Perception As Reality: A Customer Service Nightmare

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I have always thought of myself as a likable person.  Amiable, good natured, and funny.  At least that's how I envision myself.  Yet, other people's perceptions can be far different than your own.  During my tenure as a manager I took pride in advancing my employees careers, helping their families when in need, and really taking an interest in their lives as opposed to just being a boss.  I believe that collaborating with people is the key to every one's success.  No one is an island.

Something happened recently in my personal life that reminded me of a similar incident at work years ago.  I was working as a Service Manager and I handled a fleet of drivers.  One particular driver, John,  I took an interest in because I had promoted him from a production loader, to a production supervisor, and finally a service/sales person.  I had brought him up through the ranks in a short period of time, and I thought that his personality would work well in dealing with our customers.  He was funny, amiable, and hard working.  And I was right.  He did well in service and his customers liked him.  Every customer liked him, and I was proud to see him advancing his career.  The future seemed bright for both of us.

As it happens we signed a major national account in the home security industry and they were in need of our products right away.  John and I met with their team and the person who he would be dealing with on a weekly basis, who introduced himself as "the A-hole".  No joke, that is exactly how he described himself and with an emphasis on the word beginning with A.  We dealt with crazy customers all the time, so I didn't think anything of it, I was just trying to get the product to them as quickly as possible.  And we did.  In fact we ending up delivering it late on a Friday night in a driving rainstorm and I was at their facility until 9 pm.  I let John go home by 6 pm because he had a young son and I didn't want to keep him from his family.  We were able to meet the customers expectations and get them their products on time and I was happy.  Hopefully "the A-hole" would be happy as well.

Over the course of each week I would check in with John.

"How's the A-hole doing?  Are they happy with our service?"

"Oh yeah! Great! Great! Very happy."

"Awesome! That's great.  Good job John!"

And this would be our conversation about the account for the next 4 weeks.  No issues, no complaints, at least not about John, and all seemed well.  Until...the bombs started dropping.  Our customer service department started receiving a slew of complaints from John's customers about the level of service they were receiving.  But the complaints weren't about John, they were all centered around ME!  Customers were complaining that I had misplaced their orders for new products, that I was not calling them back, and that I was basically a failure as a manager.  And then my boss called me into his office.
"We've been getting complaints at corporate about you and how you're handling the ABC account."

" I installed the products and John told me that everything has been going well each week."

" Well there's apparently some guy named Richard over there who wants you fired.  Says you don't return his calls, and he even called our CEO about you."

" What!  I've met him exactly once and he introduced himself as the A-hole.  John's been dealing with him ever since the installation.  What are the problems exactly?"

" Wrong orders.  Incorrect applications, and apparently you never return his calls."

" He's never called me.  Not once.  What the heck is going on?"

" I don't know but you better get with John and meet with this guy.  Now that the CEO knows, your career is on the line."

" You're kidding right?"

" No I'm not.  Someone's head is gonna roll here and it's not going to be mine."

I was panicked!  What the heck had happened?  I conferred with my General Manager and we decided the best thing to do was for me to ride along with John for a week to repair all the damage that I had been done to my reputation.  I told John I would be riding with him all next week, and at that point he looked panicked.

"Why are you riding with me?  I told you everything is fine.  My customers love me!"

"Yeah but apparently they hate me, and now my butt is on the line.  I guess that guy Richard called corporate on me."

"Really?  That's weird.  Well okay I guess we'll find out what's going on next week."

He didn't sound all that convinced and when I rode with him first thing Monday morning I found out exactly what was going on when we pulled up to ABC company.  Richard, the A-hole, was waiting for me.

" I gotta bone to pick with you buddy.  In the conference room, both of you right now!"

He shouted at us.  We followed, and it was a little frightening how upset he was from the beginning. As if he had been angry since...I don't know birth maybe? We sat down and he had his assistant with him. He sat opposite us and pointed a bony finger right at me.

"You are an f-ing a-hole and I am going to have your butt fired."

"Okay. I can see your upset and this may sound stupid.  But why am I an a-hole and why do you want me fired."

"Are you f-ing kidding me!  You don't even know!  Oh my god your company is a joke!  This guy here has been busting his butt to get all our orders right and you just sit on your ass doing nothing.  No wonder you suck so badly.", and he was pointing at John.

"He is the best damn driver I've had, great guy, and I have personally heard him leaving you voicemails about issues with our account and to call me and you haven't called me once. Not once!  What is wrong with you?!  Don't you want to keep your job?  You're such a loser!"

And at that point, a little light went off in my head, and a bell...ding, ding, ding. John was blaming all his customers issues on me.  I decided to take the high road.

"You've been giving all the new orders to John right. And he's been leaving voicemails for me to call you?"
I asked, knowing full well I had never received any voicemails or new orders from John for the account. 

"Right!  Do I have to repeat myself.  And he's been giving the orders to you.  Isn't that right John."

"Uh yeah.  I guess so.", John answered but not convincingly. He was looking down at the table.

