When I think of Twyla Tharp I think of creativity in collaboration. When I was younger, I was given a book written by Twyla Tharp called The Creative Habit. It was an incredible resource that helped me better understand how creativity was a habit, and habits can be learned. I’ve…
When you think about why you became an entrepreneur, who inspired you most? What did they say or do that keeps you moving forward, even when the odds are against you? What did your mom teach you about being an entrepreneur? For many of the best leaders I’ve met, they…
Unless you have been hiding out somewhere for the past couple weeks, you have no doubt heard and seen all the fuss made about the release of Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens. No wait, that movie isn’t out until December…and the fuss was made about its trailer! The second one out, in fact. Yes, think about this: the excitement was not about the end product–but for its commercial! Talk about being pre-sold!
The first key to building a strong key account program is to invest time to better understand your partner’s business. With over 50% of executive leaders feeling there must be a better way, I thought I’d give you several ideas to help you choose the right clients for key account…
Over 50% of CEOs interviewed are unhappy with the results they get from their strategic / key account programs. Talk with your best clients and they can tell you they expected more when they decided to choose a primary supplier to partner with as a key account. How can both…
I was talking with someone recently who was asking the best way to handle a complainer. We’ve all worked or lived with them. As strong personal leaders, we know that complaining is pointless, irritating and toxic. Not everyone has gotten that message though and they seem bent on taking the…
These are high times for mergers and acquisitions. In 2014, corporate mergers and acquisitions (M&A) worldwide reached a seven year high of around $4 trillion. KPMG’s 2015 M&A Outlook Survey Report was headed “The Boom is Back: M&A Reemerges as Leading Growth Strategy”. “Boom”? Does that sound like a good time…
How do you make a difference in the world today? It seems like we’re always being challenged to become better leaders. But at a time where we can all impact the world in our own ways, why do we strive to be more like everyone else we know? What kind…
A few weeks ago I found myself sitting down with a prospective client who was seeking some help with branding himself. He was a highly experienced management consultant (forty-plus years) who had been downsized from a corporation that employed him for more than twenty-five years, and he wasn’t quite ready to retire. Thus, he was looking to go out and have to sell himself.
How much do you know about your key clients? How do you create great partnerships with other organizations? Social business, big data, and global competition are challenging the way we’ve done business in past. With all this information available about a potential key client’s business, why aren’t sales professionals able…