I am trending toward 70 live events/engagements this year, focused predominantly on the drivers of business performance (Leadership/Sales/Innovation) during this incredible time of transformation and change.

Each engagement is a little different.  We go the route of customization and focus on delivering a consistent experience.  That keeps me on my toes.  Where I like to be.

Occasionally we’ll insert an engagement into the lineup that is a departure from the conference or corporate event that challenges us to think different.

Going back on to a college campus next Thursday qualifies.  In partnership with premiere technology solutions provider CDW, Delta Sigma Pi, Pi Sigma Epsilon and the American Marketing Association I will be presenting Sales Shift: Accelerating the Transition from Campus to Sales Career.

This one is personal.  I want this evening to matter.  I recognize that sacrificing a Thursday night a few months before graduation is tough call for any college senior.  That fact that a few hundred have decided to do just that and join us at NIU is inspiring. I wouldn’t have done it.  That’s the honest truth. I would have been doing the Court Street Shuffle and that makes these future sales stars a little different from me.  Good for them.

It is also precisely why in making my own transition from campus to sales career I was 7 months into the shift with a goose egg on the scoreboard.  I couldn’t close.  I couldn’t even open.

I came dangerously close to making the transition back to my parent’s basement.  Selling baseball cards for beer money wasn’t the game plan but it was exactly where I was headed.  I had a little natural talent.  I had absolutely no sales skill.  Talent alone isn’t good enough.

Jim Rohn saved me.  He delivered an epic seminar that I still count as the single most transformational moment of my career. One night. Three hours. Jim opened the door.  He gave me permission and some powerful tools to jump-start my success.

I read Think and Grow Rich and the The Greatest Salesman in the World in the next 3 days.  (my homework from the seminar…I still have the notes).

That was the beginning.  I never looked back.  It’s funny how once you become good at something that begins to fuel your passion.  That is how it was for me.  I wasn’t passionate about sales or leadership until I was good.  That is also the truth.

Today it is even more important to be good.  Scratch that.  Today any VP of Sales is searching for the extraordinary.  Every spot on the roster counts.  Today you need to be better than good.  Average is over.  I know this because I asked.  I asked 5 of the strongest sales executives in my network what they want from new hire graduates.  What they expect.  What they need.  I will shed more light on that Thursday night.

Bottom line, they are looking for an edge. They are all very impatient when it comes to results.  They all are facing enormous pressure to hit a number.  They have no choice but to demand sales excellence and high impact performance out of the gate. That is also the truth.

In looking back today I was lucky.  That night with Jim proved to be transformational.  The decision to change happens in a moment.  That was mine. In preparing to go back to campus I plan to bring some of his timeless insights with me.

My Alma Mater has an Alumni Gateway at the corner of Court and Union Streets where Ohio University and the City of Athens meet.

The Alumni Gateway greets all who enter the campus with an inscription that reads:

So enter that daily thou mayest grow in knowledge, wisdom and love.

The inscription over the alumni gateway for those departing the campus reads:

So depart that daily thou mayest better serve they fellowmen thy country and thy God.

Beautiful words I have always remembered.  Today I am reminded of the significance in their meaning.

I am very grateful for the opportunity to connect and share next week.  I hope my words can serve to inspire.

I know these students will most certainly inspire me to continue to grow in knowledge, wisdom and love.

“21 appointments next week” I proudly offered before ingesting a large amount of a very cold tap beer at our Friday afternoon happy hour to close the week.

“Incredible! You are going to have a huge week!” my friend replied.  He understood.  He also made his living making sales.

Another round.  After all it was time to celebrate.  That was a record.  A new personal best. 21 new business meetings in 5 business days.  Each one of those appointments was secured via good, old fashioned cold calling.  You smiled, dialed, pushed and pressed until a 60 minute face to face was locked or you didn’t pay the bills.  Simple.

I planned to head out that Sunday evening and make the two hour drive from Cincinnati to Indianapolis.   I covered the whole state of Indiana and my trunk would be full with the required 21 presentation kits.  Armed with a map of Indiana I was “prepared” to hustle and win.