"And apparently you haven't been placing any of the damn orders!  Why?  Can you explain that Mr. Idiot Service Manager!  Why haven't you been placing the orders?! Or checking your voicemail?!"

"No I can't, but I can explain to you that this is all my fault and I will take full responsibility and fix any issues that you have.  Richard, I want to correct this situation and so I will be here the next 2 weeks to resolve the issues."

"Good.  You had better fix it. Why does he have to give you the orders anyways?  Why can't he just order them on his own?"

"He can, but I don't know if John is aware that he has the authority to place orders.  That's a training issue on my part and I will work to get it corrected.", I said this knowing full well John was well aware he could place orders for the account at any time.

"Well that's good, then we won't have to route the orders through your sorry ass!  We can take the f-up straight out of the equation.  I can't believe your even out here, I thought they would have fired you after I spoke to your CEO."

"Well I thank the CEO and yourself for allowing me to change your perception of our service."

" Your service, not our service.  This guy's doing a great job. Don't you lump him in with your sorry ass.  And my perception of YOU at this point is that YOU suck. ", and again he pointed at me while John was now silent.

"I will get this corrected within two weeks or I'm sure they will fire my ass.  Thanks for the opportunity."

" Don't thank me just fix it. Perceive my reality.  And the reality is... I am pissed.  Are you getting that?"

"Absolutely."

"Good.", and then he looked at John who had his head down and said, "And don't you dare give me another driver.  This guy is doing great.  You're the f-up. Now get out of here."

"Will do.  No changes. Thank you.", and I offered my hand for him to shake which he did, while he glared at me like he wanted to fight.  I smiled, turned, and walked off with John and my ears burning with anger. I had been "thrown under the bus", by a guy I had been working hard to promote for years. I was shocked, confused, and hurt.  As we walked John kept his head down.

"Sorry about that.  There were just so many orders. I got overwhelmed.", he said.

"Don't say anything.  I don't want to hear it.  I just want to fix this #$% and move on.  Am I going to run into this at some of your other accounts that are complaining?"

"Probably."

"Well then I'll just have to deal with it.  It's more important they like you than me. Just don't do it again please."

"I won't."

All week, I listened as each customer told me what a bad job I was doing and how John deserved a better boss than me, and how the company should fire me immediately.  I took note of each issue, set out to resolve them, and documented each one.  Their perception was that John was great and I was not, and their perception had become my reality.  If I didn't fix the problems, then their perception would persist and eventually I would be demoted or fired. 

For the next 2 months I worked diligently with John and each customer to repair the damage that had been done and to alter their perceptions.  I fixed all of their problems, changed my reality, and then I fixed John too.  But that's a story for another post.

If you work with customers you must remember that whatever they perceive is now your reality.  Whether it is right or wrong doesn't matter.  Alter their perception and you can change reality. And possibly your career in the process.

Have a great day!

Leadership 11.0

As a successful manager I thought I could write about leadership pretty easily. I also considered that I'm more than qualified than most people to address this topic, since I have done incredibly well in every management or leadership position in which I was placed. Wow!  That sounded really arrogant.

But people don't want to read that crap.  "Oh I'm so great just do what I do! Or try what I did because I'm so smart. " It seems terribly egocentric and extremely annoying.

People also don't want to read "I studied for 8 years and I have my PhD, listen to me, even though I've never ran a business.", which is mostly academic and almost condescending. In addition, it doesn't carry a lot of credibility in the business world.  Theories are great but people need concrete examples of how things work.

For this post, I spoke to many friends in management positions, very high management positions, as in CEO's, senior VP's, newer VP's, and I didn't include friends at Bank of America where it seems everyone is a VP.  I am never one to candy coat my message, which would probably bring me more followers, but I speak candidly and truthfully about the business world.  My message is twisted, honest, and pragmatic.  So if your looking for unicorns and rainbows and you want to know how to solve the world's problems, please read a different post. No one has all the answers.

However, I offer real life examples of what works and what doesn't and so listed below are 11 attributes of good leaders, which I gleaned from hours talking to business acquaintances.  I hope this helps those of you who are in leadership positions to understand your role and how much you can either help or hinder people's lives and careers. And for those of you who aren't in leadership roles, I would urge you to find a leader with these qualities and follow them along your career path.

Truthful - I am always shocked when I find a leader who lies to their team.  And I am not referring to little white lies such as, "Oh that tie looks good on you", when it really looks awful.  Or "That's a great picture. Your kid is very cute.", when the child looks like a smaller version of Ron Pearlman in "Hell Boy". I mean lies with serious implications, like how the leader feels about an employee and the status of their working relationship. Or even worse whether or not the employee is about to be laid off.  Leaders should be truthful...especially when your career depends upon it. 

Resilient - Good leaders are tough...like an old piece of beef jerky.  It's take a while to chew threw them, they don't go down too easily, and they can be spicy at times.  If you have a good manager she/he will weather both the good times and the bad, but be especially resilient during the bad times.  A leader cannot wither when the winds of corporate blow hard.  They must stand tall.

