The Demise of Dysfunctional Selling

Over the last 2 days, I was fortunate to attend one of our public sessions for Helping Clients Succeed.  I was in the room with very seasoned sales professionals, CEOs and sales trainers from around the country.  Everyone was there to learn a new and better way to work with their clients. 

Let’s face it!  Dysfunctional selling is all around us.  Salespeople are trying to sell solutions to help their clients all while trying to make a quota.  Clients are struggling with their businesses and need outside vendors, yet they don’t like “being sold” and withhold valuable information that could help the salesperson help them with their products and services.  Without trust the sale will rarely happen. 

Take the comic above for example.  Do your prospects feel like wallets rather than people?  If so, you will rarely close a deal.

Here is a typical scenario.  After a few short interactions, the client asks for a proposal just to see if the solution is in their budget.  Like a dog fetching a ball, the salesperson gladly chases that opportunity, wastes a lot of time drafting a proposal and drumming up internal support without ever knowing if the client is going to buy or not.  In most cases they don’t.  The sales rep is now back at the beginning of trying to drum up new business and starting this dysfunctional process all over again.  At the same time, the client is also frustrated because they need outside assistance, yet think all salespeople are out to get their money.  The next vendor approaches them and they repeat again, too.

If the above scenario sounds like your sales process, then you might want to take a look at our Sales Performance Solutions.  We work with sales teams with an entirely different approach.  Your sales professionals learn that “Intent counts more than technique” and to “Move off the solution” and to truly focus on the client, rather than trying to make the sale.  After they go through the process, when it is time to offer the client a solution, they provide them with one that “exactly meets their needs.”  These sales have a higher close ratio, are often much bigger and clients are happy to do business with you again and refer you to other clients.

Ready for a change?  If so, use the Online Appointment Book at the top right of this page and let’s set up a 30-minute call to explore your situation.  You can also learn more by ordering a copy of the book, Let’s Get Real or Let’s Not Play: Transforming the Buyer/Seller Relationship. 

Helping our clients succeed,

John Vakidis

PS - if you are an executive or a sales leader, consider joining us in Dallas on April 5^th for a ½ day session to better understand this process.  Contact me directly to register.  Seats are limited.

Speed of Trust Results

Yesterday, I attended a keynote with over 100 DFW leaders to hear best-selling author, Stephen M.R. Covey deliver his message on Leading at the Speed of Trust.  Stephen started the morning with his story about how he went fly fishing several years ago.  He explained how he couldn’t see the fish in the stream until he put on a pair of polarized sunglasses.  Once he had them on, he could see fish… a lot of fish.  He related this to trust in the simple explanation of our paradigms.  Trust is everywhere.  Until we “put on the glasses to see it”, we might not see it either.  Watch the video below narrated by Stephen for a further explanation.

During yesterday’s keynote, participants got to sample our Speed of Trust Cards that we use when delivering training for clients (see samples below).  These cards provide a detailed description of The 4 Cores of Credibility and the 13 Behaviors of a High Trust Leader.  They set clear definitions for each of the cores and behaviors.  They also define the counterfeits for each behavior so that participants can recognize the difference.

When our clients apply The Speed of Trust Process to their organization and make it a part of their culture, they typically see Spectacular Results!  We have several client testimonials, but one of the most well-known client videos we have is from Frito Lay. 

Take a moment to watch this video now

Frito Lay has trained well over 40,000 employees over the last 5 years with this content and has made our Speed of Trust Process part of the way they do business.  They have used this process not only with employees and leaders, but with their external partners, too. 

Clients are using this process to help in a variety of ways:

·         Increase Employee Engagement

·         Improving Mergers and Acquisitions (pre and post)

·         Enable Change Management

·         and more …

If you are interested in learning more about the Speed of Trust Jobs to Be Done and how this PROCESS might impact your business, I suggest setting up a 30-minute call with your FranklinCovey Client Partner.  Consider using the Meeting Request Calendar on the top right of this page or contact me directly.

