Success
We’ve all fallen into the trap of doing the same things over and over and expecting different results. Some people call that the definition of insanity. Here’s how it plays out in our daily lives: You are trying to figure out how to close a deal that won’t close. You want your client to realize…
Sales and leadership have taught me a great deal about relationships, and so have those of you who have been on this journey with me over the years. We have worked together and grown together, and you have allowed me to develop as a consultant, speaker, and writer. That is why I am so excited…
What does your pipeline look like? What percentage of your pipeline does your biggest account represent? A few years ago I was in Sao Paulo, Brazil, doing a keynote on negotiations. During the break, a CEO of a small company that produces automobile parts approached me and complained about the purchasing agent of a major automobile…
What are you avoiding today? Avoidance played a big part in my failure to write last week’s blog. You see, I was busy with client work, and there was the holiday weekend, and I had writer’s block… and yes, I am making excuses. Usually, I get motivated by the big idea, and when I don’t have a…
This past Sunday the New York Yankees retired their remaining single digit number, which belonged to their former captain Derek Jeter who played with them for twenty seasons. For most of his career Jeter was consistently among the leaders in the American League in hits and runs scored, and he served as the Yankees’ team captain from…
Welcome to Periscope! Periscope is a new app offered by Twitter that allows people to live stream video to their clients, followers and the world. I am now broadcasting on Periscope a few times a week to communicate with you, our clients, tips on how to grow your business. To get this FREE service, simply…
Ever have to write a proposal and get stuck with the enormity of the situation, especially when your head is not into it? Or, do you shy away from prospecting because it simply is not something you cherish to do and therefore you procrastinate to avoid this distasteful activity? Brian Tracy in his book Eat…
The key to being influential, a great leader and a top producer in sales is one’s ability to listen. I am not talking about just hearing the words people use. I am referring to being in the listening of those you are trying to influence. For example, when people use words you hear everyday, do…
The good news is I just lost 16 pounds! I am on a mission to lose another 40. Each day is a struggle. Why? Because I look at this process as having to be on a diet. That is until I realized I was operating under the wrong mindset. You see, all of us are…
It was a hot summer day in July, 1977 and I was working at a summer job on Wall Street heading into my senior year at college. I remember sitting on the steps of Federal Hall at the corner of Broad and Wall Street eating lunch when Congressman Ed Koch walked around the corner and…
The number one reason why sales cultures are not performing the way CEOs want them to is simply because they’re concentrating on the wrong people. That’s right. You see, last Sunday was the annual Met Gala in New York City. The Met Gala was started in 1995 by Anna Wintour, who is the editor-in-chief of…
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Did you hear that Rolls-Royce announced this week that it is building five brand new buildings on its main manufacturing site in England? So, I ask you, what was the driver for making this huge, expensive decision? Many of you would say it is to build new cars. That is far from the truth. The reason…
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In today’s world, the pressure to quickly deliver innovative solutions can sometimes lead to unintended consequences. Just ask Boeing. Its recent spate of mishaps is causing it a lot of problems. From increased regulatory pressures to safety concerns to customers, fliers, like me, worrying whether or not the Boeing plane they’re on is actually going to get…
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As we’ve all seen for the last year or two, there’s been a lot of shoplifting. A pack of thieves breaking into stores, stealing massive amounts of merchandise, and leaving before the cops come. If they’re caught, they’re back on the streets in a couple of minutes. Shoplifting has gotten to such a high degree…
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I want you to meet Alex. Alex is a van driver who picked me and a few of my colleagues up from the hotel in Albuquerque this weekend to take us to the airport. It was a seven-minute ride. During the ride, Alex asked us if we had traveled to many different cities and ordered…
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If you truly want to keep your competitors out of your accounts, you must become part of the inner woven fabric of your client’s organization. Consider that loose piece of thread sticking out of the bottom of your sweater, and you start pulling it. All of a sudden, you inadvertently pull apart the entire sweater.…
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A few years ago, I was taking a self-improvement course in New York City with a good friend of mine. After the program, we returned to my condo in Fort Lee, New Jersey, on the 10th floor. Now, my friend is an accomplished pilot. He flew overseas commercially for a major airline and was a…
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This past Sunday, we had a great Super Bowl with an overtime win—the San Francisco 49ers against the Kansas City Chiefs. Both teams had two different styles of quarterbacks. One of the reasons both teams made it to the Super Bowl was because their head coaches leveraged each quarterback’s strengths. Coach Andy Reid, with the…
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In 2006, I collaborated on a negotiation book with famed negotiator, Herb Cohen. Herb has a saying that negotiation is a game, a game that both sides want to win. Yet, most people lose velocity in their efforts to negotiate a deal because they are married to getting the deal exactly the way they want…
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25 years ago, when I started my speaking and consulting business, I started my first office in an executive suite. I met this person who worked for a computer company and we developed a friendship. Every morning we’d come to work, we would meet in the kitchen, and we’d have our morning coffee. We would…
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