Unbiased - A lot of managers have a difficult time being unbiased.  It's only natural to like some employees better than others because they're doing a great job.  However a true leader, must not show bias when it comes to standards or discipline.  I had an employee once who was absolutely awesome, but during a contest, he piled on a lot of  products which were never delivered to his biggest customer,  who wasn't perusing the invoices.  Subsequently, my employee won $5,000, but when the customer found out and demanded a refund, I had to fire him. He had cheated the customer, the company, and worst of all...himself.  

Spirited - Leaders are passionate people.  They have a wealth of spirit which gets people enthusiastic to work with them.  I don't mean they're cheerleaders like the girls in "Bring It On".  They don't have spirit sticks or jazz hands.  They aren't blustery or extroverted like Steve Balmer, but they have spirit and passion for their work.  Does Bill Gates strike you as someone who has passion or is spirited?  To me he seems about as passionate as a block of wood. Yet he must have a wealth of spirit and passion because he fought off every challenge offered to Microsoft and he got Balmer to follow him.  You can't do that without being spirited.  Who do you think taught Steve Balmer to dance?

Taxing- Leaders are taxing on their employees.  Again, I'm not referring to what is taken out of an employees pay check every week, but rather taxing as in demanding.  Leaders get the best out of their people, and if they have to be taxing at times, so be it.  I would rather work or be lead by someone who makes me the best I can be, rather than be coddled and never reach my full potential.  A perfect example is the basketball star Michael Jordan.  He was a taxing and demanding on his teammates but his teams won championships. He got the best out of every one of his teammates.  Seriously, who else could win an NBA Championship with Bill Cartwright or Luc Longley?  And I'm sure 90% of you are asking yourself, "who the hell is Luc Longley?"

Worthy - Great leaders are people who are worthy of being followed.  What exactly does that mean?  Well people will follow someone who is genuine, sincere, authentic, and worth risking their career or lives over.  People will not follow someone who has only their own interest in mind, or who is not sincere in their efforts or genuine in their commitments.  To be a good leader you must be authentic and worthy enough to have followers. Leaders are worthy...unlike Wayne and Garth who are not worthy.

Open Minded - Steve Jobs has been quoted A LOT.  It seems that he's the spokesperson for a generation, and rightfully so, but my favorite quotes from him have nothing to do with technology.  I think his mass appeal is how open minded he was about everything.  He didn't see limits on ANYTHING, and that's why he was a great leader.  Unfortunately the only limit on Steve Jobs was time...

Reliable - Leaders must be reliable and they must be loyal.  Otherwise they wouldn't be worth following.  People need to trust that the decisions they make will be consistent and that their leader will act with the best interest of the company and the employee in mind.  If you cannot rely upon your manager or boss to advance your career, than who can you rely upon?

Trusting - A great leader relies upon his or her people to get things done.  They realize they cannot do it themselves.  A poor leader is one who tries to do everything, including their employees jobs.  Big mistake! A leader must trust that he/she has trained people correctly, and they will make the appropriate choices for everyone to be successful.

Humane - Despite being taxing and demanding, a good leader must also be humane.  They must understand that not all people or employees are the same, and also allow for people to live their lives, rather than devoting their lives to work.  When my dad passed away, I requested time off, but my boss at the time cut me short. "You don't even have to ask, take all the time you need, and it won't cut into your vacation pay."  I was shocked, but grateful.  Legally, he didn't have to do anything, but I was so appreciative of his empathy that I followed his career path for the next 5 years and we both benefited from his leadership.

Yawp - If you're wondering what yawp is, I can tell you it is not a gastrointestinal bodily function.  However, it sounds like it could be?  In the words of Walt Whitman, "I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world." I interpret this song of Whitman's as vision, focus, or voice.  It is what every great leader has, and some in more reserve than others.  Yet for a leader to be followed he or she must have a voice, a vision, a barbaric yawp to incite people to follow. 

If you read this post and you are managing people, I hope it helps you and those you are leading. I think I spelled it out pretty clearly. 

Have a great day!

8 Unique Ways To Say "I Quit"

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According to a Gallup poll of 1 million Americans, the number one reason people leave their job is  because of a poor relationship with their immediate supervisor.

I know that all of us working in and around the corporate world get frustrated with our boss at times, and we just want to say "screw this", and walk out the door. Or in today's world of telecommuting to walk out our front door and scream, "I quit!!!"  But that is soooooo booooring.  Don't you want to leave a dent in the universe or rather a dent in your boss's psyche?   I'm not talking about just burning bridges here, I'm asking you to blow the bridge to bits.   If you're so unhappy with your job and the company, and you know you're never going to ask for a reference or want to work with them again, then why not make your decision to leave more memorable? 

