Carson V. Heady's Blog, page 77

Consult Carson 5/26: “How do I transition to managing peers and friends?”

From today’s mailbag: “I’m now in a management role and leading a team of people I used to work alongside with, some of whom are my friends. Any advice?”

Carson: If you are part of an organization that hires from within, and/or if you are around long enough with one company, it is entirely possible you will find yourself superior in the hierarchy to a friend or former peer with whom you may have confided or event spent time with outside of work. They may know more about you than a typical employee or subordinate should. You may have been overly candid with them previously. All of that now has to change.

It’s not to say you cannot manage a friend. In fact, if you can successfully separate business from personal, you can often have a straightforward conversation with a friend who is working for you and not doing their share. “______, I consider us friends outside of work and I greatly value that friendship. However, your performance is reflecting poorly on me and I need your help. How can we collaborate to improve this situation?” If they are truly your friend, you’ll find out from what happens next. You will also, fortunately and unfortunately, find out in some of these challenging situations that some of these folks were never really your friend or that they value certain things ahead of your friendship. It’s a tough lesson learned.

As a rule of thumb, you should not spend time with your team outside of work engaging in non-work-sanctioned activity. Sure, you may take your team out for a meal and you may even – if your company allows it – buy a round of drinks for your team. However, when outside of the office, it is much easier to get caught up in compromising situations. It is much easier to relax your necessary guard. You cannot get caught up in office gossip (or become any!) at such functions. You cannot show favoritism toward any member of your team, because this can come back to bite you if you need to discipline another team member. Also, if you are taking it easier on your friends, they will often try to get away with more and more. This is where these “friends” can manipulate your friendship to gain favors that other team members are not getting – and believe me, they will notice.

Be sure to have a conversation with these friends right up front to talk about how you will work through this transition. Make clear your intention to remain friends, but that the dynamic in the office has shifted. If you frequently spend time with these people in a social setting, you will need to keep from telling them anything that could compromise you or your leadership position. Truly keep business and personal separate. And, like managing any employee, you will have a unique plan in place with them on how they work and what items you agree need to be improved by the next session.

In other words, you want to work with your former peers and friends to establish the new relationship and – if anything – utilize the friendship as a reason to work better together. They as your friend should never want to make you look bad. Never show favoritism and never allow yourself to compromise your position by slipping from the established protocol. Play it right, and former peers who respected your performance when you were peers and friends who value you can actually be the best employees you’ve ever had.

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Carson V. Heady posts for “Consult Carson” serving as the “Dear Abby” of sales and sales leadership. You may post any question that puzzles you regarding sales and sales leadership careers: interviewing, the sales process, advancing and achieving. You will also be directly contributing to his third book, “A Salesman Forever.”

Question submissions can be made via LinkedIn to Carson V. Heady, this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carson-V-Heady/125078150858064?ref=hl , Twitter via @cvheady007 or e-mail at cvheady007@yahoo.com or you may post an anonymous comment as a reply to my WordPress blog at the bottom of this page: https://carsonvheady.wordpress.com/the-home-of-birth-of-a-salesman-2010-published-by-world-audience-inc-and-the-salesman-against-the-world-2014/

Carson V. Heady has written a book entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICRVMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_yGXKtb0G28TWF

Consult Carson 5/25: “I keep making bad hiring decisions. Help!”

From today’s mailbag: “I keep making poor hiring decisions. I feel like I’m seeing one person on interview day and I’m seeing their evil twin show up to work. Help!”

Carson: No matter how hard we try to avoid it, we will make bad hiring decisions as leaders. That said, like our selling style and leadership style, we must evolve based on our experiences.

When we start out interviewing, often there is this benefit of the doubt which exists while we look intently at resumes and seek out those with what we deem the best or most experiences. As you hire some of these folks who either have worked in several selling jobs or who spent all of their time in another industry, you can find out relatively quickly why they didn’t make it at all of those previous companies or that their different industry skills do not translate into your world.