My friend was right.  I had a huge week.  I called on and closed BMG Music.  Remember BMG Music Club?  12 CD’s for the price of one?   At the time their business was booming and they became a very big client.

That was selling then.  This is now.  Not much of what I did then would pass as sales competency now.

The world changed. BMG Music?  Out of business.  That old school approach to professional selling? Dead end.

The best sellers are making the sales shift, gaining a huge competitive advantage and exploding past plan.

Unfortunately this is the week that a lot of sales professionals part company with their organization for missing plan the previous year.  I had a CEO just say this to me directly, “show me a sales organization where a bunch of sellers who missed plan the previous year are still employed and I’ll show you an executive team that doesn’t know how to establish and adjust targets and plans.” That is tough.  That is sales.

Missing plan isn’t an option for the best sellers.

The best sellers today are experts.  They rigorously prepare for every prospective client encounter and customize solutions to fit for the specific opportunity {TIP:  You cannot do that 21 times in one week}.  The best sellers know how to deliver value first, earn a reputation and wield influence. Yes, they still hustle.  The difference?

I don’t cold call anymore.  I don’t enjoy it and more importantly the effort/outcome equation doesn’t compute.  Time is a precious commodity and there are simply more efficient/effective ways to end up with a calendar full of quality meetings with qualified decision makers eager to do business.

I prefer warm calling and social selling (click the enclosed link for my Social Selling Keynote).

More effective.  More fun.  Makes it a whole lot easier to make plan.  New techniques, tools and technology give the more progressive sales pro an abundance of opportunity and huge advantage in competitive selling situations.

Knowing that the way we connect, communicate and ultimately make decisions has changed means knowing that professional selling requires a new and improved approach.

One constant does remain.

Sales drives the business.  All of the ideas, innovation, strategy, interpersonal relationships and process initiatives don’t matter much if you don’t have the revenue to turn on the lights.

Sales success today requires a shift in approach, strategy, skill and competency.  Are you ready?

I have been writing about New Year resolutions for the last few years:

Resolve 2010
Accelerate 2011

The objective for this year is Breakthrough 2012.

Notice the progression?  With a little patience and forward progress the trend line can start to look positive.

If you are ‘resolutioning’ this weekend (and 44% of Americans will make resolutions) there are techniques to help improve goal setting and achievement (I share a few in the previous post/link).

I have also updated a few thoughts from 2010 to support resolution readiness and manifestation into meaningful outcomes:

Review:  Change requires an honest inspection and assessment.  What specific decisions lead to the destination?   As a leader/manager, individual contributor or in the personal life it helps to focus inward.  Take stock of the I that impacts the “we” or “they”.  Understanding where you’ve been is critical to help you get where you want to be going.  Look in the mirror.  Be honest with yourself. The critical component of a good resolution review and setting is accountability.

Reinvent:  This is a time for reinvention. Your company, your strategy, your brand and your career.  Transformation requires BIG ideas.  This is the exciting part.  Change.  Business models being ripped apart and reconstructed.  Customer expectations evolving.  Value propositions being reset.  The accelerated pace of transformation.  Information overload.  A global marketplace.  New skills and competency required to compete. Opportunity that is now a constant moving target.  Reinvention requires working a differently.  Welcome to The People Economy.

Reset:  What I like to refer to as adjusting to the new normal.  Constant change. Continuing education.  A climate that mandates authenticity and transparency to earn trust.   Bold Choices are required to simply stay even.   When you hit reset as an organization you need to have a clearly articulated strategy and core alignment around mission – vision – values.  These guiding principles create a culture of engagement, performance, accountability and trust.  When you hit reset as an individual it helps to begin with the end in mind.  What does success and happiness look like on December 31, 2012?  Decide today.