Yes, I know every human resource professional will advise you not to ruin your relationship for fear of reprisal. But wasn't it your boss who undermined the relationship in the first place?  Isn't it your company's fault for tolerating a lousy boss, and the onus is on them to make amends.  I would say that because of the horrible way you've been treated it is not only your right, but your duty to make your last day(s) memorable.  Remember, it's in your best interest to keep things interesting, but legal.  In any case, here are a few different ways to say "I quit", which will leave your boss scratching his or her head, and a permanent imprint on their brain.

"I've been hearing voices..." - Nothing scares people or bosses more than an employee who may or may not be crazy.  It's terrifying because your boss never really knows what you are capable of, especially nowadays.  I prefer to add this sentence as well, and be sure to whisper it as if the voices will hear you, "The voices are telling me to quit...and that you are a jerk."

"Here's my resignation, and check out my YouTube video about you...it went viral" - Quitting your job is one thing, but shaming your supervisor on YouTube seems to be pretty common place nowadays.  I'm not so sure you need to follow through with actually making a video, and in fact I would recommend against it, but it certainly will get your boss thinking about the crappy way he treated you all those years.  Just tell him if he wants to see it you'll email the link...

"I'm leaving this job to become an assassin" - You can have fun with this one by explaining how you have been a gun aficionado for years, and that you're finally fulfilling your dream of becoming an assassin.  Don't go into too much detail, but add that there are plenty of jobs for mercenaries. Too put the icing on this scary resignation cake,  you might want to add, "I'll be thinking of you as I work at my new job."

"Here's my resignation, and here's the letter I sent to our CEO." - If you're a good employee, a valuable employee, then a well crafted letter to the CEO will scare the crap out of your boss.  Why should you allow a bad boss to continue to work and ruin the life of your coworkers? It's important that you save them from the same horrible treatment you received.

I'm resigning to participate in a study on workplace harassment..." - Your boss will be shocked and surprised when you drop this little bomb on him/her.  Again, the whole idea is to not say too much, and if they schedule an exit interview just answer each question with, "I would like to tell you more but I don't have security clearance at this time."

"I wrote a sitcom about my job that was picked up.." - Nothing slaps somebody in the face like a person that has success in the entertainment industry.  People envision you'll be famous and wealthy, and your boss will certainly be jealous.  He may even ask if a character is based on him, but be sure to keep your answers vague. " I can't really say.  I know the boss is a real a-hole, but any similarity to actual persons is purely coincidental."

"I published my book about bad bosses..." - This may or may not be true, but what do you care?  You don't have to tell your boss anything when you quit your job, so why not let him think he's the subject of a book?  And even better, that he's the subject of a book about lousy bosses.  Be sure never to mention the title of the book, and that you published it under a pen name and not your real name.  It will drive him crazy!

"I'm going to work for the government..." - Again, you don't have to delve into too much detail about this career change, when handing in your resignation.   In fact, it's better to be mysterious about what department of the government you will be working in.  When your boss asks give him the standard answer, "I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.  Let's just keep this parting amicable."

Understand that your company and your boss cannot say anything about the manner in which you resigned or the reasons for your leaving.  It is against the law to share that information so everything you do is confidential.   They can only share the date you started and the date you left, and if they share more, you can take them to court.

So please, please, don't make a stupid YouTube video to chronicle your last days, because then your actions will be public and subject to scrutiny by everyone, including potential new employers or new customers if you are going rogue.  You may be an Internet superstar one minute and a lovable loser with no prospects for employment the next ten years. 

Please keep in mind that these are humorous suggestions on how to quit your job, but the onus is on you should you decide to try one of them. 

Goodbye and good luck...

Big Data And Sales: Only One Number Matters

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Big data seems to be a catch phrase for the last 5 years, and frankly it is really not a new concept.  People have been studying economic and industry data since the early part of the 20 century.  Anyone who has studied statistics know that data is invaluable, so how is this phase different? I see and hear things about the wondrous world of big data.   How big data can influence your sales cycle, your sales results, your sales process, and even the choice of locations for your awards dinner.  Big data is now a key word in everything. So what does it mean?

I will offer a very simplified idea of the term "big data", since I am not an expert. As recently as 2012, the term big data was defined by Forbes contributor Edd Dumbill as the following:

“data that exceeds the processing capacity of conventional database systems. The data is too big, moves too fast, or doesn’t fit the strictures of your database architectures”.

It was a phrase coined way back in 1990's by John Mashey a scientist at Silicon Graphics International, who developed a presentation to discuss the merits of big data, and how it could impact all businesses.  With the advent of the internet, we now have access to a wealth of information, in fact too much information for our tiny minds to process, and this is where big data comes into play. With sophisticated computers we are able to process all of this information and explain business cycles, buying habits, and even consumer tendencies. And that's just the tip of the big data iceberg. Yet seriously how does big data affect you as a sales rep?  Well, it does and it also doesn't. Because despite the wealth of data in your CRM such as opportunities, campaigns, events, badges, dashboard, documents, evaluations, appointments, sales drivers, and leads, those numbers might mean a great deal to analysts, but very little to your superiors.  There really is only one number that matters to the people who run sales teams and that's how much revenue you bring to the company. That's it in a nutshell.   All the other numbers matter but not as significantly as that one number.  If you are hitting your revenue goals they love you and if you're not, you had better dust off your resume. 