Focus on these areas as you are looking to new candidates:

(1) Do not over-value the resume. There are countless articles out there about how often and easily these “accomplishments” are embellished. The resume is a selling tool whereby people sell themselves to us and we know that they are obviously going to present the “first date” version of themselves. Glance it over, look for some buzz words you will want to further explore in the conversation – how did they rank in their roles? Out of how many? What did they do that made them more successful than peers? Does their resume reflect specific, number-oriented accomplishments, or is it generically written?

(2) Look for personality! I’ve hired “by the numbers” with what they looked like on paper and I’ve hired diamond in the rough candidates with little to no experience who came across like the guy or girl who would be coachable, would come in and light the world on fire with their passion and enthusiasm and who reminded me of me when I was just starting out. The thing is: everyone, at some point, ourselves included, had zero experience at some point. Someone has to give them a chance. If we are hiring for an entry level role, what do we have to lose? For experience – as mentioned above – can be embellished or dressed up. True, raw passion and enthusiasm and the attitude that they are going to do whatever it takes to be successful, why they are motivated to do so and what they plan to do once they get in there can certainly pay off.

(3) Realize that no matter how good you get at interviewing, that you will still hire duds and still pass over potential stars. It’s a fact. You can get better at making these decisions by asking your candidate specific, targeted, experience-based questions. You can improve by being tougher on judging why they have had 5 jobs in 3 years or putting them on the spot with questions whose responses will address how they will react to what they will face when they work for your team. You also have to realize that this is business and just because someone is nice and has a family does not mean your job is the one for them. In fact, you would be doing them a disservice by hiring them into a role in which they will fail; in the long run, their heartbreak of working here, not cutting it and eventually being let go would be tougher for them than you cutting ties now so they are allowed to find their real destiny.

You hold an important responsibility – you are now the gatekeeper into your organization for this candidate. No matter the outcome, your decision will impact the candidate, you, your team (their potential peers) and additional leadership. Don’t over-think it, but ensure that you continue to evolve what you are looking for. Continue to be more accepting in some areas (lack of experience) and less in others (inflating the value of the resume, accepting their word for it that they were the best in their previous jobs). Somewhere in all that paper and their responses, you can ascertain if this person selling you today will still want to sell your product in two years. Somewhere you can gauge their presentation against all those presentations that have gone before and determine how they will fare in this role. And you can take their previous experiences and weigh their relevance against what they will do here. And, lastly, and most importantly, you can learn from your hiring wins and losses how to find a balanced approach to resume review, experience-based questions, and true assessment of talent potential.

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Carson V. Heady posts for “Consult Carson” serving as the “Dear Abby” of sales and sales leadership. You may post any question that puzzles you regarding sales and sales leadership careers: interviewing, the sales process, advancing and achieving. You will also be directly contributing to his third book, “A Salesman Forever.”

Question submissions can be made via LinkedIn to Carson V. Heady, this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carson-V-Heady/125078150858064?ref=hl , Twitter via @cvheady007 or e-mail at cvheady007@yahoo.com or you may post an anonymous comment as a reply to my WordPress blog at the bottom of this page: https://carsonvheady.wordpress.com/the-home-of-birth-of-a-salesman-2010-published-by-world-audience-inc-and-the-salesman-against-the-world-2014/

Carson V. Heady has written a book entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICRVMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_yGXKtb0G28TWF

Consult Carson 5/23: “How Do I Network?”

From today’s mailbag: “I’ve taken on a new role and know I need to network to make new connections, but it’s not really my thing. How do I go about it?”

Carson: No matter what type of business role you are in, it’s extremely probable you will have to network at some point. From networking and utilizing your network effectively to land a job to prospecting and creating new network, the people you can connect and collaborate with play a vital role in your success – and theirs! Do not forget it can often be just as important that they know you! You likely offer value and service, and it’s important they know it, too.

