I work with executives and people who want more out of life. I want the same for me. And in the process of helping people achieve their greatness, one of the most valuable tools is journaling.

Life now moves at the speed of blur. Most days we fall into bed nearly unaware of all that happened in the day. Information moves through our heads so quickly that it rarely registers as it passes over our brains. So, slow it down for a minute. Get out a journal and write.

Here are some amazing things that happen when you start to spend some time with yourself and record your thoughts:

“Anger always comes from frustrated expectations.”
- Elliott Larson

Every now and then, something crosses my computer screen worth repeating.  This is from my good friend Ted.

Disappointed Expectations

Waveland Golf Course was established in Des Moines in 1901, which makes it the oldest municipal golf course west of the Mississippi. It's a beautiful setting with rolling hills an ...

Jeffrey Gitomer was wrong.

I went to Jeffrey Gitomer’s presentation for Sales Managers and several of us went to dinner afterwards.  The consensus of the group was that Jeffrey was a good entertainer. 

I took that as a little demeaning to Gitomer and quickly explained that he was one of the best top trainers and authors in the industry.  He is a member of the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame; his Little Red Book of Selling is on the New York Times, Wall Street journal and USA Today bestsellers list; and that is just one of his many national best sellers.

I received an email the other day from someone who had attended our Recession Busting Boot Camp and I thought you could relate to this situation:

After talking to a referral, I was able to get a contact name at a company that I wanted to prospect.  I called on the buyer and was able to quote on two products they use on a consistent basis. 

I sent quotes ...

What I have observed over the years is that the companies that want to develop a high performing team to secure their future are not as worried about their view of the sales force as they are about developing a sales culture within the company.

There are a number of cultures a company can create; the most obvious choices focus on products, manufacturing, customer service and quality.

When a sales culture is created, the focus is on revenue growth, but not at the expense of the core of the business.  Instead, it is the main focus of the company’s efforts.

In my previous blog Creating a Sales Culture, I wrote about developing a results driven sales culture.

Here are some of the some of the most common statements – or excuses – I hear from people claiming to want a sales culture and trying to justify why it has not happened:

Our business is so complicated; it takes 6-9 months to learn.
Translation: We don’t have an effective on-boarding process and it will be a year before we can really dete ...

When I became a sales manager I called a good friend of mine, Chris Lytle.  Chris had been a sales manager and started a company focused on training sales managers and salespeople.  I asked Chris, “What's the key for getting stronger salespeople?” His answer, “Keep firing the guy at the bottom of the totem pole.”

My initial response was to argue with him – I like to develop people.  Except after years of sales management experience, guess what I learned – Chris was right.
 
I discovered that Chris was not suggesting that you pick the lowest producer each quarter and fire them.  Instead, make a decision that you will accept nothing less than a sales driven culture which expects excellence, the ...

In working with countless companies over the past 30 years, I have noticed that your position in the company dictates, to a certain extent, your perception of the sales force.

The CEO may view a superior sales force as the key to protecting and securing the company’s position in the marketplace.

The President tends to view a superior sales force as a way to stabilize revenues.

The Vice President of Sales perceives a superior sales force as the differentiator in achieving a comp ...

In working with countless companies over the past 30 years, I have noticed that your position in the company dictates, to a certain extent, your perception of the sales force.

The CEO may view a superior sales force as the key to protecting and securing the company’s position in the marketplace.

The President tends to view a superior sales force as a way to stabilize revenues.

The Vice President of Sales perceives a superior sales force as the differentiator in achieving a comp ...