So why is there so much emphasis on big data nowadays?  I studied economics and econometrics while in college and I thought it was fascinating how data could explain everything the buying habits of people in a Sudanese village to the most common boy names in an obscure region of Madagascar.  Big data really started with economics and has now transformed to become a tool for companies, governments, and unfortunately some criminals to target certain groups of consumers with campaigns designed to sell them products, or steal their money. And it is a wonderful tool, but for marketing and not necessarily for the sales reps.  As a rep your focus should only be on one number : your quota.  All the other numbers are irrelevant.  Hit your quota and I guarantee no one at corporate will care how many opportunities, events, evaluations, calls, appointments, or campaigns you have done.  Big data will help spearhead your company's marketing campaigns, but YOU have to close the sales. 

Now hold on a minute, I am not saying that you should ignore your CRM, and not fill it with information.  That would be idiotic.  You need a place to store your information in order to formulate a plan for success.  However, what I am saying is don't focus on all the little numbers and get bogged down in minutiae.  Despite all the data being collected, what you want to collect is sales commissions, therefore focus on your quota and the rest of the numbers will "take care of themselves".

Have a great day selling!

Too Much Positive Thinking?

I was recently on a plane ride back from a business trip and I sat next to a fascinating woman, who was so ultra positive that it actually started to affect me.  I found myself smiling a lot and we had a great time talking about everything from business, to politics, to shoes.  She told me all about her life and how she had fought off a terrible illness as a child, she had started her own business, then overcome a tragic accident as well, and so she regarded every step forward as a bonus in her life.  It was truly an uplifting conversation and I felt glad she had shared her stories with me so that I could be inspired to do something great myself.  As I left the airport I thought to myself, "Damn she was such a positive person! It seems like  that positive thinking crap actually works!  Look at what a great life she's made for herself! It makes me want to go out and conquer the world!...Oh there's an In-N-Out burger hmmm."

Yet as I was in a cab riding home from the airport, I was still buzzing from our encounter. I thought about snippets of the conversation I'd had with her. During the four hour flight, we had talked nonstop, or maybe she had talked nonstop, but I'm sure I got a few words in there somewhere.  She was very health conscious, had been all over the world, and she had basically made little business clones of herself to become successful. She was very pretty, in great shape, flirty, and very charming.  She made it clear that she had achieved every goal in her life except the one she coveted most which was to have a family of her own.

Despite all her charm and positive energy, the one thing in particular that I had remembered from her hours of talking...she had never found a "someone" in which to share her success. I put that word, someone, in quotes because she was one of those people who spoke with her hands as well as her mouth and she made quotation marks with her hands.  She had told me about her numerous boyfriends, 3 fiancees and even one lesbian relationship...yes she was that open about her life. I thought it strange she never found someone to share her life with, but then I remembered a specific part of our conversation: 

"You seem so positive all the time.  How do you do that?  It must be exhausting!", I asked, and then I chuckled as if to make a joke.

"Not for me it isn't but for some of my boyfriends it's been trying at times."

"How do you mean?  They have trouble keeping up with you?"

"No. I just try to be positive all the time and I don't ever think about anything negative.  EVER. I can't afford to waste my time on negativity. "

"Ever?  Isn't that a bit crazy to think that way?  I mean there has to be times when you get down?"

"No I'm not saying I don't feel that way, but I NEVER admit to feeling that way.  I can't.  Otherwise I would never be successful in my life or in what I do. "

"Hmmm.  That's interesting."

"Oh, now you sound like my boyfriend.  Hmmm that's interesting? He's a bit of a pessimist, but he says he's more of a realist.  I think he can be too negative sometimes, but I just ignore him."

"Well I'm sure he loves that.", I said and almost rolled my eyes, but I caught myself.

"Who cares what he likes, it's what I like that matters.", she said and then she laughed as if she were making a joke.  But I wasn't so sure she was joking.   She continued, "If he can't be a positive influence in my life, then why should I be with him? And that goes for everyone, my friends, my family.  If they don't influence me in a positive way, I won't be around them."

" Well, that's your choice and his, to be who you want to be.  But even your family? Wow. But hey it's seems to be working for you.  I just think sometimes it's better to have a balanced perspective. "

" You're saying I don't have a balanced perspective? What does that mean?"

" I just think you can't think about things too positively or too negatively.  That you have to have some balance. It doesn't matter.  You seem to be doing very well, so stick with whatever you're doing."

" I will.  Don't start getting all negative on me.  That's the quickest way to piss me off."

" We have 3 more hours of flight time, so I will be sure not to piss you off.", I said and laughed.