If you lack comfort with networking, fret not – some of the greatest salespeople and sales managers I know are introverts. The fact is you likely do not enjoy being in a room filled with strangers and having to force conversation – right? More people feel this way than you probably think. Furthermore, those who appear to be social butterflies often either do not want to be or they had to learn how to master this part of the dance. Like any type of business or personal relationship, you cannot start a fire without a spark. We will never find new connections without making effort.

Some of us are more comfortable behind the screen of our computers, and, honestly this is not a bad way for the whole process to start. Utilization of social media is a magnificent way in this day and age to find the people you should be connected to, making an introduction and setting up the initial meeting. It makes it easier to find who we need to meet, make an introduction and briefly present why a meeting would be valuable. Asking for advice or guidance, explaining why their expertise interested you and assuring them you are not seeking an interview or a job (by not mentioning either!) can be great ways to get yourself to the table the first time.

Preparation is another key for success in networking. Whether you are going to a networking event or using the web to meet new connections, having a game plan is crucial. Sure, we may still fumble at times – specifically if we are too rehearsed – but being observant, listening for key words in conversations, talking to the guest speakers after they deliver their speeches, or even simply saying, “Hi, I’m _______, what brought you here today?” is a great way to begin the process itself.

At networking events, others are there to network also. Listen for cues of how others start conversations! They are likely doing the exact same thing and have once been in your shoes. Do not over-think it: others are there to find value in the room. You may not meet your next mentor or customer while you’re there, but you are establishing a presence as a resource. Like any process, if you consistently apply the proper principles, results will follow. As you continue to plant seeds, seek out ways to be a value to others and establish yourself as a resource, others will introduce you to more people you need to connect with… and the dance continues and it becomes easier.

Are you comfortable talking about your value – great! If not, focus on this first as your initial goal will be to feel good about your process. Once you have a process, like anything else, you practice it, evolve it and be consistent with it. From there, you will build and grow the foundation of a network that you will engage in many often very fruitful ways for years and years to come.

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Carson V. Heady posts for “Consult Carson” serving as the “Dear Abby” of sales and sales leadership. You may post any question that puzzles you regarding sales and sales leadership careers: interviewing, the sales process, advancing and achieving. You will also be directly contributing to his third book, “A Salesman Forever.”

Question submissions can be made via LinkedIn to Carson V. Heady, this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carson-V-Heady/125078150858064?ref=hl , Twitter via @cvheady007 or e-mail at cvheady007@yahoo.com or you may post an anonymous comment as a reply to my WordPress blog at the bottom of this page: https://carsonvheady.wordpress.com/the-home-of-birth-of-a-salesman-2010-published-by-world-audience-inc-and-the-salesman-against-the-world-2014/

Carson V. Heady has written a book entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICRVMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_yGXKtb0G28TWF

Consult Carson 5/22: “How do I get my sales team to care about metrics they aren’t compensated for?”

From today’s mailbag: “How do I get my sales team to care about metrics that they are not incented for, but I am?”

Carson: The short answer: by finding out what they do care about (often their careers and success) and showing them how that equates to all-around success.

Absolutely, we are incented based on a myriad of factors. Often, we as leaders are judged by key metrics in addition to just raw widgets and revenue. However, sometimes these metrics are not extended to our sales teams. When that happens, and they are earning commission and bonuses based on one factor or two (often money and total sales based), we have to find ways to get them to perform in these areas.

The mistake many bosses make is that they think telling their team, “Sell more of this or that” will do the trick! They think that writing people up for not selling these components will work. In other words, they forget the first rules of people management: that the only things that matter are people and process!

You’ve got to get your people to care about the big picture. You’ve got to develop a process to get the metrics you desire. You’ve got to sell them on selling these metrics that matter to you.