Relationships:  The most essential aspect to my own professional reinvention has been relationships.  A big part of my own resolution strategy is to do more relationship inventory and focus on respecting the important relationships I have.  I am fortunate to have developed a few new, meaningful relationships over the last 12 months. That is a gift.  I also had to make tough choices around relationships that needed to change or end.  You know when it isn’t working.  So did I.  Our natural tendency is to stay in them too long. We are all in the relationship business and surrounding yourself with the right people is the key ingredient to accelerating your success.  The right people hold you accountable and help propel you forward. With the right people you can thrive.

Resolve:  This is required for turning a resolution into reality.  The elevated sense of discipline and commitment required to see things through to the finish line.  It requires the understanding and acceptance that effort and results are two very different things.  It also mandates focus.  Deciding what not to do and where not to spend time are essential ingredients to staying the course. If you want to accomplish a BIG thing personally or professionally it requires alignment of a lot of little things along the way. By eliminating and avoiding unnecessary distractions you’ll be better positioned for success. Creating something new is hard work.

In the words of legendary football coach Vice Lombardi you have to “plan your work, and work your plan.”  Plans change.  The ability to adapt to new circumstances is essential.  The notion that plans can change and need to be flexible isn’t a good reason not to plan at all.

I hear and see the backlash around goals and resolutions. I get it.  After all it is so much easier to fear change, commit to nothing and simply stay the same.

I love resolutions.  The start of something new brings the hope of something great.

{BONUS: If your resolution is related to fitness or weight loss like most everyone else I know you might find these Top 12 Diet & Weight Loss Apps useful}

My favorite part about resolutioning is that I am solely responsible for making my own Breakthrough 2012 plan a reality.   I intend to have fun, be realistic and know I can count on a little help from the right people along the way.

Be Humble.  Stay Hungry.  Always Hustle.  Wishing you a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year!

Two years ago I shared this post and picture about my own Christmas experience:

All You Need Is Love

As I prepare to travel back to Cleveland, Ohio for the holiday this year I am still grateful for the reminder of  joy, hope, optimism, enthusiasm and love those 5 nieces and nephews are sure to share.

However, this Christmas will be a little different.  We’ll be missing Dad.  Our father was Jewish but reveled in the tradition of Christmas. That might not make sense.  That was my Dad.

He was  fond of the gift giving and would invest the time to personalize the experience.  His specialty:  the handwritten note (a truly lost art).

Each gift received would include a note, poem, inspirational quote or personalized message intended for the recipient.  Some were original.  Most weren’t. The original author would never get credit on the card (and my apologies for my same omission here).  That was my Dad.

Over the years I saved a few of my favorites.  In the spirit of the season and reflecting fondly on those Christmas memories I wanted to share them with you.

The Gift of Wisdom From Dad

“To succeed you have to believe in something with such passion it becomes a reality.”

“The future always holds something for the man who keeps his faith in it.”

“The measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.”

“Be patient in the little things.  Learn to beat the everyday trials and tribulations of life quietly and calmly. Then, when unforeseen trouble comes, your strength will not forsake you.”

“Yesterday is history.  Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.”

Wishing you love (and memories) during this holiday season.

When you do something 200 times you learn a little.  When you do something 200 times you have an experience set and some frame of reference. When you do something 200 times you start to understand why you are doing it and how to do it better (Writing: Why & How).

Writing isn’t my job but has served as a catalyst to connect me to others in ways I simply could not have imagined 200 posts ago.  Yesterday I received this note from an old college friend who just so happens to be the current VP of Sales for Madison Square Garden:

“Hope you’re well. Feel like we talk more often than we do because I read the blog and know what’s on your mind. Really, really impactful stuff.  Thank you.”

The opportunity associated with this kind of connectedness is powerful.  It requires a bit of transparency and effort but the impact can far outweigh the input.

200 blog posts improved my relationships.  Professionally and perhaps more importantly, with the people I care about the most.

200 blog posts accelerated growth in my business:  The 2012 Speaking Tour

200 blog posts helps me make so many new, meaningful connections.

Looking forward to the next 200!