She laughed along with me and we went on talking about different things, but as I mentioned she seemed like she had everything figured out, but she really didn't.  She was still alone and I wondered if it was because as she had said, "I don't ever think about anything negative.  EVER." For me, that would be a hard person to live with, especially if that person never admits to feeling negative.  It's too one sided, and not at all balanced.  In fact, if I was married to a person who could never admit to experiencing a negative feeling, and was positive ALL THE TIME, I would find that person completely annoying. In fact, I'm certain after a few years I would be planning to get a divorce or murder them, whichever was easier.   How can you not allow yourself to ever have a bad thought?  It's unnatural and unhealthy, in my opinion.

Believe it or not, I am an optimist.  Yes, I'm sarcastic as hell, but I do believe in true love, family, all that sentiment in "The Notebook", and other corny stuff.  Well maybe not all of "The Notebook", but I enjoy movies with happy endings, and I root for the good guy in all the movies I watch.  However, I do expect there to be times when I'm not so positive, and good things don't always happen.  Bad things happen to good people, but it's how you respond that will make an impact on your life and those around you.

Let me give you a business example of what I mean by being too positive.  Years ago and I mean decades, I was a young management trainee working on a project straight out of college. 

The project manager told us that "I don't want to know about the problems but only the successes we are having with this project.  Do not bring any negative energy into this or we will all fail.  I want to hear about the solutions not the problems."

Well our team, being fresh out of college, we all took that to heart, and so despite some insurmountable production issues we never said a word about the problems.  Halfway through project, the manager came into the office in the afternoon screaming, "I was just told by production that there is no way they can have this ready by the September deadline!  Why the hell didn't you guys say something?!

The senior member of the team, a ripe old 23 year old with pimples all over his face said, "You told us you didn't want to hear about the problems, only the solutions, and that negative energy would cause us to fail.  So we didn't say anything."

"I didn't mean it literally!"

I almost laughed when he said that but he brought it upon himself.  We missed the deadline, he got demoted and I left the company. Too much positive thinking, to the exclusion of all other thought, can lead to some pretty negative consequences.  As you work through your work day remember that a balanced perspective is always best, in business and in life.

Have a well balanced day!

A Sale, Is A Sale, Is A Sale...

I have sold everything from off road gear, to uniforms, to rugs, to medical supplies and equipment.  I've even consulted some companies on software sales, retail sales, and liquor sales.  I've found that a Sale, is a Sale, is a Sale. The process may be slightly different but the goal is the same. Some sales cycles are short, some are long, but you still have the same objectives in mind.  People who have a longer more involved sales cycle like to claim they are better sales people, but seriously they're not.  They just have a longer cycle and it's more complicated but that doesn't make them a better sales person.

One of the best sales people I know, began his career as a car salesman.  And a used car salesman to boot. Yep, he worked for years in car sales, then transitioned to uniform sales, and became one of the best closers on government accounts I have ever had the pleasure of working with.  He signed more large accounts for the company we both worked for, than anyone in the West.  He went to Presidents Club eight years in a row, which was unheard of at the time, and he would have gone ten more times if they wouldn't have started messing with his pay.

So what did he do differently when he was selling cars to selling government contracts?  Not much.  He just learned a new sales process and applied all his knowledge and experience to be successful in a new environment.  He was not a college graduate, and barely graduated from high school but he understood people and related well to them. Today, they would say he had a high degree of emotional intelligence.  

When I was getting ready to leave industrial services and go into medical sales, I was concerned that my sales skills wouldn't transition well to the medical field.  So I asked him what he did to make the transition from car sales to uniforms sales to National Sales. 

"I remember three words that I learned in car sales, and I still use to this day. If you just think of these three words everyday when you're selling you'll do great! They're honesty, singularity, and integrity.  I live by those three words, and it's what makes me successful.  I'm not very bright so I like to keep it simple.  I can only remember three things at a time that's why I always forget the name of my youngest daughter. She's the fourth you know." , he said and then he laughed.

We talked for a long time about what those three words meant to him, and I can't remember all that he said, but I do remember how he interpreted those words and the crux of what they meant to his success. I have paraphrased what was said during our "fireside chats" below:

Honesty - Let's face it, we are not always honest all of the time.  We tell little white lies in our personal lives to people we love, in order to make them feel better or to avoid conflict.  Yet honesty in the sales process is critical because if customers or prospects discover that you're dishonest about any little thing, you will never make the sale.  Even if it's an innocent mistake about what your software, service, or product does, they don't interpret it as a mistake, but a LIE.  I know this is a catch phrase but "total transparency" is necessary in order to you to be successful in sales.  You cannot hide inconsistencies in a product or service because you may make the sale but you'll lose the customer in the long run. So if your selling software don't promise that your product does something it doesn't.  Focus on what it can do, not what it cannot do.

It is more important to be honest than to be effective. If people believe you and trust you, that's half the battle in the sales arena.  

Singularity - Not everyone remembers the guy who just gave a stellar presentation about his company, but didn't cover what makes them different from the competition. They remember the guy who showed why his company was singularly the best choice for the customer's needs. That's who they remember!