The way to make the metrics matter to them can be achieved in a few different ways. When you know your team, you find out their motivation. Some people want to move up in the company; they want to be of value to the company and they wish to be successful. When you’re lucky enough to have people like this, they will often want to stand out in these areas when they understand senior leadership is watching those who do. Also, when you can show these folks that overachieving pays off with promotions or you can run contests to give financial rewards of some sort behind these metrics, you can make them care about something they would not care about otherwise.

Another key way is just visibility of the metric. By showing that people are achieving in this metric and by making performance in the metric common knowledge regularly, people can see that some are achieving and some are not. This can move some to try harder….

… and this can also serve to show you with whom you must work to eliminate objections of selling the product! Take best practices from your top achievers and share them with the group. Spend time with the bottom achievers and find out what reasons or objections or excuses they are using to avoid selling the metric. Develop plans with them to improve their process. Hold them accountable to follow those plans!

Certainly, you cannot force someone or anyone to care about a metric they aren’t compensated for. But what you can do is formulate a process together that your employee commits to following. If they do, you will find success. If they don’t, you know what to do.

Always: With people and process as your priorities, results – in ANY metric – WILL fall into place.

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Carson V. Heady posts for “Consult Carson” serving as the “Dear Abby” of sales and sales leadership. You may post any question that puzzles you regarding sales and sales leadership careers: interviewing, the sales process, advancing and achieving. You will also be directly contributing to his third book, “A Salesman Forever.”

Question submissions can be made via LinkedIn to Carson V. Heady, this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carson-V-Heady/125078150858064?ref=hl , Twitter via @cvheady007 or e-mail at cvheady007@yahoo.com or you may post an anonymous comment as a reply to my WordPress blog at the bottom of this page: https://carsonvheady.wordpress.com/the-home-of-birth-of-a-salesman-2010-published-by-world-audience-inc-and-the-salesman-against-the-world-2014/

Carson V. Heady has written a book entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICRVMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_yGXKtb0G28TWF

Consult Carson 5/21: “I’ve hit a brick wall in my career with nowhere to go!”

From today’s mailbag: “I’ve hit a brick wall in my career because there’s really nowhere else to go. I’ve had success in my role, but my boss isn’t going anywhere, I am not mobile and I’m growing stagnant. What do I do?”

Carson: The short answer: always look for ways to add value for yourself, your clients, your employees, your peers – anything. Nothing lasts forever and when there is an opportunity or a role you have to be the obvious #1 or someone will pass you up.

Here’s the thing: A little known secret to success is that no matter what your station and situation, you have likely realized a problem out there. It could be in your office or organization, but wherever it is be proactive and be the solution. Find ways to make your peers’ lives easier. Gain the buy-in from your team members and your boss to take on new projects that improve processes. Make your name synonymous with teamwork, innovation and improvement.

Michael Jordan won 6 NBA Championships and was the greatest NBA basketball player of all time and that will ever be. He even left to play baseball and star in Space Jam and then came back. (Guess which one was the better decision of the two?) Then he became an owner and his best decision was to activate himself yet again at age 40 for the Washington Wizards. All of that said, one of my favorite books is Sam Smith’s Jordan Rules. It and other interviews with Jordan detail how Phil Jackson had to create new challenges for Jordan on a regular basis to keep him engaged, striving for something new and continuing to chase new levels of greatness though he was already the best. Sure, he can score – can he pass? Can he rebound? Can he engage his teammates?

Sure, you are successful in your role. Are there other metrics you can master? Are there areas you could stand to learn that would add value? Does your job pay for you to continue your education? Can you offer more to your peers and your hierarchy? Have you formed a plan with your supervisor to get you ready for the next level? Frankly, your promotion may come long after you’re ready, but you have to make sure you are that obvious choice.

The role that’s right for you may not even be created yet, either. Find areas where you can impact your business and if you make enough impact and a strong enough case, they may create a new role just for you. We live and work in a new, more innovative age and companies are adapting and evolving with those times. It’s cliche, but be the change you want to see and be the change your company needs. It will pay off, whether financially, with a new role, or even with just new experiences and learning that make you more valuable wherever you land next. I promise you’ll get there.

