How can you create change in the organization, C suite, leadership, the boss, colleagues, co-workers?
Even when the common belief is “they” would never go for the big, new idea/initiative/innovation/investment.

Have an idea? Want to have an impact? Ready to be a Change Agent?

You need influence.

Influence can serve as a catalyst for a meaningful change movement. To get a big idea over the line consider these 7 keys:

Tell the story:  Make it compelling.  Have an adversary.  Create a vision of the new experience.  Articulate the alternative. Earn emotional commitment for the cause.
Do your homework:  Present compelling evidence:  Prove the concept.  Show examples. Deliver a data set.  Cite case studies.  Leverage competitive intelligence.
Sell the future state:  Speak to the current and future state. Demonstrate cause and effect.  Predict the outcome.  Detail the realized vision.
Build buy in:  This is where your network counts.  Who cares as much as you?  Why should they? What is in it for them?  Why does it matter?  Build authentic relationships.  Invest the time.  Earn respect.  Introduce the worthwhile idea into the agenda.
Challenge the status quo -  Generate interest and ideas that spark innovation and improvement.  Disrupt the death grip on the way  things get done with new, collective thinking.  Performance earns the Change Agent an opportunity to push the business forward.
Have consistent conviction – Take a stand.  Don’t waver without a reason. Be firm in the face of resistance.
Go all in: It is worth it? If you are right. If you believe. If it matters. If it is the difference maker. Then you have to be willing to take some calculated risks and go all the way in. Stopping short doesn’t serve as a catalyst for change.  A real leader puts it on the line.  In or out?

Influence can take time.  It demands credibility.  It mandates preparedness.  It requires trust.  It needs to be earned.

The good news?

You don’t need permission to have influence.

Posted in Leadership, Recruiting, Sales, Social Media, Uncategorized

Tags: Change, Change Agent, Influence

I love Chicago.  A few summer’s ago I actually lived downtown.  Who doesn’t want to be in Chicago during the summertime?  So for 3 months I rented a loft and made Chi Town my home.  It was a great experience.  I am excited to be back.

I will be attending the 2011 Illinois State SHRM Conference this August 22-23.  I will be presenting on an agenda with some outstanding keynotes and concurrent sessions.  I am excited for both.

This event represents an opportunity for me to listen, learn, laugh, engage, grow, improve, connect and consume the ideas, insights and inspiration of one of the strongest lineups of thinkers, doers and leaders in the human capital space.  It is quite evident the IL SHRM State Council took great care in assembling the content for this event and the crew that is going to be sharing and socializing the content as it is delivered.

I expect this event will be social.  I expect this event will be collaborative.  I expect this event will be filled with actionable content.  I expect I’ll have a healthy “to do” list when I leave. I expect to make several new, meaningful connections.  I expect to consume a Chicago Dog.   I expect to have a whole lot of fun!

To make your event experience more memorable I’d encourage you to spend a few minutes online getting to know some of the people participating in this year’s event on the Social Media Press Corps.  Their properties are included below.  I think you’ll be impressed and find that in meeting them personally they all share a vested interest in elevating the practice of people and willingness to help wherever they can.

I hope you can join us.  I hope to see you at the Meet Up Monday night.  I hope we get to connect.

Blogger                         Blog Site & Twitter Handle

Robin Schooling           The HR Schoolhouse @RobinSchooling

Jessica Miller-Merrill     Blogging 4 Jobs @blogging4jobs

Jennifer McClure           Unbridled Talent @cincyrecruiter

Joe Gerstandt                Joe Gerstandt @joegerstandt

Jason Lauritsen            Jason Lauritsen @jasonlauritsen

(Also Talent Anarchy)

China Gorman           China Gorman @chinagorman

Dwane Lay                  Lean HR @dwanelay

Mike VanderVort        Human Race Horses @mikevandervort

Jason Seiden              Jason Seiden @seiden

Ryan Estis                  Passion on Purpose @ryanestis

Trish McFarlane      The HR Ringleader @trishmcfarlane

William Tincup           Drive Thru HR @williamtincup

Charlie Judy              The HR Fishbowl @HRFishbowl

Curtis Midkiff             SHRM @shrmsocmedguy

Maren Hogan         Marenated @marenhogan

Geoff Webb            Radical Events @radicalrecruit

Bryan Wempen       Drive Thru HR @bryanwempen

William Tincup        Drive Thru HR @williamtincup

Posted in Social Media

Tags: Conference, Illinois SHRM, Keynote, SHRM, Social Media

I was on a conference call with a prospective customer this week.  We discussed an engagement for the sales organization.  They are experiencing the challenges of the ‘Sales Shift‘.  Lengthening cycles, discount competition, margin pressure, anxious buyers and less budget all together.  Tough landscape for the sellers.  The world has changed. It isn’t going back.

