As leaders, we make hundreds of decisions each day -- some are reflexive: We don’t think, we just react. Other choices are far more deliberate.When it comes to sales coaching, when do we choose to guide people to a set of choices they can act on (facilitate) and when do we assert specific action steps and behaviors holding people accountable (prescribe)?Choosing from these two modes of interaction can make the difference between success and failure -- and true professional de […]

Perspectives and opinions differ from person to person. Ask as many people as you can within the same organization the very same question and you'll be amazed at how many different answers you will get -- and more importantly, at how many different opportunities there can be to create a solution in response.Let me put this into "perspective."Sitting in a bar on a recent rainy Saturday afternoon in Kennebunkport Maine, my friend Terri and I were assaulted by the four blar […]

Intent is a pretty big deal at ninety five 5.As Mahan and Randy wrote in their book, "Let’s Get Real or Let’s Not Play," if your intent as you work with clients is not crystal clear to you, it probably isn't to them, either. The objective is to act congruently with that intent so that they feel it even if you don’t come right out and tell them what it is. When communication becomes challenging with a client, you may find actually stating yo […]

Scott MacDade was my first of many sales managers. He had a keen ability to relate to clients, walk away from fuzzy opportunities, and close large deals faster than any other sales manager in our region.I was a new IBM account executive, and after several days in the field together, Scott and I had a conversation that went something like this…"Deena, you were a business major in college, right?""Yes," I replied."So you know what a basic accounting le […]