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Carson V. Heady posts for “Consult Carson” serving as the “Dear Abby” of sales and sales leadership. You may post any question that puzzles you regarding sales and sales leadership careers: interviewing, the sales process, advancing and achieving. You will also be directly contributing to his third book, “A Salesman Forever.”

Question submissions can be made via LinkedIn to Carson V. Heady, this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carson-V-Heady/125078150858064?ref=hl , Twitter via @cvheady007 or e-mail at cvheady007@yahoo.com or you may post an anonymous comment as a reply to my WordPress blog at the bottom of this page: https://carsonvheady.wordpress.com/the-home-of-birth-of-a-salesman-2010-published-by-world-audience-inc-and-the-salesman-against-the-world-2014/

Carson V. Heady has written a book entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICRVMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_yGXKtb0G28TWF

Consult Carson 5/20 – “How do I keep my personal life from hurting my work?”

From today’s mailbag: “How do I keep the disaster that is my personal life from destroying my work life and career?”

Carson: This dilemma befalls us all in one way or another at some point in our career. No matter how hard you try, your personal life will affect your mindset while at work in some way. Period. However, it is vital not to let it affect your output because if a disastrous personal life is allowed to make a business life disastrous, you’ve certainly got one heck of a disaster.

Tragedy in your life, end of relationships, trouble with the law, drama: they all serve to take your mind off your work at given times in the day. Depending on the severity, you most certainly should pursue resources available to you through your work or insurance to receive counseling and support through a difficult time. Most every company has these options and, if they do not and you have the means, you should seek professional treatment to assist you in coping with these challenges.

While I would love to say you should also be able to confide in your boss, I must warn to be careful and selective with whom you allow to see you bleed. I’ve known bosses who will use these sensitive subjects as ammunition against you later; even a boss that tells you they sympathize and are there to help. Furthermore, this rule goes with your co-workers and certainly with any employees you have. When keeping your personal life separate it means not talking about it in the workplace.

Finally, there is the emotional anguish that these things can cause. As best you can, “throw yourself into your work.” Focus so intently on the things you CAN control. We often cannot control these happenings in our personal life from spiraling out of control yet we have control over our business process and that can be very comforting. Exerting control over what you can control aids and soothes in whatever healing processes we must undertake. Most personal drama passes, but the impact it might have on our careers can be everlasting. This is why it is so vital to separate the two as best as you can. Take the frustrations and anguish you have out on the obstacles you face (constructively, of course). Because you cannot control your personal drama, control the energy you put into those reports or overcoming your customer’s objections. You’ll find you can very much turn negatives into positives. And, I truly hope you find positive resolution in any struggles you face!

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Carson V. Heady posts for “Consult Carson” serving as the “Dear Abby” of sales and sales leadership. You may post any question that puzzles you regarding sales and sales leadership careers: interviewing, the sales process, advancing and achieving. You will also be directly contributing to his third book, “A Salesman Forever.”

Question submissions can be made via LinkedIn to Carson V. Heady, this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carson-V-Heady/125078150858064?ref=hl , Twitter via @cvheady007 or e-mail at cvheady007@yahoo.com or you may post an anonymous comment as a reply to my WordPress blog at the bottom of this page: https://carsonvheady.wordpress.com/the-home-of-birth-of-a-salesman-2010-published-by-world-audience-inc-and-the-salesman-against-the-world-2014/

Carson V. Heady has written a book entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICRVMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_yGXKtb0G28TWF

Consult Carson 5/19: “I’ve taken over a struggling sales team. Where do I begin?”

From today’s mailbag: “I’ve taken over a struggling sales team. Where do I begin?”

Carson: As a sales leader, in no matter what predicament you find yourself, the key is to always re-focus and remind yourself of the two defining principles of sales/sales leadership: people and process.