I was fortunate to find myself in Miami this weekend for the incredible Art Basel show featuring works by more than 2,000 artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. It was an a unique opportunity for me to reunite with the entrepreneur, athlete and artist in an environment where the the world’s creative community comes together to connect, collaborate, contribute and celebrate art.

Making great art is incredibly hard work.  A blank canvas doesn’t come with a set of instructions. Working when there are no rules is difficult for most of us because we have simply been conditioned to color inside the lines for so long. Do what we are told.  Hand in our homework. Follow the formula.  Finish our TPS Reports.

There are valuable business and leadership lessons to be learned from the professional artist, particularly in a time where work increasingly resembles art.

Seth Godin explored this topic in more detail in his NY Times Bestseller, Linchpin.  Defining an Artist this way:  “An artist is someone who uses bravery, insight, creativity, and boldness to challenge the status quo.  An artist takes it personally.  He further defines art as “A personal gift that changes the recipient. The medium doesn’t matter.  The intent does.  Art is a personal act of courage, something one human does to change another.”

What inspires you to make your art?

The artist needs to tap into the source that inspires creativity.  Increasingly, so does the Sales Professional, HR Manager and Chief Marketing Officer.   The rules have changed and almost every leader and manager is being required to solve new and increasingly more complex problems that mandate creativity.

A likely source of inspiration are the people around you.  Friends.  Family.  Colleagues. Co-Workers.  Collaborators. Working and spending time with people that are inspired, creating, contributing and taking bold steps forward is essential to my own personal and professional growth.  The people around us have enormous impact on our being.  How we think, act and experience the world around us. I was also fortunate to spend this past weekend with a very talented, emerging artist who drew incredible inspiration and ideas from the Art Basel experience. I always get inspired watching people I care about get switched on.

The artist has an advantage. Most people prefer to play it safe. Work in the confines of comfort. Minimize risk. Continue the familiar. Playing it safe provides a feeling of security. Unfortunately, in the new economy, it’s dangerously false. The best ideas and breakthrough moments often remain elusive in the safety zone. Those that are willing to take a risk, venture into uncharted territory, color outside the lines and create what is next and new have an increasing opportunity to thrive.

Those skills are necessary. They are deeply coveted by progressive organizations. They move us forward. They make business happen.

I recently returned from my first visit to Caracas, Venezuela.  This was my first trip for business to South America and I was inspired by the generous spirit, intellectual curiosity, courage and commitment of the people I was fortunate to meet.  I was also reminded that the world is becoming a much smaller place.  I was reminded that we are all global citizens and can find more commonality and connectedness than we might imagine.  I was also reminded of my first visit to South America several years ago and my walk through The City of God.

I walked into the hotel lobby in Rio de Janeiro immediately after breakfast.  The meeting had been called for 10:00 am.  The agenda unknown. Immediately upon entering the lobby I knew what was coming next. I had seen that look in his eyes before. That crooked smile. I had known my friend for years. Traveled with him plenty. I knew that he was hatching a plan that most assuredly would push the confines of my comfort zone. He was heavy on the adventure agenda with a risk tolerance in business and life that far exceeded my own.

A guest had joined us. A Brazilian man. The presentation started with a question. “Gentleman, I trust you’ve all seen the movie, “The City of God?”

Affirmative. A cult classic.

He proceeded, “Today, we are going into the Favelas.”

I immediately replied, “I’m out.” The Favelas tend to be ruled by drug lords and are infamous for the drug trade and regular shoot-outs between traffickers and police. Not exactly the ideal afternoon vacation activity.

The objection was expected. This was perhaps the part my friend relished the most. He had counters. He had procured a guide that assured us safe passage. He had his pitch down cold. Per usual, he closed.

Two hours later a van dropped us off at the base of the Favelas and we started our walk into The City of God.

I have been a few places. Seen a few things. I am Delta Platinum heading into Diamond territory. When I was asked recently what was the most memorable experience I had from all my travels I can tell you these few hours were at the top of my list. It was a once in a lifetime experience.