What was good enough to get us here isn’t going to be good enough to get us there.

They know this.  That is the reality of their reality. So they are making moves.  Upgrading talent (firing and hiring). Improving process.  Investing in development. Solidifying strategy.  Socializing best practices.

During our discovery call we discussed the outcome objectives of the event.  In addition to sound process and core sales competency they are hungry for a little bit of the sales passion:  competitive spirit, hustle, attitude, persistence, follow up, accountability, relationship strategy and a ferocious commitment to making plan…to exploding past plan.  Some sellers have it. Some don’t.

So, she asked me the big question: “Can you really tech this to our people?”

My answer:  YES.  I can.  I will.  If I don’t?  Don’t pay me.  That simple.

What I cannot do is MAKE THEM DO IT.  I cannot put inside them what was left out.  If the pilot light is out we have a problem. That is why I was excited to learn they are focused on getting the right people on the bus.  They recognize the shift.  Not everyone is up for making the transition to what is next and new.  That is why the people strategy comes first. Get the right kind of sellers in the seats and we’ll put the process in place to accelerate performance and move them past plan.

We spent a little time talking about what kind of person is making the shift.  Wants to make the shift.  Wants to put in the work to make plan.

We agreed.

Focus on the people strategy first.  Once you have the right kind of people in place you can teach them to sell more.

Included is content from our keynote at the ACA Convention, Sales 2.0 & The Social Shift:

Posted in Recruiting, Sales, Social Media

Tags: Sales, Sales 2.0, Sales Shift, Sales Training, Social Selling

This afternoon I will be speaking on Sales 2.0 & The Social Shift to Executives at the ACA International Convention.  We will address a few core issues that will be top of mind to attendees:

1.  Is social media a business tool or waste of time?

2. Show me the money (this one is easy).

3. Can I get an advantage over my competition?

4.  Do my prospects and customers care about social media?

5.  Won’t my competition be able to see who I am connecting with or learn more about us if we are more social?

I just finished reading the Ad Age article, How Social Media Can Derail Your New Business Efforts.  I was also asked during my breakfast business summit last week about the danger of the competition seeing your contacts on Linked In.

It is true.  Your competition can and will learn more about you if you go social.  My thought about that.  So what?

My advice to any sales organization, leader or individual contributor would be to focus on being better than the competition.

Social Media doesn’t make or break your sales strategy, process, work product, pitch plan, preparation cycle or prospect and customer experience.  They merely serve as access points and additional opportunity to demonstrate your value proposition.

I hope my sellers (they know who they are) are reading this and connecting on linked in early and often.  I hope they are selling with carefully researched and expertly crafted POV (Point of View & Position of Value).  I hope they are presenting clear and compelling proof of concept with case studies that include ROI. I hope they wake up ready to step into the arena of competition and lean into the challenge of taking on the very best.  I hope they out prepare, out think and out hustle the competition.  I hope they present to win. I hope they put their process, strategies, ideas and insights on display for the whole world to see, including the competition.  I hope they earn commitment and identify next steps at every inflection point in the sales cycle. I hope they never worry about what the competition might see, think or know about what they are doing, who they are connected to or where they are checking in. I hope they are that confident.  I hope they are that much better.

Sell from a position of strength.  Not fear.  Focus more on the customer.  Less on you.  Even less on the competition.

If you are with us in Dallas join me this afternoon at the #acaconvention.

Posted in Sales, Social Media

Tags: ACA International, Ad Age, Sales 2.0, Social Media, Social Selling

I am not a social media expert.  Whatever that means.

I talk about it.  The Social Shift.  The impact and opportunity.  I can site examples.  I live it everyday through blogging, updating, posting, connecting, tweeting, checking in and occasionally checking out. I know it has been a catalyst for growth in my business.  I believe it has also been a catalyst for growth in my life.