Up to this point, if a sales team is struggling, the process is likely defunct and the people may be disenfranchised. However, where many managers go wrong is coming in, firing people and making changes without even knowing what they are doing.

Get to know the people on the project. Spend time with them and see for yourself, first hand, what is working and what isn’t. Get their feedback on the project – what they feel is working well, what could stand to be changed, and what their motivation is. In order to gain their buy-in, you must know your team, you must make plans with them to get them where they want to go, and you must make well thought-out decisions. Do not let anyone force your hand on making gut reactions or quick decisions.

Over a period of days and weeks, you can start to form in your mind an opinion of what the process should be. Ultimately, you will need to make changes in process and perhaps in personnel. Furthermore, you must realize that many of these people have likely seen other bosses; they may have heard the “clean slate” and “fresh start” lines before. I’ve learned that even letting them know – “Hey, I’m going to say clean slate and fresh start, but WE are making these changes together and WE will consistently revisit the process that WE put in place to ensure all of us – myself included – are living up to our commitments to one another.” And live up to that. Revisit that commitment regularly so they can see you mean what you say and your actions will serve to gain their trust over time.

After you have formulated the new process based on feedback from the team and from your observations of what works and what doesn’t, you make changes. I wouldn’t wait more than a month, frankly. Sometimes, I would make some changes within the second and third weeks. There must be a grace period, however, where you are gathering information and showing that you legitimately care about the feedback of your team. Be cognoscente that no matter what, they will throw former managers under the bus as they play hot potato with the blame game. Be sympathetic, but also be firm that changes must be made and you will make them with the team.

In the end, your focus on people first and on “selling” the new process and holding everyone – yourself included – to it will define the success of this project. Sales teams only falter when the right people follow the wrong process or when the wrong people follow no process. Simplify it in this manner and you cannot lose!

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Carson V. Heady posts for “Consult Carson” serving as the “Dear Abby” of sales and sales leadership. You may post any question that puzzles you regarding sales and sales leadership careers: interviewing, the sales process, advancing and achieving. You will also be directly contributing to his third book, “A Salesman Forever.”

Question submissions can be made via LinkedIn to Carson V. Heady, this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carson-V-Heady/125078150858064?ref=hl , Twitter via @cvheady007 or e-mail at cvheady007@yahoo.com or you may post an anonymous comment as a reply to my WordPress blog at the bottom of this page: https://carsonvheady.wordpress.com/the-home-of-birth-of-a-salesman-2010-published-by-world-audience-inc-and-the-salesman-against-the-world-2014/

Carson V. Heady has written a book entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICRVMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_yGXKtb0G28TWF

Consult Carson 5/15 – “How Do I Beat the Cheaper Competitor?”

From today’s mailbag: “We’ve got a good product, but I simply cannot beat our competitors on price! I fell like I have a really good value story and can make connections but someone undercuts me every time. How can I win?”

Carson: You ask an age-old question! In reality, this fierce competition for customers is good for consumers. It forces us all to up the ante in bringing the best value to every customer for the money they invest. On the flip side, it can be agony for all of us who have lost deals to someone who just flat out beats us on price – specifically when there are not a lot of other value add differentiators we can introduce to the equation.

#1 – This can be remedied with relationships (of course, not entirely). You cited that you make connections. Can your customers reach you every time? Do you quickly and efficiently and correctly supply the answers to all of their needs, every time? A lot of why customers will continue to do business with you, even knowing that they may be paying more, is the reliability of the relationship. They know they pay a little more, but they are paying for you! It’s why we tip more in restaurants with a great experience. I don’t mind paying a premium for premium service. So many times I have had customers tell me that they stick with me because they know I’ll answer their phone call, I’ll respond right away to their e-mail, I’ll keep them updated even if I don’t really have an update – they have zero doubt I’m working for them and on their behalf at all times and that I won’t forget about them, even if they have the most basic or non revenue generating requests.

