Posted: May 8, 2025 | Categories: Sales, Self-Improvement

I have a friend (We’ll call him Rick) who recently sold his company.  From beginning to end, the sale process took about two years.  Rick’s goal was to have the business sold by April 30, 2025.  It almost didn’t happen.

Last Tuesday, Rick received a call from the prospective buyer.  He said he wanted to postpone the sale until later in the year.  Rick didn’t panic.  He knew he needed to work through some last-minute sticking points.  They did, and on Thursday of the same week they had the closing, and the sale was complete.

How did Rick turn the situation around so quickly?  He was prepared.  Rick and I had several conversations about 11th hour surprises.  Rick considered everything he could think of that could make the deal go south.  With the list, for each concern he carefully considered how to respond to each objection in a way that kept things going.  It worked.  There were two objections:  One dealt with a large sale that had not been closed yet.  The other was an employment contract dispute.  They calmly got to work and came up with a plan they were both comfortable with.  The objectives were resolved, and the closing naturally followed.

Many sales reps have experienced a “sure thing” deal go bad at the last minute.  I recommend that we all learn from Rick, and prepare for those last-minute objections.  Doing this will allow us to be calm and not panic, and systematically work through all remaining objections.  Then…CLOSE!

Posted: May 8, 2025 | Categories: Self-Improvement

It was October of 1984.  I was attending a convention in Las Vegas and received a phone call from my boss.  He informed me that the business I had managed for 17 years was being sold.  That meant there was a high likelihood that the new owners would want to manage the business themselves, and I would be out of job.  I remember my first reaction:  It was excitement.  When one door closes, another opens, and that can be a whole new adventure!  I began reviewing my “Plan B’s”, and I called my wife within an hour or so after receiving the announcement.  I told her I had some news:  The company was being sold and I would probably be out of a job.  Then I quickly went on to talk about my “plan B’s”, and the ones I was most excited about.  It was exhilarating.  (Some might say this sounds crazy)

Let’s face it, things have changed in the workplace during the past few decades.  I grew up in the 50’s and 60’s.  Like everyone my age, our dad’s served in WW II and came back to settle down, raise a family, and work at the same company until retirement.  Now, it is different.  The average worker in the US. will work at 5-8 different companies during their lifetime.  Terms like mergers, buyouts, layoffs, and conglomerates are now commonplace.  Amidst this changing world we need to maintain financial stability by having a job that pays the bills and saves for retirement.

Here is my message to you:  Wherever you are working and however happy you are, have a plan B.  I always have throughout my career, and I have ended up needing every one of them.  What is your plan B?  Are you nurturing it?  I hope so.  I close with a favorite saying I heard from an old mentor who has long since passed away:  “When we go through life unprepared, we won’t go alone….fear will be our constant companion.”

Posted: April 8, 2025 | Categories: Presentation skills, Sales, Self-Improvement

“History has repeatedly been changed by people who had the desire and the ability to transfer their convictions and emotions to their listeners”   –Dale Carnegie

In my 40-year career of professional coaching, I have found the above statement by Dale Carnegie to be axiomatic.  When we can communicate effectively in front of a group, we are positioned to change history. Think of Abraham Lincoln or Martin Luther King.  Speaking in front of a group was a critical part of their success.

Here is the secret that my experience and history have shown: Those who have the most fear of public speaking and overcome this fear are often the best speakers.

There is more good news! If you have a deathly fear of public speaking and you want to get past this barrier, the rate of growth can be very rapid.  In a matter of months, you can become an excellent speaker.

Here is an example:  Several years ago I was approached by an eye doctor who was excited about some special research he had done regarding vision problems in young children. He found there was an acute need to discover vision problems early to prevent difficulty in learning and motor skills.  He wanted to get the word out so that affected children could better adjust to their schooling. After 12 weeks of working with him, the doctor went on a speaking tour, and a year later he was doing a series of lectures through Europe partially paid for by his speaking fees.  You may think this is an unusual case.  It is not.

If the fear of public speaking is holding you back like it was for this doctor, resolve yourself to take action by reading or enrolling in a class. You will be on your way to a new dimension in life, and who knows?  You may change history

Posted: April 3, 2025 | Categories: Customer service, Leadership, Sales

Several years ago, I worked with someone who displayed one of the best collections of interpersonal skills traits I can recall. Her name was Jane, and once she made a statement I will never forget. She said, “I’ve worked for five different companies in the last 20 years and I have not moved from this chair.” You see, Jane’s company had been merged or acquired 5 times, and each time the new company insisted Jane remained. She was a receptionist – the first and last impression of her company. Why was she so popular?  I think I know. Here are some of the traits I observed in her over the years:

Positive: When we complain, we are a burden.  If we down-mouth others, we lose respect.  Jane exhibited rule #1: Be a person others want to be around.

Show genuine interest: She knew and remembered birthdays, sporting events, anniversaries, and vacations. She was sincere and got others talking about their favorite subject – themselves.

Politics: She avoided this category, and I suspect she also avoided rattlesnakes!

Appreciation: She always remembered to say thank you.

Remembering names: She gave full effort to learning and remembering people’s names. She made others feel special.

Smile: She had an infectious smile, and a perpetual twinkle in her eye.  People found her easy to approach.

Listened: She listened to understand.

Eager to help: She was continually looking for ways to help others.

Humble: She was humble. If she made a mistake, she quickly admitted it with no excuses or blame.

There you go. These are some of the main qualities Jane possessed.  We can have them too.  They are simply habits!

Posted: March 14, 2025 | Categories: Leadership, Team Building

If you run a company, one of your biggest challenges could be getting and keeping good people.  The stronger team members tend to be humble, eager, and possess good interpersonal skills.  If we have someone with these qualities, we want them to be happy in their work and stay with us a long time.

One of smartest things we can to get new hires off to a solid launch on day one is to make them comfortable and glad they chose us.  How do we help ensure this happens?

One of the most effective “welcome aboard” gestures I have seen involved an “in the spotlight” interview.  Have the new person sit in a chair in front of the whole team and ask them some “get to know you” questions.  In Patriick Lencioni’s book “Five Dysfunctions of a Team”, the author suggests asking questions like these:

1. What is your home town?
2. How many kids were in your family?
3. What is one of your interesting childhood hobbies?
4. What was your biggest challenge growing up?
5. What was your first job?

You may have your own favorite questions.  It is all about establishing commonality.  I remember one instance where a “welcome aboard” interview helped reveal that the new person had a cabin up north that they went to in the summer.  As it turned out, someone on the team also had a cabin not far away.  That initiated a whole new friendship!

“Welcome aboard” interviews enable us to talk about our favorite subject – us!  In doing so commonality is established, and we automatically feel more comfortable with our new team.  Remember the saying, “People who are like each other tend to like each other”