Does your sales team have what it takes to win the game?

Is it not the sales team that brings the water to the mill? Are they not the Company's offense?


A team that excels, is a team that always has on hand all the necessary tools while also applying the new approches and techniques, enabling them to address the needs of a constantly changing business world .

Unfortunately, reality paints a completely different picture. Training of sales personnel seems to be the last dollar spent, and the first one cut, within companies, especially when times are hard. Actually, when results are not as hoped for, that is exactly the moment when companies should be investing in the tool box of their sales staff. Here are a few examples of what they should be looking at :

1. Are the tools and sales techniques being used by their sales representatives outdated? Are they using old techniques and approches that no longer apply?

2. Were they given sufficient training and practice time so that they may master the new tools and training hopefully received.

3. Are they given the opportunity to share what is going on, not only with their team members, but also with their coach , in order to fully develop the new techniques recently learned ?

4. Is the team coach truly present to what is going on within his team?

5. Are new realities verified regularly, or are objectives and offensive strategies established only once a year?

How can you motivate a team to excel if no practice time is ever offered?

I like to compare sales teams to sports teams. Is it not their ultimate goal to actually win the championship?
All teams in any given sport, practice a lot more often than they play the actual games. Why is that?

They practice regularly and repeat the same exercises and techniques over and over, until these have been mastered and each player excels in his role within the team. Their reflexes are developed and become automatic during a real game.

If the original game strategy is not generating the desired results, it is the coach's responsibility to change that strategy for another one, which will allow the team to win!

To not be in constant communication with the team, is like asking the team participants to play wihout a score board!

What would it be like if a team played out in the field without a score board keeping them informed of their present results. Imagine a hockey team playing an entire game completely unaware of the scores during the game. Only at the very end of the game, while all the players are in their locker room, would the coach show up and announce to them whether they have won or lost?

If they have lost, is it not a bit late for them to learn that they were falling behind and that the original strategy should have been changed?

A lot of companies operate in this manner with their sales teams. They evaluate their team members on a yearly basis. Only during that one meeting do the team members find out the different issues that could have been adressed quickly, and possibly resolved.

To set objectives and strategies only once a year, when all seems real and possible is fine. However, a lot of things outside of our control can happen, and when they do, plan " A" is out the window and no longer applicable. That is when it is time to create plan "B"!

A perfect example of this is September 11th, 2001. Who could have planned for two airplanes to crash into two gigantic towers, killing thousands of people, greatly impacting the tourism and transport industries until this day?

Who could expect such things?

This is why reality checks must be done on a regular basis with our teams. The question we should be asking is: What has changed since our last meeting?

Based on the new facts, what new strategy must be put into place in order to face this new reality?
Here are a few questions for the coach:

- In what aspects do my team members need my support ?

-What new tools can I offer them, which will enable them to face these new challenges ?

-What is the difference between my top performers and my low performers ?

- What do I need to put in place so that all of my team members have the opportunity to excel in their field ?

« When an entire team rows in the same direction towards one common goal, extraordinary results happen quickly and powerfully ! »

Ghislaine Labelle, CSP.CPV. APV.

Professional Coach & Facilitator

www.coachingvisionaction.com

What ever happened to answered emails or telephone calls and true professionalism?

It is with great pleasure that I coach individuals in leadership roles as well as sales professionals on their leadership, communication skills and consultative sales and negotiation techniques.

In this era of social medias, voice mails, emails and after many many conversations with many different professionals in all types of markets and industries, one common complaint that keeps on being shared today, is what seems to be a lack of respect and professionalism in the business world today.

At times, it seems as if professionals have become allergic and possibly afraid of "real conversations!"

Yes I know, we are all very busy people, however being professional also means being respectful of other people's time and being open to opportunities that could improve certain challenges or offer new solutions to recurring problems that organizations are facing today. To truly be professional means to be willing to take a moment and look into these possibilities.

Too many times I have met with people in management positions who ask for proposals to be made after showing interest in solutions that are being offered , while also being asked to arrange another meeting together only to find myself at times with many unanswered voice mails or emails on their part, which makes it quite difficult to arrange the requested meeting or to go over their requested proposal!

Result, the proposal which may have taken almost an hour of our time to produce, remains unseen and therefore cannot even be taken into consideration by this particular individual. 