In truth Social Media has been one interesting experiment.  I had no idea what was going to happen the first time I Linked In.  I was doubtful anyone besides my mom would subscribe to this blog. I could still care less about what anyone I know had for #lunch in 140 characters or less.  But I see the transformation .  I know this is just the beginning. I like being there.  I love being here.

Ironically several of my friends (not on Facebook) that used to mock my social curiosity now want to understand how to make the segway into social media for business benefit.  So occasionally I find myself sitting across from a friend, fellow Gen X business pro (usually in sales) who two years ago couldn’t fathom a Facebook account but now wants my advice/instruction on how to make the social shift.

This morning I will be coffee shopping it to help my friend. He asked me if I could help him “go viral” (any ideas?).  Our first sit down will go something like this:

1.  Meet me at the coffee shop at 6:45 a.m.:  If you want to ever build a following, have an impact, connect consistently then it is clear to me you’ll show up early.  Stay late.  Put in the work. Yes, it is an investment of time.  So, you can cut into sleep or skip American Idol and Dancing With the Stars.  Your call.  He pushed the meeting to 7:15.

2.  Bring me a gift (I don’t work completely pro bono): The idea is to get in the habit of giving value first. Expect nothing in return. Get used to the idea that nobody really cares all that much about you or your stuff.  They care a whole lot more about their own stuff.  If you can help them with their stuff they might get a bit more interested in your stuff.  Especially important to understand this if you are in sales.

3.  Go meet a stranger in this coffee shop right now and exchange business cards:  Awkward?  Of course.  Will be a bit amusing for me. Try it sometime.  How did you do? Is it all that different online?  Think about your approach. Think about the other person. Think about why they should/would connect with or follow you?

4.  Give me one good, compelling reason why I shouldn’t get up and walk out of the coffee shop right now (friendship is off limits during the work session and by this time I assume he will be frustrated)?  I am distracted.  Busy.  Overwhelmed.  Stressed. 17 other people just like you want to talk to me. I already have one of you that does just fine.  I want to get on with my day.   If he doesn’t come up with a reason I will seriously consider leaving. Welcome to sales.

5. Write down what you want from this effort?  When? How you intend to help others? Why?  It pays to begin with the end in mind.  That informs strategy and tactics.  It pays to determine if you can really help. That informs whether any of this is worth doing if your intention is to build your business.  Plenty of other reasons can make social media worthwhile (I heard Farmville is fun). He just needs to decide.

He will have some homework.  He will set up his accounts. He will retweet.  Comment on blogs.  Join groups.  Pay attention.  Then eventually contribute. If he contributes quality consistently, then eventually someone might pay attention back.  If he helps people in a BIG way they might be inclined to evangelize his work and tell others.

Who knows?  Maybe he will Engage, Crush It, Win Friends and Influence People and start a Tribe!

I just know he better like this on Facebook.  And buy breakfast.

Posted in Social Media, Uncategorized

Tags: Crush It, engage, Social Media, Social Shift, Training

I was talking to a friend and respected colleague last week.  As a Senior Vice President of Sales he was lamenting the unfavorable market conditions.  Price competition.  Buyer attention deficit disorder.  Voice mail.  A value proposition you can hardly discern. Procurement.  Lengthening cycles.  Margin pressure.

His world had changed.  His job was much harder than it had ever been before. The same kind of effort was increasingly producing less of the desired outcome. That means pressure.  The kind of pressure many people, particularly salespeople, across a variety of industries and disciplines are facing when they arrive at the office today.

What was good enough to get us here simply isn’t going to be good enough to propel us forward.  Shift.

I asked him, “what is the biggest bottleneck in the sales cycle?  the one thing you need to make happen that you believe will drive the business forward?”

He didn’t hesitate, “We need time with quality decision makers.  They need to hear our story.  It all sounds the same, but there are key elements of differentiation.  I wish our prospects could talk to a few of our customers.”

I didn’t hesitate, “They can.  You can help them do it.  If you are relying completely on your direct sales organization to influence the marketplace you are missing an opportunity for impact.”

I see the resistance all of the time to the Social Selling movement, particularly among veteran sellers.  That question surrounding Facebook, Twitter, YouTube.  Is social media a business tool or waste of time?