Interviewers don't remember the person who sent the "thank you" email to them, but they do remember the person who had already prepared a thank you card and handed it to them following the interview. It may not get you the job but you'll be remembered, that's for certain.

YOU NEED TO STAND OUT! And that doesn't mean wear flamboyant clothes or make up that makes you look like a circus clown.  Just like the words on this page you and your company need to stick in the conscious memory of your customer or prospect.  In addition, you need to position your product or service as the only choice for the customer/prospects needs.  Otherwise, you're just another sales person pitching a product.  You might as well be selling a "Bass-O-Matic", like Dan Akroyd on SNL.

Integrity - The definition of integrity as defined by Webster's as "the state of being whole and undivided".  For many it has to do with honesty but for him it had to do with following through on his commitments.  That he would act with the whole of his being and character to fulfill the needs of his customers, his family, and his friends. Here are a few of his thoughts about integrity.

"If you tell people you are going to be there at 2, you show up at 1:45."

"Your customer needs the product by Wednesday then you deliver in on Tuesday."

"A doctor needs something for a patient, but you're out of town. Yet you find a way to get it to her."

"You tell your kids you're going to be at their game, then make damn sure you make it to that game."

"Your friend's husband is sick and in the hospital, then you had better be there to support her. "

Acting with integrity in everything you do will make a big difference not only in your sales numbers but throughout your career. Keep in mind that if you follow through on your commitments people will respect you more, work with you more, and buy from you.

I took those three words and when I transitioned to medical sales, I lived by them.  They helped me grow my territory by almost 60% in the first six months.  It made the transition easier, and in reality the job easier as well.  I qualified for Presidents Club, and sat at our CEO's table at the National Sales Meeting.  It was exciting, and all because of three simple words.

Remember that a sale, is a sale, is a sale, and if you act with honesty, singularity, and integrity, you will be successful no matter what you're selling.

Have a great day!

10 Reasons To Leave Corporate America

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I was sitting at home last night reading another absurd post from some CEO about how he was going to change the business world with his brilliant idea to eliminate his sales team. Well that's not actually what he did, instead he just renamed his sales team, and reduced their commissions.  I'm not so sure his sales team members were happy, but he certainly was elated.  Why wouldn't he be excited?  He reduced costs while spinning a new marketing tool at his customers.  I'm sure he'll manage a profitless company for 5 years and then sell it to a larger firm and cash out.  It's what a lot of start ups do, and they make a lot of money.  It's like script writers in Hollywood that never produce a single movie but make a wonderful living selling the rights to their scripts.  They never produce anything substantial but they convince everyone they're brilliant.

Well after reading this one particular post from another arrogant CEO, I realized why years ago, I left the cozy confines of corporate America and made my own way.  I did well in the corporate environment. In fact, most people would say I was very successful, but I felt like a mindless drone who was just using my talent to help other people above me be even more successful than I was. I had a choice to stay and be miserable or leave and succeed...or fail on my own terms. It was a difficult decision to make, but I'm happy I left. I still deal with corporations but now they are my clients, and I'm the one dictating terms, not them. 

I am not calling for all of you to quit your jobs.  Some of you might even like your job. However, below I have listed what I hated most about working in a corporate environment and why I believe many of you might feel the same way...and that's why you should leave if you can: 

1. Ass Kissing - When I was younger I always thought that my talent would carry me to a great career, and that if I just produced, I would be promoted.  However, talent only gets you so far, and you really have to kiss some major ass to get ahead in corporate America.  In fact, I would argue that you don't even have to be talented to get ahead, if you're a really good ass kisser.  I was passed over for a promotion one time for a guy who was not half as smart, or dedicated, or had numbers to support his promotion. However, he was a good butt kisser.  I was shocked but no one else was, in fact one of my best friends at the company said, "I saw that coming.  He had his head so far up the VP's ass, he could have performed a colonoscopy. "

2. Falsies  - I;m not referring to the padding some women use to enhance their bust line.  I'm referring to the false persona people put on in the corporate environment. I recall those days when the boss told a horrible joke, but everyone laughed, or someone had a particularly bad idea but since they were best friends with the CEO you could not be critical. People wear these false persona's to make sure they get ahead, but it's all so fake. I can remember one year my manager telling our whole sales team, "We need to re brand our image and not have so much fun when we go to the National Meeting.  We don't want to get a reputation as partiers and that we're not taking the meeting seriously."  And I was thinking, "Oh yeah that would suck to actually enjoy ourselves at one of these stupid meetings."

3. Corporate Uber - Whether you believe it or not, as a corporate employee, you are not driving your own career.  I know that Tony Robbins or  Bryan Tracy will tell you that through personal power or positive thinking you can change your life at work, but unless you actually are the company owner that's not always going to happen.  You have to rely on someone else to grant you the promotion, or the pay raise, or company car.  You can go to corporate seminars, and walk on hot coals, and make a boat together, and be told you're a Linchpin, but we all know who is driving the boat.  And unfortunately, it's not you.