Being a very busy person also, very important values that I have always applied in my business life is respect and appreciation of other people's worth and value.  It is of great importance to me to treat every human being that asks for a moment of my attention with dignity, respect and honor.  Why?  Because I sincerely believe that no one is insignificant and that there are no coincidences in life.

There is always a good reason why this person has contacted me at that particular time and I have the choice of who I am going to be in every given moment and situation. I realize fully, that what I give out, I also get in.

Yes it does happen that once the person begins sharing with me the reason for their call or email, that I unfortunately may not be the ideal contact for their type of business. I then very politely inform them of this with a brief explanation as to why that is. Whenever possible, I will refer them to an organization or contact that I know could benefit from their services. This is always appreciated on their part.

My philosophy is that in turn this will be done for me at some time by someone as respectful and professional, and you never know where you may meet this person again in the future!

I like to old saying: " Be kind to everyone, because you never know who you may work for"!

Ghislaine Florence Labelle


 

Gain power through commitment!

Commitment is a very important and powerful word. Too many have forgotten its true meaning.

Here is what the Webster dictionary has to say about the word commitment:

« An agreement or a pledge to do something in the future. To honour, to respect one’s word, one’s commitment ».

As human beings we create with our words. Absolutely nothing can be manifested in the physical dimension without it being shared with others through our words.

Commitment is something that we declare we are going to do. However, it cannot be made manifest in the physical dimension without action. Commitment becomes alive only through action. If not, it is not a commitment, it is only empty words!

As human beings, being aware that we create through our words, which have tremendous power, makes us become aware that if we are not BEING those words, we are in serious trouble. We lose power everytime we do not follow through on our commitments.

Everything seen in the physical dimension was first created in the metaphysical dimension. The word «metaphysical» is taken from two Greek words: meta meaning : « above, beyond, or over» and physika meaning :«physics». Metaphysical literally means « beyond the physical».

We create metaphysically through our thoughts and words, before our creation can be manifested in the physical world. If we are not our words, what are we? What do we have left?

As a child, did you ever experience someone making a promise to you who did not follow through? How did you feel? Did that person lose credibility and your respect ? The impact of non-commitment is tremendous! We are experiencing this in our society and business world, and are going through troubled times because of this distinction not being fully understood or applied .

We’ve seen business empires fall, scandalous situations of non-integrity in our governments, due to their not being their word, not being their commitments to their people and their communities. Nothing we create can be strong or solid when built on a foundation of non-commitment and of non-integrity.

The famous saying: «walk the talk» is a very good one. Powerful leaders, who are respected , who make a difference and who become role models, always « walk their talk».

If you are a leader, you cannot demand commitment from your peers if you are not BEING your own commitments.

Always remember, we are human BEINGS, and what we do is always in line directly with who we choose to be!  If you do not like what is going on in your world, take a look at what you are saying and doing. Are your words truly in line with who you are being, and the actions you are taking?

Why is the divorce rate so high? It is because people have forgotten the true meaning of the word                 « commitment». If you do not truly want to commit, it’s quite simple « DON’T». Because if you do, not being your commitment is no longer an option!

The cost of non-commitment is high, organisations fail due to leaders not being their commitments. Leaders demanding that their people be committed when they are not themselves walking their talk.

If the leader is a poor role model, how can they expect their teams to be what they are not! People of integrity and commitment cannot work with people who are not . They eventually leave and choose to work with leaders who support who they are. Good people leave, because poor leaders are kept and left in place to do even more damage?

People who succeed in life, organisations that experience extraordinary results, « walk their talk». They are their word. They are people of integrity, they are their commitments. Committed people, are respected and always lead by example.

Benjamin Franklin wanted to introduce street lighting to the people of colonial Philadelphia.
He did not lobby politicians, he did not publish editorials, he did not argue with those who disagreed with him, instead, he simply hung a brilliant lantern on a long bracket in front of his house.

Every evening, as dusk approached, he faithfully lit the wick. People out in the dark night could see Franklin’s streetlight from blocks away and were grateful to walk in its friendly glow. Soon Franklin’s neighbors started putting lanterns on brackets in front of their own homes, and it wasn’t long before the entire city was illuminated each night with street lamps!

An individual who has chosen to be a leader has the responsibility to be a role model.  You are the only leader of your life, the question is, are you committed, and are you walking your talk?

Ghislaine Labelle, Coaching Vision Action

Cause and effect, the law that never lies!