I knew where he stood.  But couldn’t resist the opportunity to flip open my laptop and simply show him my Facebook Wall from the day (and I threw in at tweet from the same day for good measure):

Aaron, Kelly and Brie are like minded colleagues. We are connected and enjoy the benefit of socializing our ideas through new media.  They also happen to work for HP, Farmers Insurance and Oakley.  Their interest means validation.  Their recommendation of my work means everything. Whether they hire me or not isn’t the point. Interestingly, I have never asked for their business.  Increasingly, that is how it works (most sellers try and close too soon, before they have earned the opportunity to ask for the business).

I always teach salespeople the value of having the marketplace sell for you (Flip the Sale).  The tools and technology enable, educate and eventually put you in a better, more intelligent position when it is time to ask (for help or the business).  They expedite the sales cycle.  Activate the brand.

Can you explode market share without social media and sales 2.0 strategy?  Of course!  These are simply tools that help.  Frankly, in a competitive marketplace, I will take all the help I can get.

In sales your network is your net worth.  It pays to consider how you can positively add value and impact your network each and everyday.

My friend is still skeptical.  His view is that social selling wouldn’t be as relevant for “his” business.  That is where the conversation always starts.

He just sent me a LinkedIn invitation.  Progress.

I’ll be presenting Social Selling on Day 2 of the ACA International Convention next month in Texas.  Hope you can join us!

Posted in Brand, Communications, Sales, Social Media, Uncategorized

Over the last couple weeks I have been talking about the generations.

My Maine keynote on the topic was covered by writer Jim Baumer:

{Live Blog of Generation NeXt Keynote}.

I also did a pre-keynote interview with the gang from JobsInME.com:

When I talk about this topic I talk about my own experience set.  I talk about My Generation.

The Millenials dominate this conversation. For good reason.  They are about twice the size of my generation and coming of age in a time of accelerated transformation and technological change. They bring a whole new set of expectations about an evolved work experience that is simply going to require organizations to advance work style design.

That is part of the story.  Ironically, my generation is incredibly suited to this new world of work.   Ferociously independent, adaptive, creative and resourceful, we are prepared to lead through a time of disruptive change. We also like to invent and don’t expect anyone to take care of us.  We realized quite some time ago that we would be responsible for our own career trajectory and wouldn’t be relying on a company to mange that for us.

A simple review of some recent leading Gen X business writing and thinking  provides an interesting prompt for those clinging on to the traditional corporate structure and hierarchy.  Have a look:

Escape from Cubicle Nation
The 4 Hour Work Week
Career Renegade
Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It
Crush It! Why Now Is The Perfect Time To Cash In On Your Passion

It will clearly prove more challenging for traditional companies to optimize and engage a generation of escape artists.

The generations do want many of the same things.  But I can tell you both from my own experience set and from the research that we define them quite differently.  I’ll shed some light on a few of those differences, the next generation drivers and what to do about them in my dinner keynote tonight at the AT&T Generations & Leadership event.

They asked me to keynote dinner.  They asked me if I could be funny.  This could be interesting.

Just don’t call me a slacker!

Posted in Employee Engagement, Leadership, Recruiting, Social Media, Uncategorized

Tags: Generation Next, Generation X, Generation Y, Generations, Millenials

I am committed to at least 3 meetings a week simply designed to further develop a meaningful relationship.  Nobody is closing, rather, it is merely a conscious effort to foster deeper connections where they matter most.  These meetings are typically breakfast, lunch or dinner by design and intended to move me away from the screen, minimize the distractions and engage in the moment.

I am ahead of schedule this week.  Five meaningful meetings and it is only Thursday.  Thus far they have produced an outcome I could have hardly conceived on Monday morning.  New relationships.  Referrals. A very important reconnection.  A whole lot of fun.

It is easy to get consumed “coffee shopping” it.  I have been there.  Spinning the wheels in meetings that don’t seem to count for a whole lot more beyond the Mocha.  I know it is important to strike the proper balance and make sure the meetings and moments matter.  I believe that happens by design.  I also believe the result is difficult to replicate via text and twitter.

I also suppose it will prove to be 3 of my most important hours each week.  If they aren’t?  Hey, it’s just lunch.

This week was a great reminder of some powerful advice:

Never eat alone.