#2 – Most companies will do this, but you’ve got to sit down and write out your differentiating factors. What does your company do or represent or provide that stands out? Do you have free perks that go along with your product or service? Do you do something in a way that no one else does? Why would someone choose you over any other competitor? Also, find out what the competition does – “know thy enemy” so you can adequately address the differences and be able to ask your customers what they like and dislike about the competition so you may most adequately exceed their expectations and earn their business!

#3 – Lose graciously, and with honesty! Frankly, I have to hand it to the competition sometimes! They may very well make a great product, and I’m not going to disparage it. If that is the case, sometimes, we have to own up to that and say, “Hey, we may not be the right fit this time around.” Being honest with your customer will further that relationship! They will value your real feedback and the fact you weren’t just trying to sell them something. This goes such a long way in any industry!

I’ve worked in many environments where my product wasn’t the cheapest…. actually, probably all of them. But my teams win because we are passionate about people, go the extra mile, work for them even when we’re not making a dime and do everything we can to make as many connections as possible. There’s strength in numbers – connect as much as you can and try to support as many people as possible! You WILL win!

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Carson V. Heady posts for “Consult Carson” serving as the “Dear Abby” of sales and sales leadership. You may post any question that puzzles you regarding sales and sales leadership careers: interviewing, the sales process, advancing and achieving. You will also be directly contributing to his third book, “A Salesman Forever.”

Question submissions can be made via LinkedIn to Carson V. Heady, this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carson-V-Heady/125078150858064?ref=hl , Twitter via @cvheady007 or e-mail at cvheady007@yahoo.com or you may post an anonymous comment as a reply to my WordPress blog at the bottom of this page: https://carsonvheady.wordpress.com/the-home-of-birth-of-a-salesman-2010-published-by-world-audience-inc-and-the-salesman-against-the-world-2014/

Carson V. Heady has written a book entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICRVMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_yGXKtb0G28TWF

Consult Carson 5/12: “I have a bad sales manager. Help!”

From today’s mailbag: “My sales manager is awful! Not helpful, not knowledgeable and not helping me get where I want to go! Help!”

Carson: “True sales leadership is a real strength; one which is unfortunately a rare artifact. We must first consider, whom is responsible for training and mentoring them to be a great sales manager? Is that being done? Time and time again, bad sales managers exist not even out of malice but out of the fact no one is coaching them and holding them accountable and because they are not comfortable seeking out ways to improve.

We will all work for people we do not enjoy working for from time to time. Incumbent upon us in these situations is to find the strengths that the person does have and to understand how to politically position ourselves in partnership with them. For, that is what every management-employee relationship is: a partnership. What can we do to help them? Often, it is in providing results and few headaches, but when we want something from them (promotions, raises, new opportunities and challenges) we must take the initiative. Sometimes, they are caught up in the day to day minutia and unable to be effective. Sometimes, they leave us be because we are performing and they feel they have bigger fish to fry. Whatever the reason, take the onus on yourself to reach across the aisle and schedule a meeting. Ask for their time. Introduce a plan that is respectful of their position but will give you the opportunities you seek. Seldom will a poor manager just hand you something designed to get you promoted; they may delegate and they may give you more work so they have less, but if you find that your priorities are not aligned it’s certainly time to take the initiative to straighten them out.

Like anything in sales, the sales food chain (the relationship from customer to rep to manager to upper management) dictates all; we have the same relationships in each segment of the chain whereby we must understand one another’s goals and work together for a solution! Just as we sell to a customer, we often “sell” to a boss; what are their needs? What benefits can we provide? How can we support them in ways they may not have previously considered? Look for a need, a problem that they may have and offer to be the solution.

Again, your “bad manager” may very well not be bad out of malice! And, even if they are, when you find ways to bring new value to them and play the political game the right way, you can still align your priorities. It can be an “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine” mentality. Just like you are working with a customer, you find your manager’s motivation and needs and you become the solution, all while working with them on a plan you both agree on that results in a mutually beneficial partnership.