The law which governs the universe is absolutely reliable and unbreakable. Learning how it works is crucial to your success.

It was the late 1800s and an important member of the British Parliament was hurrying through the rain and fog of the bleak Scottish countryside to deliver a crucial speech. Still miles from his destination, his carriage was forced off the road, its wheels plunging deep in the mud. Try as they might, the horse and driver could not move the carriage. So important was his speech that even the aristocratic Englishman, in his formal attire, gave a hand. But it was no use. The carriage would not budge.

A young Scottish farm boy happened to be driving a team of horses past the distraught parliamentarian and volounteered to help pull the carriage lose. After much effort and considerable exertion, the carriage was finally pulled free. When the boy steadfastly refused to take money for his help or for his clothes which were torn and dirty from the ordeal, the Englishman asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up.

"A doctor, sir. I want to be a doctor", was his reply. The gentleman was so impressed with the boy and so grateful for his kindness that he said: "Well, I want to help. "And surely enough, he kept his word. Through his generosity, he made it possible for the young lad to attend university.

More than fifty years later, Winston Churchill became dangerously ill with pneumonia while in Morocco. His life was saved by a wonder drug called penicillin, which had been discovered by a Scottish-born physician, Sir Alexander Fleming.
Fleming was the farm boy who helped the member of Parliament on that dark and rainy night in Scotland half a century before. The member of parliament? None other than Winston Churchill’s father, Randolph!

I am sure that we have all heard many fascinating stories similar to this one.

The law of cause and effect is just as sure as the law of gravity. Just as you are persuaded that when you get up in the morning your feet will touch the ground, you can be just as sure that what you give out is exactly what you will get!
"As you give, you get." "What goes around comes around. " "The measure you give will be the measure you get. " You have all heard many of these expressions. There is no way to get around this law. When we set a cause into motion, we have to be prepared to reap the effect!
Where you sow is not important, what is important is what have you sown? Why, because you must be prepared to receive the same, not necessarily from where you have sown. It can come to you, just as in the story above, from a completely different channel.

If you are concerned about what you have been receiving in your life, it is time you took a serious look at what it is you have been dishing out!

If you plant carrot seeds, you will receive carrots not apples! Same principle applies in our lives. If we sow hate, we will definitely receive hate. If we sow love, we will also definitely receive love. Not necessarily from the same person to whom we have given love. It can come to us from a totally unexpected outlet! What is of importance, is to give! Everything comes back to us, pressed down, shaken together and running over.

Therefore, give! Give freely with the conviction that somehow, somewhere, it will come back to you.

This is as sure as the law of gravity!

Optez-vous pour le chemin qui mène vers l’excellence ?

Les Grecs anciens vénéraient la déesse Athéna. Son sanctuaire le plus important, le Parthénon (temple d’Athéna), terminé 438 ans avant J.C., représentait le plus bel exemple de l’architecture grecque classique. On peut encore admirer sa beauté de nos jours puisqu’il est sur l’Acropolis, surplombant la ville d’Athènes. La statue d’Athéna-Parthénos a été fabriquée par le maître sculpteur Phidias. Elle a été créée pour être installée au Parthénon et elle est devenue le plus grand symbole de la civilisation athénienne.

Tous les jours, Phidias se retrouvait entouré de curieux. Un jour, alors qu’il travaillait péniblement à peaufiner une mèche de cheveux à l’arrière de la tête d’Athéna, un spectateur lui dit : « Cette statue sera érigée à une centaine de pieds de haut, dos au mur de marbre. Qui remarquera les détails que vous y apportez à   l’arrière? »Sans hésiter, Phidias répondit « Moi, je le saurai! »
Combien de fois, dans notre vie, sommes-nous tentés de ne pas faire de notre mieux? Combien de fois notre comportement contredit-il qui nous sommes vraiment?

Il existe un dicton auquel je crois : « Conduis-toi toujours comme si le monde entier te regardait parce que c’est ce qu’il fait! »

Phidias aurait pu s’en tirer en portant moins d’attention aux détails. Toutefois, il a choisi de respecter l’engagement qu’il s’était donné et qui a transcendé le travail lui-même : le besoin d’excellence, de faire la bonne chose ou de faire de son mieux. Non pas pour obtenir l’approbation des autres mais simplement parce qu’il se sentait bien de le faire.