Posted in Communications, Leadership, Recruiting, Sales, Social Media

Tags: Networking, Relationships

This was my first trip to Norman, Oklahoma.  We pulled into downtown on that bus.  Five of us parking outside and heading into O’Connell’s Irish Pub.  You could feel the energy.  The anticipation.  The excitement.

U2 was preparing to take the stage in a few hours.  We were preparing to take in the whole experience properly.

We made our way over to Memorial Stadium for what we expected would be several hours of the greatest show on earth (ok…I am a fan). They delivered the experience to a sold out stadium.  As is customary there was a message around the music.  One part of that message really resonated.

Bono paused to make mention that 26 years prior, to the very day, the band first set foot in Norman, Oklahoma.  He thanked the audience for the “upgrade to the big venue, a few blocks down the street.”  A casual reference to the journey of becoming remarkable.  The transition from bar band to one that is an easy stadium sell out.  A journey that started small.  Like they all do.  Just a dream.

As we made our way back to O’Connell’s after the show I couldn’t help but comment on that comment.  It prompted a brief discussion.  What if the band listened to the resistance?  Caved to the concern of parents who perhaps didn’t support children chasing some outlandish dream of being in a band?  What if they were afraid to try?  Didn’t take the risk?  Didn’t stay the course?  Passed on the long, hard effort?  Stopped making art?

Our conversation closed with, “dude, would Coldplay even exist?”  That was enough.

It was also enough to make me realize that even an outcome that seems destined starts somewhere.  The sacrifice, commitment, challenge, choices and chance you have to be willing to endure is simply the price of admission to achieving Rock Star status in whatever it is you really want to do.

I have wonderful memories from that trip to Norman and look forward to returning this week for what is shaping up to be an all star event with great content and progressive, social contributions that will further elevate the experience.   I look forward to seeing friends like Bryan and Jessica, making new, meaningful connections and contributing my closing keynote to the conference.  Follow us at #OKHR.

I’ll also be stopping by O’Connell’s Irish Pub for a Guinness.

If you get a chance this summer that experience is worth the price of admission.

Posted in Leadership, Social Media, Uncategorized

Tags: Career, Oklahoma, Passion, Purpose, U2

Spring is here.  After a long Minnesota winter it is very welcome.  But that isn’t the season I am most excited about.

Nope.  I am ready for Conference Season!  The next few months will see associations and corporate teams gather in multiples.  From the annual event to the impromptu off site, busy professionals will be getting together to connect, communicate, collaborate and set the course for forward progress in their business.  I assume a little fun will be had along the way.

I recall a couple years ago hearing about the conference model dying.  The premise being that with emerging technology there would simply be increasingly less need to have a conference style event.  That premise didn’t deliver on the promise and as someone who attends 30+ conferences a year there is increasing interest the live event.  No doubt, expectations around the experience are on the rise.  Quality content and connections are a baseline requirement.  But today, people have a real need and desire to come together and share with like minded people.  I am fortunate to have two such opportunities this week.

Today, I’ll be in Little Rock talking about Passion & Purpose at the CUPA Southern Region Conference.  Then it’s immediately off to the SHRM Talent & Staffing Conference to spend a couple days with a Rock Star community in San Diego.  I simply cannot wait to be part of the conversation about the most critical issue facing just about every business as we emerge from this recession:  TALENT!

I had an opportunity to have a pre-conference conversation with SHRM about the event.  Part of that conversation included some thoughts about how to get the most out of the conference experience as an attendee.  My key thought is opt in and participate! Online.  Offline.  Tweet Up.  At breakfast.  In the evening.  Take it all in!  If you leave with 3 key ideas to take action on in the next 100 days (TAN PLAN) and 3 new, meaningful connections then the experience will have been very worthwhile.

If you aren’t able to join in the fun this week our intention is to continue the conversation online (we think it is important).  I’ll be teaming up with Don MacPherson of Modern Survey later this month for the Engage – Inspire – Empower webinar event.  We’ll explore the latest research and mega trends on Employee Engagement and provide some specific, actionable take away for business leaders.  The data alone is worth the price of admission (FREE)!  Plan to join us on Tuesday, April 26 at 11:00 am central time (register here). Don’s latest post on the value of values is also well worth the read.

Looking forward to a great season!  Hope we connect along the way!

Posted in Communications, Employee Engagement, Recruiting, Social Media

Tags: CUPA, HR, Keynote, Leadership, Recruiting, SHRM, Talent