You control more than you give yourself credit for in this equation! Take the initiative in the relationship and you can turn it around.”

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Carson V. Heady posts for “Consult Carson” serving as the “Dear Abby” of sales and sales leadership. You may post any question that puzzles you regarding sales and sales leadership careers: interviewing, the sales process, advancing and achieving. You will also be directly contributing to his third book, “A Salesman Forever.”

Question submissions can be made via LinkedIn to Carson V. Heady, this Facebook page: , Twitter via @cvheady007 or e-mail at cvheady007@yahoo.com or you may post an anonymous comment as a reply to my WordPress blog at the bottom of this page:

Carson V. Heady has written a book entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to

Consult Carson 5/11: “Why am I punished for being #1?”

From today’s mailbag: “I’ve been very successful in every sales role I’ve been in, but I feel like all I attract is people picking me apart, inflated sales goals and unfair expectations while people in the middle of the pack don’t experience this. Help!”

Carson: First, I’m sorry you have had this experience. Several clichés about how people like to bring you down to their level can conceivably quell this for a moment but it certainly does not eliminate the desire for recognition, the fact you have earned kudos in your role and that this is just added frustration when you’ve already scaled a mountain! It’s like winning the World Series and being asked to play yet another game; like beating the heavyweight champ but still not being recognized as such because of this excuse or that rationale.

Let’s face it: many people, especially in a very competitive environment like sales, do not like to lose! And when you are #1, everyone loses to you. Something else you must think about is that your superiors have many more people reporting to them than just you. Often, these superiors may (unfairly) compare your results to others, hold you up as the example for them and this can cause strain between you and your peers. Furthermore, your peers may be giving all kinds of excuses as to why they cannot achieve what you do. When this happens, it can and will prompt them and others to look into every bit of what you’re doing – is it on the level? Are you playing on the same playing field? Because, if you’re not it lends credence to their own excuses. If you are playing on the same playing field and doing things legitimately, it almost confounds them more – because you’re just that good and they hate having no one to blame but themselves.

I know it isn’t easy, but you almost have to take all of the extra and sometimes negative attention as a compliment. You cannot let it bother you. Many people are waiting for you to fall or fail so they can get a crack at the top spot, and you may even drift from the top from time to time. No bother! The key is consistently following the process that brought success. A hitter in a slump does not jettison his batting stance; he works to regain the mechanics that led to a statistical surge. So must we. It is very rare that our time at the top will last forever; enjoy the time there, but learn from what got you there and continue to apply that process and improve on yourself so you may always be the best possible version of yourself.

Your success will never make everyone happy. Creation of sales goals will never be an exact science; there will be ebb and flow; you’ll break the bank one month or one quarter or one year only to be given a goal not even Superman could hit. Trust me, it all balances out. Focus on the process that leads to the prize rather than the prize, and everything will fall into place. Don’t set out to be #1 and don’t become too attached to the pole position; set out to chase the best practices of the best out there, learn from your peers and colleagues, add value wherever you go and you can minimize any animosity that others may feel toward you. Work to understand the position of your superiors and peers; offer to assist but also work to learn from them! You may be #1 but you can always be even better. Use this current feeling as the catalyst for your journey to improve even more!

And – here’s to your continued success!

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Carson V. Heady posts for “Consult Carson” serving as the “Dear Abby” of sales and sales leadership. You may post any question that puzzles you regarding sales and sales leadership careers: interviewing, the sales process, advancing and achieving. You will also be directly contributing to his third book, “A Salesman Forever.”

Question submissions can be made via LinkedIn to Carson V. Heady, this Facebook page: , Twitter via @cvheady007 or e-mail at cvheady007@yahoo.com or you may post an anonymous comment as a reply to my WordPress blog at the bottom of this page:

Carson V. Heady has written a book entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to