Carson V. Heady's Blog, page 55
March 2, 2021
A Successful Transition from Seller to Leader
#Salespeople who become #sales managers face a shift from customer obsession to obsession over their team’s success = customer obsession by proxy.
Microsoft sales leader Faisal Esaadi joins Carson V. Heady for a special discussion.
We’ve all read the articles and seen the proof: top #sellers do not necessarily have easy #success in #leadership roles.
Never put yourself above your team, especially if they were your peers.
Invest in them, understand their superpowers and help them leverage them best.
Find their motivators, and help them chart their course for results and career growth. Remove obstacles and empower them.
Fostering #collaboration and #communication through transparency and #empowerment will ensure everyone feels included in your team’s mission.
Stay at the pulse of your team and help everyone you interact with win.
Focus on big picture, and use reports only to help diagnose where you can work with your team to improve process TOGETHER.
#Influence by determining areas for #growth, delivering on promises and establishing mutual accountability.
Your sales skills might have gotten you the job, but your ability and willingness to consistently invest in your #relationships with your team determine success.
March 1, 2021
The Abundance Mindset: The Best is Yet to Come
The abundance #mindset establishes foundation for our ability to survive and thrive through uncertainty and ambiguity by living the mantra that the best is yet to come.
I had a conversation with longtime friend Justin Essner a few weeks back when this topic came up.
There is always more – to achieve, opportunity, resources. We have to embrace the big picture of unlimited potential.
There are greatly reduced geographical barriers to connect or to do work. We have the tools at our disposal to connect meaningfully with anyone, anytime.
At times, we fight so hard to protect a small amount of what we believe we have or are entitled to. Real #success is found through ability and willingness to respond and adapt to change.
Change is inevitable; mindset is instrumental in determining a successful path forward. This leads to results and reputation.
Trust but verify. Be open to where collaboration and #relationships can take you (and where you can add value to them).
Optimize your performance – competing with average or quota is meaningless. Compete with your potential.
Look at the learning or opportunity in every situation. Control the controllables, embrace healthy risk and ensure no regrets.
#collaboration #strategy #leadership #attitude #growthmindset #culture #career
February 26, 2021
How You Can Best Impact the Future of Your Career Today
Careers always go in unexpected directions. Whether you know it or not, you’re currently preparing for critical areas for all of your future roles – including skilling and #networking.
Often, we evaluate our #career: where are we, how can we enhance our skills and experience, and what’s the next step?
Microsoft#sales leader Carlos Sousa joins Carson V. Heady for a special discussion.
While our employers and roles may change, the key learnings, experiences and skills we accumulate can make our value continuously increase.
What can you do today to do the job you want to have? A stretch role? Shadow those who are doing roles of interest?
Invest in training, books and relationships that enhance skills. Effectively #network with others where value and perspective can be exchanged. Say yes to opportunities.
You can infuse the job you want into what you do today. Carve out your unique niche which can not only transform your role but create a path to more potential opportunities.
Be open to where the journey will take you. Double down on your unique strengths and relationships. Find people that care about your unique skills. Never stop learning or connecting meaningfully!
#leadership #change #culture #collaboration #growthmindset #relationships #growth #success
February 25, 2021
How do We Accelerate Sales Cycle Timelines?
We are always under pressure to shore up #sales cycles, but move at the speed of customers and our organization. How do we accelerate efforts?
Microsoft leader Carlos Sousa joins Carson V. Heady for a special discussion.
Plan with the outcome in mind – work together to plot out the critical milestones between this moment and that target. Each party must hold each other accountable, in the spirit of #partnership, transparency and trust, along the way.
As a seller, make your #process about them: ensure they understand the levers you have at your disposal, the information you will need to leverage your resources and what matters to your organization – timelines and investments they can make that will benefit them most.
Your role is an evangelist for your customer – an advocate for them amongst all resources in your company. Help them arm you with what you’ll need from a priorities perspective.
Timelines might shift or slip, but if both parties are clear with intention and collaborative in project management, the foundation for partnership can be established effectively and the deal can stay on track.
#leadership #strategy #relationships #collaboration #salespeople #closingdeals #selling
February 21, 2021
Carson Heady Reviews “Bonus Round” by Pat Tinney; Pat reviews “Salesman on Fire”
Just finished “The Bonus Round” by Patrick Tinney. If you wish to be taken seriously in corporate sales, this is a must-read.
Pat called me in December 2020. We chatted for an hour. He told me he loved what I was doing, and that I was in “the pocket.” I’ll never forget it.
We just traded book reviews.
From my 5-star review of Bonus Round: “…a meaningful helping of every single facet of corporate sales you will encounter – from creation of relationships to deal negotiation and beyond – and each is illustrated by real stories from a successful career. Pat is the real deal – navigating corporations, people and politics to obsess over customers and bring home big deals where everyone wins. Whether you’re embarking on a career in sales, looking to advance or just to survive and thrive, “Bonus Round” has got something game-changing for you!”
