Accomplishment Coaching

Remember starting that new job?  Or moving into a new position after a promotion?  As exciting as it can be, it frequently comes with some challenges, especially for a new sales manager.

So, what are the greatest challenges a new sales director / manager faces?  And most importantly, what are some ways to move beyond those challenges?

1) Overcoming the context of “You need to fix the mess your predecessor left behind.”

Suggestion = Start a dialogue with your boss and direct reports to get their experience of your predecessor complete. No matter what happened with your predecessor, you’re walking into an existing context that may not support your success. Context is decisive, so if you don’t address this, you will have a heck of a time “proving yourself” because your boss and team will be constantly comparing you to your predecessor rather than the actual goals of the organization.

2) Align the existing sales team on your vision, commitment and goals for the organization.

Suggestion = A new sales director/manager (like any human) will automatically focus on their performance. That’s not your job. Your job is to publicize your vision, commitment and goals for the organization by fostering partnerships, defining clear expectations, and implementing a uniform project design or results plan that everyone is accountable to - including you.

3) Ensuring an effective and fair system for having the right team in place.

Suggestion = Fostering authentic and responsible relationships with your team AND defining crystal clear expectations is paramount. In doing so, you have the ability to inspire, acknowledge, discipline and terminate members of your team with the fewest negative consequences. Have a clear results measurement system, publicize it, coach your team to take appropriate action on the plan, offer feedback immediately, and don’t be afraid to make changes to the team at any time.

As a new leader, you have a terrific opportunity to make a difference.  By focusing on serving your new team, you will accelerate relationships and results immediately.

Preston True Career Development, Leadership Development, Marketing Business Development, Career Development, Coaching, Entrepreneur, Leadership, Sales and Marketing

Yesterday, I had a conversation with Alex, a business owner who expressed his frustration with the current state of affairs.  He’s coming off a roller-coaster year in revenues and worried that 2010 will be the same or worse.  The exasperated question came about half-way through our conversation, “Why does this have to be so difficult?”

I had a conversation with Jeff, another business owner later in the day who’s had three consecutive years of increased growth.  His question to me was a bit different… “When will this actually become difficult?”

The similarities in business, service and geographic location are clear between these two owners. 

So what is it that creates the seemingly enormous difference between the two?  How come one is having the experience of dread while the other is having the time of his life?

I asked and here’s what I found:

Consistency vs. inconsistency - Each year, Jeff makes a commitment to employ only three marketing strategies for the year and to stick with them regardless of the results each provides monthly.  After 12 months, Jeff determines whether to stick with it or start a new strategy.  When asked, Alex shared that he’s tried more than seven marketing initiatives during the past six months.  If he felt it wasn’t working, he’d jump to the next idea.

Integrity vs. incongruity - Jeff makes a point to keep his intentions, speaking and actions aligned no matter what the effort.  He shows up on time, follows through on all commitments, and practices saying “no” more frequently than saying “yes.”  Alex is rarely on time, gets complaints from staff that he rarely follows through, and finds himself overwhelmed consistently.

Action vs. inertia - Jeff starts every day mapping out the five most important actions to take that day, then takes those actions.  Alex spends most of his day reacting to the concerns and emotions of the day.

Neither business owner is a rock star or a buffoon.  They are simply examples of the way we support or cripple ourselves.  Although our present circumstances frequently dictate our behavior and attitude, we really do have a daily choice to be a Jeff or an Alex. 

Which one are you right now?

Choose powerfully,

-Coach Preston

Preston True Leadership Development, Marketing Business Development, Coaching, Entrepreneur, Leadership, Personal Development, Sales and Marketing

Goal #144 - “Ask my partner to give three hours of his/her time per week, to release me to do something I really enjoy.” ~ Thomas Leonard, www.thomasleonard.com

Can you imagine that? 

Most of us can’t.  Time is just too scarce.  Just too valuable.  Plus, we’re the only ones who can do what we do.

What a crazy trap we set for ourselves.  Much of it is based in ego; the rest based in the concept that suffering under current circumstances is still more comfortable than changing them.

So why not ask your partner, friend, spouse or colleague to give three hours of his/her time this week.  Sure it might seem a bit uncomfortable, but imagine what those three hours will be like if you’re doing something you really, really want to do.