For those of you in charge of training, consider joining us for a webinar on n February 23^rd.  We will be discussing more client results like Frito Lay.  CLICK HERE to learn more and register now.

Remember this… “Nothing is as fast as The Speed of Trust.” - Stephen M.R. Covey

Your trusted partner,

John Vakidis

PS - Follow this link to download an executive book summary of The Speed of Trust.

Sales Performance

In November 2011, I wrote a 4 week blog series based on some research from Gallup about the 4 key factors that determine a salesperson’s success:   

1.       Intrinsic motivation

2.       Disciplined work style

3.       Ability to build relationships with customers

4.       Ability to close a sale

While the first 3 aspects are more linked to characteristics of a good sales person, the last one really depends on the PROCESS in which a salesperson works with their prospects and clients.  In retail, managers often push their salespeople to "Close, close, close!" because they know the statistics that when a person leaves without buying, the chance of them coming back can be thwarted by a number of factors, which leads to items remaining in the warehouse.

In more complex B-T-B sales environment, the way you consult your client will have a dramatic effect on not only if they buy, but how much they buy, how fast they buy and if they will ever buy from you again.  Many companies are good at initiating the opportunity.  Their marketing department has done good analysis of determining what companies want/need and the price they are willing to pay for their products or service.  With a well-written email or good phone call, a salesperson might be able to set up a meeting.  From that point, this is where most salespeople FAIL.

In Mahan Khalsa’s book, Let’s Get Real or Let’s Not Play: Transforming the Buyer/Seller Relationship, he and co-author, Randy Illig explain that when in a more complex sale envirnoment, salespeople need to learn to work with their clients in IN ORDER.  They need to understand their client’s needs (Opportunity Creation) and build them a solution that exactly meets their needs and help them get results (Opportunity Conversion).

The Key to Sustained Superior Sales Performance lies solely on getting a sales force to adopt a proven methodology and hold them accountable to execute the process.  As a sales leader, if you can do this well, you will hit your quota year after year and you’ll have plenty of happy clients that are willing to be referrals.

To learn more, consider requesting a meeting with your FranklinCovey Client Partner using the Online Appointment Book (top right of this page) or even joining us in Dallas on February 22-23 for our regional 2-day public session for Helping Clients Succeed. 

To your sales success,

John Vakidis

Are you on LinkedIn?  If so, connect with me and mention that you read this blog post on "Sales Performance"

Attitude is Everything

It’s the first Friday of February, so today I bring you the second post by my colleague, Mark Murphy.  Last month Mark authored a blog titled, Networking and Trust.  Today, Mark writes about something close to my heart.  The subject is Attitude is Everything.  See if today’s post resonates with you and if it does, feel free to post the URL on Facebook or Twitter.  Who knows, maybe you’ll be able to help someone else with their attitude.  Enjoy!_______________________________________________________________________

“If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.” —Antoine de Saint Exupery

Our attitudes and beliefs drive our behaviors; our behaviors in turn determine results.  For example, some managers could have the belief that people over 50 are incapable of embracing technology; therefore deciding that anything having to do with innovative technology on a project should be the responsibility of younger IT team members.  This could potentially cause problems on the team. There may be older members of the team who are quite tech savvy and some younger team members who aren’t.  We sometimes make assumptions which can be inaccurate and can cause trouble if not clarified. Remember, Steve Jobs was in his 50’s as is Bill Gates.

The See-Do-Get cycle from Dr. Steven Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, illustrates how our attitudes drive behaviors which ultimately determine results.  As an example of how the model works, let’s take a cue from history. 

Imagine that we are all physicians in the 15th century. What was the belief system held regarding illness in the 15th century?  Where did it reside in the body? Answer:  If you were sick, you were thought to have bad blood – a condition that meant that you were probably evil to some degree. If that’s our paradigm, the way we “see” things, what do we “do” to heal patients? We bleed them. What kinds of results do we probably get? Dead people. 