4. Benefits Not Included- Years ago it didn't make sense to break from the corporate model because everyone in America could make a good living, receive company health care, raise a family, and be rewarded with a pension.  Not anymore! Nowadays, corporations have passed on the costs of health care and retirement to their employees.  Years ago those were costs that companies paid in order to keep their employees loyal and happy. But that model has changed because corporations have a wealth of workers to choose from and if people quit, a company can find someone to replace them pretty quickly.  You pay for the cost so they can maximize profitability, and they don't even send you a "thank you" card.

5. Wasted Talent - As a corporate employee you are working for someone else's benefit, not yours.  The people who are profiting from your talent and hard work are the company shareholders. If you own shares in the company, that is awesome!  Stay with company, but if not, get the hell out.  There is no point in working for someone else's benefit.  I have a friend who works in the fashion industry and she started with a small company that was generating $2 million in annual revenue.  She went in with her contacts, pitched some new designs, and increased their revenue to $20 million.  How was she rewarded?  With a promotion?  With a partnership in the company?  Nope.  With a $10,000 bonus each year.  Who benefited from all her hard work?  The CEO and CFO who were the owners.  For $20,000 they received a huge return on their investment, and naturally, she felt jilted. While she was eating at Del Taco, they were sharing stories of their trips to Paris and New York.   So she left, started a line with another company, and took her accounts with her.

6.  "Game Of Thrones"- One thing that I realized while working in a corporate environment is people will crawl over your dead body to get ahead.  I've seen people boldly lie in corporate meetings, and talk trash about people for no reason other than to gain an advantage for a promotion.  Fortunately for me, I always produced so I was promoted, but I witnessed other colleagues get passed over because some scumbag planted rumors about them around the region.  Not all companies are like this, but corporate America rewards this type of behavior and many times without repercussions.  It's sad.

7. Appearance Is Everything - I remember putting on ties daily and picking up dry cleaning weekly, just to make sure that I looked good for the corporate higher ups. Customers were okay with whatever I wore but not corporate.  When I was being considered for a promotion I had to go through a "certification" process and I received points off for not having the correct undershirt, and shoes that didn't have a mirror like shine.  The shirt issue I thought was ridiculous since they didn't approve of the neck line of a t-shirt, and the shoes were brand new!  I polished them every day, but the shoes had a flatter finish on them which made them look polished but not with a military shine.  I answered all of the questions the panel asked me and took a written test which I passed easily, but I did not pass the certification because of 2 absurd demerits for appearance.  It was ridiculous.

8."Money, Money, Money" - I can't believe I'm quoting an ABBA song, but so be it.  In the corporate environment no one cares about your kids, your wife, your mom, or your dad; they only care money.  How are you going to help the bottom line.  Your boss will say things to keep you happy but everyone is driving for the same goal which is maximum profitability.  I have to say that I admire start up companies because they are "money pits".  In the beginning, they aren't expected to be profitable so they sometimes do their best work.  It's when you have the specter of fear that you'll lose your job if you don't bring in $$$, that makes working in the corporate environment so difficult.  If you think people care about your personal well being more than they care about money...think again.

9. After Hours - The first time I went to Europe, I arrived on a Sunday and everything was closed.  I mean EVERYTHING! I walked around for hours searching for a restaurant, gas station, anything to get some food.  Even the hotel restaurant was closed, so I couldn't order room service.  Well that never happens in corporate America.  It's like a 24 hour Wal-Mart. And you are expected to participate.  If your boss is going to Happy Hour, she expects you to be there, or if she has an important meeting on Monday and needs your help on Sunday, you had better be available.  Company picnics, car washes, and bake sales on Saturdays are part of the corporate environment.  Those who participate thrive, while those who don't, are ostracized.

"Not for me! I'm outta here, Betty Crocker!"

10. Old Men - Yep, that's who will be running or ruining your corporate career.  A bunch of stodgy old dudes, many whom think the word "app" refers to a job application. Yep, gender and generational bias exists.  I remember going to a National Meeting of General Managers and there was 1 woman GM out of 300.  Exactly 1!  And none of the GM's were younger than 35.  When I turned 34 I was working for a GM and pretty much running everything for him.  He typed with 2 fingers, didn't know how to use the Internet, and was not a very charismatic leader.  I tried to figure out how he got into that position and someone told me he was the Region VP's best friend.  Old dudes stick together. If your young and in a hurry to get ahead, you had better slow your, roll because you might run up on the CEO's Rascal Scooter and if you run over his ankle, he might fire you.


I don't recommend this move for the faint of heart.  You have to be committed to make it on your own, and it's very difficult at first.  Not everyone comes up with an idea for a best selling app, or creates Snapchat, or Instagram, or even Words With Friends.  Working on your own requires long hours for little pay and even smaller rewards, but if you stay committed you just much reach your "tipping point".  

If any of you, can think of some more reason to leave corporate America feel free to comment.

Good night and good luck!