Here are 5 things I learned on my walk through The City of God:

Everyone needs hope: There is so much hope in the eyes of a child.  Two of the my favorite photographs from my trip to Brazil are the first two enclosed of the children we met in the Favelas.  While clearly impoverished they were full of hope, happiness, light and life.  They were fascinated by us and when you smiled at them they would smile a mile wide right back.  I suppose in the circumstances they are faced with the light of hope can easily extinguish.  Unfortunately, there was also plenty of hopelessness on display. Great leaders inspire hope in others and instill confidence in the future.
Most people are generally good and want to do good: Of course there are exceptions. Walking around anticipating those exceptions will ensure you miss out. I had a lot of people discouraging me from traveling to Caracas.  Sure it can be dangerous.  So is St. Louis. Most people are good.  Most people aren’t that different from you or me.  Empowering others to become the best of themselves and embracing our differences is real leadership.  Business can be a force for good.
I have nothing to complain about: I got up this morning. Put clothes and shoes on my body. Buttoned a warm coat. Walked down the street to my neighborhood coffee shop. Purchased a cup of coffee and scone. I consumed clean water. The plumbing in the coffee shop was functional. I wasn’t threatened. I wasn’t injured. Not once this morning did I fear for my life or think about my safety.  I sent e-mails on my MacBook Pro.  Freely shared my ideas.  Feel very confident about where my next meal is coming from. These things make me quite privileged.  I live amid abundance and opportunity.  Could it be better?  Of course.  But in considering and comparison, there isn’t a person in this coffee shop with me right now that isn’t so very fortunate to be sitting here.
We all can make a difference: We all have the power to make a difference.  We all have the potential to contribute. We all have the permission to create change.  One conversation.  One connection.  One meaningful moment that inspires action.  How we make a difference is up to each of us.
Go Places. Meet People.  Being somewhere new and being open and proactive about putting new people into our lives is well worth the effort. Those places and especially the people will help us evolve if we let them. New places and people wake us up.  Challenge us.  Provide a sense of adventure and renewed spirit.  Inspired experiences can translate into inspired thinking and action.

Here are a few photo’s from my memorable walk.

Wherever you are walking today I wish you safe passage, meaningful memories and inspired thinking that leads to action.

I had my shopping list:

-A device to keep my MacBook Pro and iPhone charged during a long flight
-A presentation remote
-A hands free wireless microphone
-A new digital camera

I could have purchased all of this online.  However, I am essentially inept when it comes to electronics.  I need support, guidance and expertise.  I am willing to get into my car and drive for that expertise.  I am even willing to pay more for that expertise (and generally to avoid buyers remorse).  I am inclined to get excited about the notion that the expertise and technology could possibly be available in one place. I am excited about what this technology can do for me.  I have dreams!  I just need a little support to make them come true.

I will also embarrassingly acknowledge that my DVD player died 6 months ago.  I have no idea what model/make to replace it with.  Installation is another issue.  If there is an easy solution and support then sign me up!

Enter Best Buy.  The electronics superstore that offers customers Dream Support!

I entered.  With my shopping list.  Ready to spend.  I was a very engaged potential buyer.  They could have easily had the full inventory on my list and sold me a new DVD player with an up-sell for installation. Let’s keep going.  It has been 8 years since I purchased a television. I could also easily add a television to the home office. Why stop there?

Instead I walked out of the store with nothing.  No sale closed.  Why?

Dream Support is a tough business (a very worthy aspiration no doubt and I absolutely love the enclosed video and positioning).  To consistently execute dream support is a challenge.  In a stalled economy with new competition that takes skill.  That takes expertise.  That takes sales competency.  That takes ongoing training and development.  That mandates preparedness, competitive intelligence and all around sales excellence.

After 30 minutes and 3 mediocre conversations I walked out of the store.  I wasn’t angry.  I was perhaps a bit unsure,  a little overwhelmed and not having an in store experience consistent with my expectations.   I was never asked about my dreams.  I love to talk about dreams.  I was directed to aisle 6.