As physicians, we’ve taken the Hippocratic Oath.  We sincerely have a desire to help people.   It’s obvious we’re not getting very good results. We determine that we have to “do” something different.  If our paradigm doesn’t change-- the belief continues to be that illness comes from bad blood--and taking small quantities of blood isn’t working, what should we do?  Take more blood out! Possibly get them more involved in their healing process by letting them put their own leaches on. What are the results? Exactly, even more dead people.

Let’s imagine one of us, we’ll call him Louis Pasteur, comes up with a very heretical idea that it’s possible illness doesn’t necessarily reside in the blood, but actually comes from  tiny particles in the air that we can’t even see that we’re going to call “germs”.  If that becomes our new paradigm, what might we do differently?  Answer: We could separate or quarantine patients so they don’t spread disease.  We could begin to sterilize instruments between patient visits.  We could wash our hands.  If we were to begin to do some of these things, we would eventually get different, and possibly better, results.

Does that mean the paradigm of illness residing in the blood is completely incorrect?  Of course not. There is Leukemia and many viruses that are blood-borne diseases.  Does it mean the belief is completely correct either?  

No – as managers we need to be willing to be flexible and adapt our paradigms to a diverse set of facts.

“I have never learned anything from any man who agreed with me.” —Dudley Field Malone

- Mark Murphy, FranklinCovey Consultant             

Copyright © 2012 - Mark Murphy

___________________________________________________________________________

If you are interested in learning more about our 7 Habits Solutions, consider setting up an appointment to meet with Mark and your FranklinCovey Client Partner.  Schedule an appointment today with our online appointment book (top right side of this page.)

Enabling greatness one organization at a time,

John Vakidis

Associate Client Partner | FranklinCovey

214.387.9960 | john.vakidis@franklincovey.com

Organizational Trust - Alignment

Over the last 2 weeks, I have shared to posts by my colleague, Dr. Todd Wangsgard:

·         Trust - The Key to Confidence

·         Relationship Trust and Your Behavior

Today’s post wraps up this 3-part series.  Todd elaborates on Organizational Trust & Alignment.  Enjoy!

______________________________________________________________

Leadership and Team Trust – Keyword: Alignment

(Part 3 of 3)

I intend for employees to work well together. But sometimes they don’t.

I intend for people to understand the department’s goals. But sometimes they aren’t clear.

I intend for the production line to remain “up” all shift long. But sometimes it isn’t.

I intend for my kids to just know that I love them. But sometimes they wonder.

The difference between what we intend and what is could be called a credibility gap.  As we examined in my first blog posting in this series (see Leadership and Trust: Keyword – “Confidence”) every person, organization, team, process, or piece of equipment portrays some level of credibility. Credibility is the sum total of one’s integrity, intent, capabilities, and results. The gap I’ve described in the examples above is typical of that rift between good intentions and actual capabilities and/or results that occurs when something is out of alignment.

High trust teams require alignment.

This is where the leader can leverage his or her efforts to build personal credibility at the Self Trust level and the increased trust that comes from key behaviors (see my second posting Leadership and Relationship Trust – Keyword: “Behavior”) at the Relationship Trust level. These combine for the leader who must create trustworthy systems and symbols that are aligned.

A mid-level manager at a large auto manufacturer with whom I work quite closely expressed frustration when he had done everything he could to be a more trustworthy leader, develop relationships of trust, and still find that people were failing to “deliver the goods” on the job.  It wasn’t until he took a closer look at his department’s systems and processes, that he found one of them was broken.  He tried hard to be fair.  He was tireless in his communication.  He treated his associates with dignity and respect and expected the same of them.  However, the computerized system that made work assignments each day – determining which stations each associate would work at – kept putting some people on the same processes, shift after shift.  This created issues of boredom, repetitive motion injuries, low morale, and resentment.  “After all,” associates would think, “I’m sure the boss keeps me here because he doesn’t like me.”