From his 5-star review of “Salesman on Fire” “Author Heady tells a vibrant, gutsy, EQ based story of the competitiveness of corporate sales through his lead character Vincent. Heady leaves nothing off the table in ‘Salesman On Fire”. “If you want to know what can happen in the high flying world of corporate sales this book is for you! Buy yours today and buckle up!”
So thankful for my friendship with Pat!
February 19, 2021
How Can We Most Effectively Navigate Sales Cycles?
How can we best understand, assess and manage #sales cycles – specifically amongst ambiguity and uncertainty – for the benefit of customers and our company alike?
Microsoft leader Carlos Sousa joins Carson V. Heady to discuss.
Sales cycles – whether brief, months, or years – impact every facet of #selling and business: forecasts, quota, compensation, results and most importantly, #relationships.
While it is incumbent upon sales professionals to provide accurate assessments of deal status and milestones – for #leadership, for CRM, for colleagues and account teams – the customer can be extremely helpful in qualifying what stage they are in.
Trust checkers throughout sales process go a long way to keep all parties aligned.
Is your customer in an education stage or execution stage? Are you selling, or building? Ask them.
They can provide meaningful insight on where they are in this process: what is being evaluated, who are they considering and why, and do we have the right stakeholders (the power), influence and understanding of timeline and budget?
No matter what happens, with the desired outcome in mind, mutually chart out the necessary milestones to get there and hold each other accountable every step of the way. This is the foundation to a true #partnership.
February 18, 2021
Interview on “Sea Change” Podcast
Check out this podcast with Audrey Lawrence, where we dive into the psychology and probability behind #sales and #leadership, the value of personal brand and a #career board of advisors.
And check out her new book, “Sea Change”!
February 17, 2021
How & Why We Construct a Personal Advisory Board
Construction of your personal or #career advisory board: a trend we’ve recently put a name to whose value pays immense dividends in #learning and perspective-building.
This Board consists of people doing what you do or want to do, people whose strengths are not yours and those whose experiences or achievements are ones you’d like to learn about or accomplish.
When constructing your board, think of potential new contacts and people you’ve known all your life, of colleagues past and present, and of people who are doing or hiring for the types of roles you want to do in the future.
It could be in a different industry or trade or role you’re considering. It could be people who are doing things better than you are in a certain area; learn and assimilate their process into yours.
Make contact, explain why you gravitated toward them and ask for time for guidance or advice.
Jim Rohn famously said that we are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with.
Put a name to it, and make a concerted effort to surround yourself with people who will make you better.
#leadership #growthmindset #collaboration #teamwork #mentor #coaching
February 16, 2021
You Cannot Close the Sale Unless You Do This
Many have a particular connotation of the moment of closing a sale. But if you don’t set the right foundation for the relationship, there is no deal to be had.
Microsoft#sales leader Carlos Sousa joins Carson V. Heady for a special discussion.
Closing a sale is not an event. It is the natural culmination of two organizations that want to work together based on shared ideals.
Whether you are in a one-call close, transactional environment or an enterprise environment with long sales cycles, no deal transpires unless the buyer sees the compelling necessity to change versus standing pat or an alternative route.
Certainly, the foundation can be set quickly if it is a direct discussion with the BDM of a small business, but either way you have to minimize the perception of risk by choosing your path.
Focus proactively on researching and adding value, seek to fully understand the customer’s priorities and pain points and do everything you can to deliver a win to customer, your company and everyone who gets paid on the deal.
If you are transparent with process and parameters and resources, map out milestones, hold each other accountable but ensure everyone is on the journey together, your probability of a close increases exponentially.
February 15, 2021
How Can We Make High Performance a Repeatable Process?
Amazing people don’t do different things; they do things differently. How can we make high #performance a repeatable process?
Microsoft#sales leader Carlos Sousa discusses his V.I.P. framework – (#Value, #Impact, #Positivity) that ensures repeatable #excellence.
Before we can go anywhere, we have to identify what value we can bring. How can you offer unique insight, research or outcomes? What do you do better than anyone else that you can deliver?
Proactively adding value to every relationship you desire to #influence is table stakes.
No value = no impact. The value has to be expressed and realized in a way that it is absorbed amongst all the noise in order for it to impact. Stand out from all others who tried and failed to do what you are trying to do!
Positivity ensures we bring the right mindset conducive to meaningful relationships happening. We won’t reach any goal worth anything easily.
It takes eagerness and willingness to learn, being humble, aiming to serve and the courage to adapt, pivot, rebound and rebuild when the situation dictates it.
Consistent execution of this approach will equal consistent results over time. Period.
#leadership #success #growth #culture #change #relationships #attitude #career #collaboration #growthmindset #communication #coaching
