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This week's Sales Bluebird
This week's Sales Bluebird
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Friday, November 5th, 2021
Try these 3 questions at your next brainstorm, leaders build people up, you need feedback to grow
It’s hard to believe it is November already. For many of us, we are staring at quarter and year-end just 6 weeks away! And those 6 weeks are impacted by people taking time off for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Yikes!!!
It reminds me of “Your focus needs more focus!” (Perhaps the best line from the 2010 remake of The Karate Kid?)Because who doesn’t want a bluebird every week…
#1 - Something for your next brainstorming session
Sarah Stein Greenberg is onto something here...Christopher Lochhead Follow Your Different™ | Sarah Stein Greenberg [starts at 4:45min].The right questions can be incredibly powerful. They can spark exploration, minimize misunderstandings and drive for better, more collaborative solutions.
So don’t ask lame questions like, “what are your takeaways?” Go deeper. Try this reflective framework and see how these 3 questions transform your next brainstorming session. Intentionally leave room for this reflection at the end of the session otherwise it will be rushed and wasted. What? So what? Now what?
#2 - Something for leaders
Leaders don’t waste time complaining that other people don’t have their sh*t together. They don't tear people down, they build people up. Check out this short podcast episode that quotes Marcus Aurelius, Dwight Eisenhower, and Pete Carroll. Doesn't get much better than that, right?!?
The Daily Stoic: You Have To Lead Yourself First | Build Up, Don't Tear Down on Apple Podcasts [starts at 2:57min]
“If self-confidence is so important for players, why would a coach ever risk anything to damage it?” -Pete Carroll
#3 - Something to help you get better
Too often conversation intelligence tools such as Gong and Chorus are seen as just call coaching tools for bigger teams with established sales processes.
In fact, these tools are absolute MUST HAVES at startups, even when they are very early stage. At a time when you are making assumptions and experimenting, it is so important to be able to listen to what was actually said as opposed to what you recall being said.
Check out what Dan Parelskin, VP of Global Sales & Solutions Architecture at Axis Security, has to say about the critical role conversation tools have on building and maintaining a successful sales team.
[starts at 20:44min]
Eliminates opinions and focuses on truth
Provides lens on what good looks like to drive behavioral change
Drives efficiencies with legacy ramp up time of 3 months now only 3 days
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1 thing from me
Bite Size Sales podcast
“You can skip the marketing bullshit and go straight to the demo!” Perhaps no one has openly said this to you during one of your discovery meetings (like they did for a seller I once coached), BUT let’s be real...you know a lot of people are thinking it.
It’s time to put this sales deck stigma to rest! I challenge you to try these 3 tips to make your presentation enhance your conversation. You won't be disappointed. R.I.P. sales deck stigma
Make it a conversation, not a presentation
Don’t make it about you
Make it punchy, make it short, make it impactful
Something for job seekers
My good friends at Open Raven are changing how data is protected in the cloud. Alan Buckley is leading the sales organization and is looking for an experienced sales person for the east https://www.openraven.com/jobs-open-position?gh_jid=4161206004
I interviewed Dave McKeough last week on the podcast. He is the CRO at Trusona who are changing how organizations authenticate people, without passwords. Join Dave and the team on this mission https://www.trusona.com/about/careers
Dad joke of the week
What’s the advantage of living in Switzerland?
Well, the flag is a big plus.
Wishing you growth and accomplishment next week,
Andrew Monaghan
Chief Bluebird
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