make a bundle marketing a training course that teaches managers, salespeople and executives to be more charismatic. "Charisma 101." A kind of charm school for Jack Welch, Arnold Schwarzenegger or Tom Cruise wanna-be's.

I joke, but in fact it makes sense. To some extent, charisma can be taught. Break "charisma" down into its components and what do you see? Good listening. Passion. Eye contact. Enthusiasm. Mirroring the person with whom you're speaking. Confidence. Some of these are behaviors that can be learned with practice (for example, making strong eye contact or modeling confident body language). And a good therapist (or coach) can help improve self-esteem, boost confidence and develop a more positive attitude.

Still, I believe that it's like any other trait. Don't count on any charisma-boot camp working miracles on someone who's lacking impact. If you hire an uptight, type-A manager...all of the training and coaching in the world is unlikely to change her disposition. If you choose to marry a slob hoping to change them into a neatnick, you'll likely end up divorcing a slob someday.

Work your talents. If you've got charisma, go for it and use it for good. If you don't have it, find other ways to compensate. Capitalize on your smarts, your analytical ability, your tell-it-like-it-is communication style or your ablity to nurture and develop talent. And if a good charisma course comes your way, give it a shot. You probably won't emerge a Ronald Reagan or a Martin Luther King, but you can pick up a few tips to improve your impact.

What do you think? Who's the most charismatic person you've ever met...and what made them that way?

©2006 The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved. www.TheLoyaltyGroup.com

Amazing Coach Story on RealSports

The Loyalty Group's June newsletter, thinktwice today, focuses on coaching. Basically, we all know that coaching is good for us (like taking vitamins or seeing the doctor for checkups)...but its something that's easily pushed aside for "higher priorities" in the workplace.

A few nights ago I saw an amazing story about a coach, Bev Kearney, of the University of Texas. Here is the story link and the blurb posted on the RealSports website.

Making Strides (Revisited)

There is no better example of hard work and dedication translating into success than Bev Kearney of the University of Texas. When REAL SPORTS first profiled the women's track coach in February 2004, Kearney was rehabilitating from injuries sustained in a car accident while continuing to coach from her hospital bed. Since then, she has led the Longhorns to both indoor and outdoor NCAA championships, as well as being named the 2005 National Women's Outdoor Coach of the Year for the fourth time. Accolades are nothing new for Kearney, who was a standout athlete in her own right, qualifying for the 1980 U.S. Olympic trials in the 200-meter dash. But for all her personal success, it has been her ability to lead others in the face of adversity that makes Kearney the embodiment of the word "coach." Correspondent Mary Carillo reunites with the remarkable mentor who continues to make strides.

Correspondent: Mary Carillo
Producer: Michael Sullivan

What struck me most about this sports story was how it paralleled the case for good coaching in today's business world. Many of us take coaching for granted. We often find excuses not to coach ("Not enough time." "Other real work to do.") or not to be coached ("I don't have time." "I already know what I'm supposed to do."). Kearney's story showed how powerful one coach can be - even from a wheelchair. Kearney coached her track team to victory without even attending her team's practices, because she was bedridden. She watched video tapes of their practices and meets, and later gave them coaching and feedback. Think of how many managers use the excuse for not coaching, "I don't have time to get in the field to see my people in action." Where there's a will, there's a way.

The story also showed how critical it is for individuals to WANT coaching. Everyone on Kearney's team looked up to her, believed in themselves and her, and wanted to be coached to win. There were no egos. There were no walls. Just openness and an common goal shared between coach and team.

There is a lesson for us all in the business world in this story. When coaching is done right - and both parties want to coach and be coached - almost anything can be accomplished. Imagine how much more innovative, productive and competitive our companies would be if we possessed this powerful coaching culture. What results could we achieve that we're not getting now?

©2006 The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved. www.TheLoyaltyGroup.com

Reflections on ASTD International Conference in Dallas

Welcome to my new blog. It’s been two weeks already since Mitzi (our Customer Loyalty Manager) and I were in Dallas for the ASTD conference. We decided not to get a booth at the Expo this year, opting instead to observe, network and learn. I had a wedding in St. Louis last week and I'm in the process of hiring a new Executive Assistant, so this is the first time I've been able to reflect and debrief the conference.

It’s always energizing to be surrounded by thousands of colleagues together at an ASTD conference. We were amazed at the international presence. The number of translation headsets was phenomenal during the major presentations. Learning is truly global, something we all have in common.

On a personal note, I’m six months pregnant. Sitting during the ASTD workshops was a bit of a challenge. It was a challenge not to laugh out loud every time Arlo (our baby boy) kicked. He seemed to approve (two kicks way up) of “strengths guru” Marcus Buckingham (First Break All the Rules and Now, Discover Your Strengths), who replaced Jack Welch as the kickoff speaker. Welch’s last-minute cancellation due to emergency surgery was a big letdown for us, and Buckingham had big shoes to fill. But he delivered. Buckingham gave a feel-good, inspirational speech about the power of tapping into strengths, which included only a minor book pitch and brought much of the crowd to its feet.

Arlo approved less (no kicks) of some of the workshop breakout sessions, which were occasionally superficial, basic or downright boring. What do you expect when a consultant is boiling down a three-day seminar into a bite-sized hour? The best sessions I attended were:

- A session titled, “Podcasting: The Next Big Thing in E-Learning and Mobile Training by Anders Gronstedt of the Gronstedt Group. I accidentally attended this one by walking into the wrong room…but I’m SO glad that I stayed. Great stuff, good idea exchange and very credible facilitator with colorful examples.

- A panel discussion (View from the CLO) on the role of the learning executive Tuesday afternoon. The most interesting thing I learned was that even in companies sophisticated enough to have a CLO position, there are still struggles in integrating HR and Learning systems.

- A sales training case study presentation by Eric Baron and Prudential. This session really stressed the importance of involving sales organizations in designing their own learning programs. We (TLG) specialize in working with sales organizations, and one thing we’ve learned is that every sales organization believes that it is unique. We’ve always tailored our sales training programs; out of the box content doesn’t seem to resonate in most sales organizations.

I’m currently working on a book proposal and had some success at the ASTD Expo with publishers. I had a meeting with a senior editor from Wiley on Thursday morning and got some interest. Also made contacts with McGraw Hill and a Pearson (Price Pritchett). My goal is to have a signed deal by the end of 2006…so I’ll keep you posted.

©2006 The Loyalty Group. All Rights Reserved. www.TheLoyaltyGroup.com