When things get out of alignment and we fail to address them, people will quickly assume the worst.

It wasn’t until he discovered that there was a break-down in the training reporting system that ensured associates were qualified in the computer system to work in other areas that he was able to apply a quick and effective remedy.  He aligned the system with his good intentions.

Ask your team to examine the systems in your department – communication, budgeting, training, meetings, performance, etc. – and get their input on where these could be better aligned.  Your interest and concern alone will generate trust, not to mention the many ways you rebuild and refine systems and processes that ensure your team remains credible and successful, long after you are promoted.

And if your kids begin to wonder how much you care, give yourself an alignment: Tell ‘em and show ‘em!

______________________________________________________________

Thanks for coming back over the last few weeks to read Todd’s posts.  We hope they have been insightful have given you some insight into the powerful framework within our Speed of Trust Process. 

If you would be interested in visiting with Todd and your Client Partner, please consider scheduling an appointment in our Online Appointment Book (upper right hand side of this page).  Click here to learn more about Todd’s background and how he can help improve your team or organization.

Aligning organizations through The Speed of Trust,

John Vakidis

Associate Client Partner | FranklinCovey

214.387.9960 | john.vakidis@franklincovey.com

PS - Have you read The Speed of Trust yet?  Click here to view an invitation to an upcoming keynote with the author, Stephen M.R. Covey.  An executive books summary is provided on this page.  Enjoy!

Relationship Trust and Your Behavior

As a continuation from last week’s post, please enjoy Part 2 of 3 in a series by my colleague, Dr. Todd Wangsgard.  Todd expounds on Trust and how it impacts relationships.  Enjoy!

______________________________________________________________

Leadership and Relationship Trust – Keyword: “Behavior”

(Part 2 of 3)



Actions speak louder than words.

Years ago Dr. Stephen R. Covey, author of The7 Habits of Highly Effective People, (and father to Speed of Trust author Stephen M.R. Covey) found himself teaching a workshop in Oregon where a participant related to him during a break some of the challenges he was facing due to his past indiscretions.  Dr. Covey was careful to bring out the principle that:

You can’t talk your way out of a problem you’ve behaved your way into.

Years later in his research, SMRC noted that while it is true you can’t talk your way out of a problem you’ve behaved your way into, it is true that:

You can behave your way out of a problem you’ve behaved your way into.

Once the leader establishes and continues to build personal credibility through the Four Cores (see my Part 1 blog posting, Leadership and Trust – Keyword: “Confidence”), it is critical to examine and practice the behaviors that will allow him or her to build trust in relationships with individuals – personally and professionally.

Let’s look at the headlines.

Without divulging specifics on these stories, let’s uncover what business headlines from the past few days suggest to us about the importance of trusting behaviors:

·         Fast food CEO has big plans to flip its ranking

·         Auto manufacturer changes body style to appeal to customers

·         Board of private company opens the books to dispel rumors

·         Company makes good on broken promises

Each of these speaks to the behaviors that are being demonstrated in order to build or rebuild trust. Those include at least five from SMRC’s 13 High Trust Behaviors list, such as Listen First, Get Better, Create Transparency, Confront Reality, and Right Wrongs.

Simply put, trustworthy leaders lead out when it comes to behaving in ways that builds confidence and they inspire others within their ranks to do likewise.  And just because you may have slipped and lost the trust of someone significant, it is often easier than you thought to rebuild that trust by quickly identifying the key behaviors that were/are missing and behaving your way back into the other person’s good graces.

______________________________________________________________

Join us next Friday as Dr. Wangsgard wraps up this 3-part series and discusses the power of Leadership and Team Trust.  Click here to learn more about Todd and the programs he can facilitate for your organization.

Restoring relationships through The Speed of Trust,

John Vakidis

Associate Client Partner | FranklinCovey

214.387.9960 | john.vakidis@franklincovey.com

PS - Check out our upcoming Speed of Trust event on LinkedIn!

