3 Ways to Grow with Impacting Leaders in 2018

Yes, I know we haven’t made it through Christmas yet, but I can’t wait any longer to tell you about three great opportunities that you, your team, and even your clients and prospects won’t want to miss through Impacting Leaders! (more…)

In my career, I’ve been blessed to coach to a variety of personalities, strengths and work styles. I’ve learned that in most cases, there is no “right” and “wrong” way to be, and that different roles seem to attract different types of people. For example, sales people are more likely to fly by the seat of their pants and just wing it, especially if selling comes naturally to them. While it’s great that a person can quickly flex, a complete lack of discipline can harm the teammate’s individual performance as well as the team’s overall results. As leaders, we sometimes need to coach our people on those discipline extremes back toward the middle. (more…)

Good sales people are competitive. It’s in their DNA. Their focus is on being the best. Breaking records. Beating out the competition – even if that competition is comprised of their fellow colleagues.

This same winner-take-all drive can hinder a competitor’s opportunities to lead others. Sometimes it’s because their own leaders think that the person’s competitiveness will keep them from caring for or thinking of the people they lead. Sometimes it’s because their teammates are more comfortable working for a nurturing, servant-minded leader rather than a competitive producer. Some may think that in order for the individual to be a capable leader they must dilute their competitive drive. (more…)

Discipline. Now that’s a word that can send a streak of freak down our spine! Why is that? I think it’s because discipline is a self-accountability trait. It’s very difficult to hold another person in discipline. Discipline is a commitment and effort that must come from within.

For example:

  • No one can diet for me. I must be disciplined to not over eat.
  • No one can exercise for me. I must be disciplined to work out myself.
  • No one can react appropriately for me. I must be disciplined to remain calm.

I’m inspired to write about discipline because recently I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside some great sales people whose results didn’t match up with their potential due to their lack of discipline. Why were they just meeting instead of exceeding their goals? They were okay with just getting by. Being okay with just getting by hurts our performance and the performance of our team. It’s what separates the good from the great from the best. (more…)

I used to live by the mantra, “Sales Can Fix Everything.”  When sales processes and sales people are aligned it truly can fix nearly every business challenge. When the recession played havoc on our businesses the only way to push through it was to sell through it. Those that did are still surviving or thriving today. Cutting expenses won’t get you to the top, and you can’t save your way through a recession. You have to sell your way through it.

As I matured through my career, I was inspired by John Maxwell to add another mantra to run beside my sales passion: “Everything Rises and Falls on Leadership.” When we weave sales and leadership together, we create an unbelievable one-two punch for our company’s success in both growth and sustainability. A strong sales culture can get you to the top, but it takes a leadership culture to keep you there.

So, let’s reflect on this: if sales fixes everything… and everything rises and falls on leadership… shouldn’t we then intentionally focus on creating a culture that amplifies both sales and leadership? How are you doing with that? (more…)

Too much of anything is never good for us. Too much food, too much TV, too much sun, too much wine, too much work, and yes, even too much play. While all of these examples are okay, they each require balance; any of them can be harmful in excess.

The same is true in leading only with your head or your heart. (more…)

It is so easy to slip into a producer mode of head down, isolated activity during the holiday season. We panic (or is it just me?) over all the items that need to get done by December 25. With all the gifts to buy, dinners to attend, and parties to host, we can get so caught up in the hustle and bustle that we loose sight of the big picture.

For our family, the big picture of Christmas is being together to celebrate its purpose: the birth of Jesus Christ. Whenever I get bogged down in the day-to-day activities associated with the holidays, I adjust my focus towards the big picture. This helps me forge ahead with a better feel for the purpose of the season.

Business is no different. (more…)