The baseball legend, Nolan Ryan, said, “Enjoying success requires the ability to adapt. Only by being open to change will you have a true opportunity to get the most from your talent.” We often think of the “ability to adapt” and “being open to change” as preconditions for going from bad to good. This is…
Coaches of professional athletes demand their players practice far more than they play. This is true whether we’re talking about baseball, basketball, football, and especially if we’re talking about the Olympics. The latter features some of the most talented and skilled athletes imaginable, and yet each of these promising stars spends countless hours over many…
As you may know, I stress the importance of sales leaders and professionals practicing, but the idea is not mine: it goes back thousands of years. The ancient philosopher Aristotle wrote scrolls about how practice was important to finding happiness in life. According to him, when people make a habit of good actions under the…
Brett Nelson explains how small talk can have a big impact on your likeability. Worth keeping in mind, but remember to be yourself. Don’t scan a prospect’s office to find something to relate to, for example–you’ll end up with small talk that sounds forced and insincere. Instead, be open about your interests and inquire into…
Being a leader means having to make the tough decisions. Sometimes you have all the relevant facts before you. Sometimes you have to take a shot in the dark. All of your decisions matter: for you, for your team, and for your company. How do you learn to make the good decisions and to avoid…
“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ’em.” – From Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare While someone may be born into great opportunity or great riches, no one enters the world a great sales professional. Except maybe my children–they were asking the doctors purposeful questions about their office and…
As important as it is to know the weaknesses of your team members, it is much more important to know and utilize their strengths. Any successful coach doesn’t position his players where each will do the least amount of harm; he places them where they’ll each do their best. Great pitchers or quarterbacks don’t play…
Did you know that superheroes practice? It’s true. In the newest trailer for The Avengers, we see Captain America practicing his punches in a gym. Captain America! Practicing! The upcoming superhero movie is written and directed by Joss Whedon, the guy behind the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I’m told by a friend that…