Trust - The Key to Confidence

This week’s post comes to you as one of a three-part series.  Dr. Todd Wangsgard, a FranklinCovey Consultant, elaborates on Trust as the Key to Confidence.  Enjoy! ______________________________________________________________

Leadership at the Speed of Trust

A three-part series by Dr. Todd Wangsgard

Leadership and Trust – Keyword: “Confidence”

(Part 1 of 3)

 

Author of The Speed of Trust, , defines trust as “confidence born of the character and competence of an individual or organization.” This simple yet complete definition of an otherwise squishy subject takes into account both the feel-good side of trust in character as well as the practical side of one’s reliability in competence. Both character and competence lend confidence to those who would consider following any leader. And more than ever before, trust (or confidence) is sought after by an increasingly globally savvy audience of human beings who see the impact that geo-political activities are having on their individual well-being.



SMRC (as we affectionately call the author at FranklinCovey) also boldly asserts that, “trust is the key competency of the new global economy.” Again, as you replace “trust” in that sentence with “confidence,” one can see how the currency of trust is not just a “nice-to-have,” but rather an absolute imperative for leadership effectiveness under any circumstances. It is key, because without it, business plans, corporate promises, financial metrics and reports all come under the scrutiny of one question: “Yes, but what should we believe?”

The Speed of Trust book and classroom experience offer several models of thinking to better understand and define trust that breaks the subject down into understandable water cooler discussions. The Four Cores of Self Trust that subdivide Character into one’s integrity and intent and Competence into capabilities and results. The Five Waves of Trust that any leader must assess and develop within, including Self Trust, Relationship Trust, Organizational (or team) Trust, Market Trust, and Societal Trust. The 13 Behaviors of High Trust, including Talk Straight, Create Transparency, Right Wrongs, Get Better and nine others.  (Click here to learn how The Speed of Trust Process works).

I recently worked with a successful CEO in the manufacturing and fulfillment business who has truly lived out the kind of trustworthy behavior described by SMRC. He has worked side-by-side (while the CEO) with frontline employees on the manufacturing line to learn what they do and to help keep costs down during a recent recession (Show Loyalty, Deliver Results, Confront Reality, Practice Accountability). He has made an effort to get to know every single employee in the company and remembers to send them a hand-written birthday greeting each year (Demonstrate Respect, Show Loyalty). While announcing a 15% pay cut for himself, he asked all exempt associates to accept a 7½% pay cut to help off-set their losses or agree to termination with a 3-months’ salary severance package (at their higher rate of pay). No one left and all were subsequently rewarded with “back-pay” on their lost wages after a couple successful intervening years and given a sizeable bonus (Talk Straight, Create Transparency, Show Loyalty, Get Better, Keep Commitments).

The confidence that Stephen writes about and that I’ve witnessed in industry over the past 25+ years starts with a leader who has genuine confidence in himself or herself and in the associates who choose to follow. Give them a leader they can trust (the Self Trust wave) and you have a foundation upon which you will build lasting relationships, enormously successful organizations, and a brand that generates intense loyalty and growth.
________________________________________________

Do you want to learn more about Dr. Todd Wangsgard and the offerings he can facilitate for your organization?  Then follow this link to read his bio.  If you would be interested in visiting with Todd by phone, then please contact me to set up a meeting with Todd and your FranklinCovey Client Partner.  Check in next Friday as Todd brings you Part 2 to this series.

Helping build confidence in organizations - one at a time!

Sincerely,

John Vakidis

Associate Client Partner | FranklinCovey

214.387.9960 | john.vakidis@franklincovey.com

PS - Are you interested in learning how to leverage trust in your organization?  Consider joining us in Dallas to hear best-selling author, Stephen M.R. Covey deliver his Speed of Trust Keynote on Feb 16, 2012.  Special pricing avaialble for groups of 10 or more.  Ask me about how to get a free seat!