Nous avons tous ce même engagement. Il va au-delà de l’approbation des autres, des lois créées par les hommes, des codes moraux et des injonctions religieuses. C’est une mesure acquise qui nous indique la différence entre prendre le chemin vers l’excellence ou opter pour la facilité.

Oui, à l’occasion, la facilité semble plus tentante et il arrive que cela ne dérange personne d’autre que soi-même. Nous le savons, nous le ressentons, et quand nous faisons ce choix, nous le ressentons dans un endroit secret de notre coeur. En conséquence, cela ralentit notre cheminement vers l’excellence et notre croissance.

Si nous ratons l’indice et échouons dans notre défi de faire de notre mieux ou d’être à notre meilleur, nous le savons sans que personne ait à nous le dire. Il y a toujours cette petite voix qui nous pousse à monter plus haut, à être meilleur. Il s’agit de notre nature intérieure. Il s’agit de la voix de ce que l’on a de meilleur.

En faire abstraction est de nier une part importante de soi-même. Moins nous résistons à cette partie de nous-même qui cherche à s’exprimer, plus nous expérimenterons de bonnes choses dans notre vie. Quand nous faisons le contraire de ce que le meilleur de nous-même nous a inspiré à faire, nous ressentons la différence.

La différence peut être comparée à marcher dans la clarté au lieu de marcher dans la noirceur.

Quand nos pensées et nos gestes ne font pas honneur à la personne que nous sommes vraiment, c’est comme si la noirceur envahissait notre chemin. Des émotions de tristesse, de dépression, de peur ou d’anxiété se manifestent. Nous savons, au plus profond de nous, que nous avons bifurqué de notre chemin et que nous avons retardé notre cheminement. Nous commençons à subir toutes sortes de situations négatives dans notre vie. La confusion et le découragement peuvent apparaître, nous faisant nous sentir coincés, et ressentant comme si, d’une certaine façon, nous avions perdu notre chemin. Nous commençons à nous conduire mal, comme si quelqu’un avait pris le contrôle de notre vie.

Le psychiatre suisse Carl Jung réfère à cette partie de nous-même comme étant une « ombre ». C’est le côté primitif et destructif de soi qui est gardé sous surveillance, selon Jung, par l’égo et par la personnalité, mais au-delà de tout, par la conscience elle-même. Il est responsable de ce que nous appelons le mal. Jung a dit qu’il s’agit des instincts animaux dont les humains ont hérité des formes inférieures de vie au cours de leur évolution, et que l’ombre représente le côté animal de la nature humaine.

Fondamentalement, nous avons toujours le choix de suivre le plus haut niveau de notre conscience ou de soi-même, ce que nous pouvons comparer à la lumière, ou de suivre le niveau le plus bas, soit celui que nous comparons à la noirceur.

Nous retrouvons la force dans la lumière alors que la faiblesse et le désespoir représentent la noirceur. Dans notre société d’aujourd’hui, les problèmes que nous confrontons sont la conséquence du fait que certains humains choisissent les options inférieures.

Avouons qu’il peut y avoir beaucoup de pensées et de sentiments sombres. Vous en avez expérimenté et nous tous également. Tout le monde l’a fait. Pour s’en débarrasser, vous n’avez qu’à renier qu’ils existent, ils ne peuvent pas exister en tant qu’entités. Vous devrez reconnaître qu’ils font partie de vous. Quand vous aurez fait cela, vous aurez amorcé le processus des relâcher. Vous serez tellement étonné de voir à quel point les ombres disparaissent quand vous faites place à la lumière. En fin de compte, il n’y avait pas de monstres sous le lit !

La lumière jaillira partout. Vous pouvez cesser de l’éteindre de votre vie. Tout ce que vous pouvez changer, c’est vous-même. Quand vous permettez à votre lumière de briller, des choses surprenantes peuvent commencer à se produire. Vous verrez de plus en plus de lumière chez les autres. Cela devient une réaction à la chaîne et, en retour, ces personnes verront de plus en plus de lumière en elles-mêmes. La lumière n’est pas sélective, elle brille dans toutes les directions !

Ne laissez pas la noirceur faire en sorte que vous vous sentiez dépassé. Si vous poursuivez votre cheminement avec dévouement et enthousiasme, votre parcours vous mènera inévitablement à la lumière qui illuminera votre chemin et vous guidera vers la croissance et la pleine expression de vous-même !

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