If you’re really saavy, you might just consider spending those three hours developing even more awareness and breakthroughs around time - check out our Time Leadership Workshop on February 25^th.

Tick tock,

- Coach Preston

Preston True Career Development, Leadership Development, Marketing Business Development, Client Development, Entrepreneur, Personal Development, Professional Development, Sales and Marketing

This past weekend, I was in my local bookstore walking through the business section.  I was absolutely amazed at how many books there are on marketing strategies and techniques.  There certainly isn’t any reason a business can’t flourish considering the abundance of marketing resources available.

Yet one of the biggest mistakes a business owner can make is to invest in any marketing effort before knowing exactly where the business needs to go.

A powerful solution to that issue… attend our P3 Workshop tomorrow in Ferndale.

Jump into 2010 with both feet.

- Coach Preston

Preston True Leadership Development, Marketing Business Development, Client Development, Coaching, Leadership, Sales and Marketing

Bright moments in presumed darkness

Earlier this week, I was walking to my Wednesday morning men’s group.  About eight of us gather each week to read, discuss and explore our faith.  Walking out my door I suddenly remembered I failed to get the key from the church office the day before. 

Oh, cr#*!  Oh, sh@&!  Oh, (every expletive I could muster)!  How are we going to make this work?  It’s 35 degrees at 6am on a Wednesday morning, and there are seven other guys depending on me to open up the conference center by 6:25am.  And most importantly, have the coffee ready.

So began my search - I figured there would be someone available at the church since the 6:30am Mass was soon to start.  Or a sexton would be there opening up the rest of the church.  Or by some miracle, the conference center door was left open by a previous guest.  Predictably, none of these were the case.

After my fourth trip in and around the church, I let it go.  “Give it up pal”, was all I could say.  I began walking across the street to post a hand-written sign directing folks to go a half-mile down the road to a local coffee shop.  I figured we’d start about 20 minutes late, but at least we’d meet.  I had given up faith in getting into the conference center, but I was determined to have our men’s group happen.

That’s when Jim appeared.  He’s one of the church administrators.  I see him regularly, but never on this side of the church and certainly not at this time of the morning.  I stopped to ask him if he knew of anyone who might have a key.  He smiled, reached into his pocket, handed me a key to the conference center and said, “I guess it’s your lucky day Preston”.  It was 6:21am.

Luck?

I struggle at times to understand why, in the moment we give up control, what we want actually appears; or at least a close version of it.

A friend once shared with me a definition of faith that I’ve never forgotten:

“Faith is the willingness to move forward without any visible sign it will work.”

Yet this is exactly the opposite of what our culture promotes.  The business world is constantly seeking measurements, metrics, data, analytics and historical financials to prove whether or not to take a step forward.  In other words, to prove faith?

I spent some time on LinkedIn Answers yesterday and responded to a question inquiring what “the best ROI metrics to use in analyzing an investment in social media” would be.  It dawned on me that in our quest to research this information, we’ll end up expending more resources trying to find the right answer than actually investing in our objective.

What if we were to actually practice faith in business?  What if we were to take on making bold promises for a future we want to have without seeking evidence if we could actually get there?  For most of us, this not only goes against “conventional wisdom”, but is completely scary.

Alas, perhaps that’s what true leadership really is - making bold promises, inspiring others to take action in service of that future, and holding the vision of what’s now possible once that future is realized.

Leadership Practices:

1. Write out your most outrageously delicious goal on a piece of paper.
2. List all the doubts, judgments and fears you have about making that future a reality.
3. Commit yourself to one or the other: the future you just created or your doubts, judgments and fears.
4. Enroll at least five people in your future - ask them what they’re first step might be if it where theirs.
5. Create a list of one action per day you’ll take to make that future a reality.
6. Ask for support when you feel you’re about to get stuck, not after you get stuck.
7. Relish in the joy of obtaining that future.

I once heard of a man who unrelentingly tried to sell his fried chicken recipe to restaurants; all of whom turned him away.  Based on his ROI, he was destined to fail.

Ever heard of Kentucky Fried Chicken?

Gobble-gobble,

- Coach Preston

Preston True Leadership Development, Marketing, Spirituality Business Development, Leadership, Personal Development, Sales and Marketing, Spirituality