At the end of the day this has very little to do with what Best Buy does and much more with how they do it.  Dream Support requires an upgrade in the “How“.  Increasingly, so will growth in the new economy.

One stand alone sales expert could have carved out a very nice sale and likely added layers of upside to the transaction.  The difference between several thousand in revenue and the no sale that resulted was skill.  Not attitude. Not desire.  Everyone in that store was perfectly polite and I am certain they would have been more than happy to take my money.  However, in this era of increasingly elevated expectations that often isn’t enough to make the cash register ring.

Multiply this over 1,400 stores and you might have an incredible opportunity to ring the cash register a lot more often through some elevated sales skill and strategy!

When you deliver an experience that meets or exceeds expectations consistently, you can build customer loyalty.  If the experience is differentiated and compelling enough people will keep coming back, pay more and spread the good word.

Often, that comes right down to skill.

(Note:  To my friends working for Best Buy…I am rooting for you!  I am also going back to shop Saturday and you’ll have another opportunity to separate me from my $ and make my dreams come true!  Sales 2.0 TIP:  Start with an effective, open ended question that immediately connects me to my dreams…you will have me at hello!).

In an era of all the time connectivity there is increasing competition for the attention required to engage in meaningful conversations that move a connection forward and make a relationship better.  The downside of the being constantly plugged in is that it is increasingly more common to be alone together.

Conversations that connect us matter. They create clarity.  Establish expectations.  Evolve understanding.  Elevate emotional commitment.  Resolve conflict.   Solidify trust.  Serve to validate and acknowledge the ideas, opinions and importance of another person.

If you are finding that technology has replaced talking or simply has become a distraction to deep dive dialogue, consider these 4 keys for more effective interpersonal communication:

1. Power Down: Turn off the technology from time to time.  You cannot have compelling conversation while text messaging, tweeting and updating your status.  You cannot connect when you are consistently distracted.  Demonstrate respect by offering a moment of your absolute, undivided attention.

2. Eye contact:  Maintaining eye contact is essential for elevated engagement during a conversation.  It demonstrates sincere interest and helps you remain focused and present.  It also helps you make a stronger, more meaningful connection.

3. Ask important questions:  I don’t have meetings without a question map (effective, open ended questions prepared in advance designed to serve the agenda and outcome objective).  I don’t want to waste anybody’s time. Skill with questions can be the difference maker between average and extraordinary sales performance (and average and extraordinary leadership).  Skill with questions applies to life.  And this question is still the single best question of all time for initiating new relationships.  Give it a try at your next cocktail party and see what happens to the conversations you are having and the connections you make.

4. Listen:  Acknowledge what you are hearing by reinforcing key points.  Ask probing questions to layer the conversation and create the next level of understanding.  Don’t interrupt.  Don’t focus on what you are going to say while someone else is talking.  Relax and really work to develop understanding.  Perhaps the best rule of interpersonal communication comes courtesy of Dr. Stephen Covey, Habit 5:  Seek first to understand, and then be understood (a habit you will rarely see in practice on Twitter).

Conversations that count can lift us up, move our spirit and serve as the catalyst for making new friends and connecting in our most meaningful relationships.

Sometimes it just requires a little more effort to not be alone together.

I will be back up in the air and on the move!  If you are in the AC or the Bahama’s I hope we connect!

I’ll be speaking:

GSCSHRM
Atlantic City, NJ
Monday, 10/24

United States Marines Corps MCCS
Orlando, FL
Wednesday, 10/26

Bahama’s HRD Association
Nassau, Bahama’s
Friday, 10/28
*it is winter in MN and this is good strategic planning

My friends from the Work/Life Expo were kind enough to Flip and forward the enclosed feedback following my keynote last week.  Muchas Gracias! Yes, I did pick up a little bit of Spanish while speaking in Venezuela this week.  A bit of commentary and perspective on my adventure in Caracas forthcoming.

We also added the annual SHRM Leadership Conference to our event calendar and are excited to start working with  AT&T, Giant Eagle and Wakefield. Welcome.

I hope you have a great weekend!