Taking Action

Ten Do's and Dont's in Good Times and Bad

2010-06-23T09:55:00.000-07:00

As a business leader, here's a quick look at key areas of focus for the success of your business.

1. Magnetic Vision- It's the role of the leader to ensure our associates understand where we are headed and are regularly reminded of their role in making the successful journey. The successful vision is one that gets everyone excited each day to be a part of it, looking forward to coming in and making a difference. "Making it up as we go along" isn't going to cut it!

2. Winning Culture- we've talked about this in previous newsletters, but as a reminder, what we want to create is an environment in the company where the people who work there don't get up and feel like they "have to" go to work, but rather that they "want to" go to work. We get this by winning over their hearts. So, the great challenge of a question is "what are you doing to win over the hearts of your associates?"

3. Key People in Key Spots - a Sales Leaders job is NOT TO GROW SALES, it is to grow salespeople. Do that, and they will grow your sales. So, who is actively and regularly growing the sales force in quantity and quality? I don't believe it to be effective if the CEO is also the Sales Leader. As well, promoting the best sales producer rarely results in a solid Sales Leader. And, the worst is where we make the best sales producer the Sales Leader and expect them to continue with their book of business. If you seriously want to grow your sales, invest in a top performing Sales Leader.

4. Cash and KPI's- CASH is KING. The CEO needs to stay on top of this critical number and should have daily/weekly actual and rolling 60 day forecasts available for review. As well, attention must be paid to the current ratio, particularly in these times of the financial and banking crisis. The lines of credit you "think you have" just might be an illusion when you really need them. A daily review of a quality financial "dashboard" is highly recommended- see Verne Harnish' "Mastering the Rockefeller Habits" for a good model.

5. Change Agent- Take it from Jack Welch: "If the change inside your company is slower than the change outside, the end is in sight." It's the responsibility of the leader to "sell" change throughout the organization as not just a needed thing but as a good thing.

6. Winning is in the Preparation- All too often in challenging business environments, we see a cutback in the training and practice areas. The best sales people are "canned", saying the same things each time they encounter similar situations. We need to ensure all on the team are prepared, practiced and not out there "winging it".

7. Systems and Processes- There's hardly anything that goes on in a sales call that couldn't be anticipated before your arrival. As such, most everything can be designed and built into a system and process. The largest sales force I led was 2600. Clearly there are not 2600 "best ways" to sell. So, our opportunity is to discover what those "best ways" are and build the needed systems and processes.

8. Key Relationships- Identify your key relationships by category: for example, bankers, centers of influence, key clients, government officials, etc. Go "deep". Example: If you are working with 3 banks, you should ID 1-2 more prospect banks and nurture them, along with nurturing the existing 3 with about 4-5 bank executives in each. Set up a schedule of "touches" with personal visits and email/phone calls to ensure the relationship is leveraged.

9. Continuous Education- there are a myriad of organizations of CEO's, entrepreneurs and "C" level positions designed for idea sharing, high level business education and mentorship. These organizations can bring insightful solutions and support for your business challenges and opportunities, comprised of business leaders from all matter of industries. As well, we recommend active involvement in your industry trade groups. Never stop learning!

10. Have Fun! If you as the leader aren't, it will be reflected throughout your organization. Companies enjoying what they do typically outperform those that don't. Besides, do you really want to wake up and decide to not have fun?

The "Don't's"? Just re-look the list and play out the opposite!

Good Hunting!

Continuous Self Developement- Books of the Month

2010-05-20T11:44:00.000-07:00

Two books on the list this month, one for business and one for personal. This one will be missed by many business book enthusiasts, and yet it is a "not to be missed" book:

THE CHECKLIST MANIFESTO by Gawande. In a nutshell, the book shows that a team is only as strong as its checklist- a way of organizing that empowers people at all levels to put their best knowledge to use, communicate at critical points, and get things done. Experts need checklists-literally-written guides that walk them through the key steps in any complex procedure. In effect, "by the book" trumps individual prowess. Here's what Malcolm Gladwell of Tipping Point fame had to say: "It has been years since I read a book so powerful and thought-provoking." This book will force you to ask, what could we "checklist" and increase our efficiency and profits?

My next book is HEROES FOR MY SON by Brad Meltzer. This one is a short jewel to be shared with children/grandchildren of all ages. Brad Meltzer is one of my all time favorite fiction writers but HEROES is a departure for Brad, inspired by his son and wanting to share examples of the spectacular potential that can be found in all of us. Once read, this is a book that cries out to be read again and again. My bet is HEROES FOR MY SON will be one you buy several copies for friends and relatives. Enjoy!

Win With Culture

2010-03-31T13:00:00.000-07:00

On several occasions I have spoken and written about the importance of designing and implementing a "Winning Culture" at your respective business. The evidence continues to mount that "culture" can make all the difference between so-so performance and dramatic positive results in any market. One CEO/Owner recently said it best: "If we get the culture right, Jack, all the other things you speak to in Sales and Sales Management will be easier. If we don't get the culture right, everything you speak to will be hard." Wow, how right this is!

When I think about culture, it's creating an environment in our company, where the people who work there don't get up and say "Oh, I gotta go to work today", but rather "Hey, I get to go to work there!' and actually recognize the positive differences of working in our company and look forward to going in. If we can create such an environment, we then would have a competitive, sustainable advantage. Unfortunately, few companies are spending the efforts needed here, and in a tightened economy, even less effort is being expended!

John Kotter spent 10 years studying and comparing companies with a focus and effort on culture to those companies that didn't and he discovered four significant take-away's:

•Revenues increased 682 % vs. 166%
•Stock prices increased 901% vs. 74%
•Net income increased 756% vs. 1%
•Job growth increased 282% vs. 36%

Pretty compelling data! Key to a winning culture are the systems and processes that reinforce communication, recognition and empowerment, amongst a number of other areas. Someone needs to "own" this effort and make it an ongoing lifeblood of the company. The fad of the quarter would arguably be worse than doing nothing at all. So, the first thing we must wrestle down is "who is responsible for this effort?"

Continuous Self Development-Books of the Month

2010-03-25T10:16:00.000-07:00

Two recommendations this month, both hitting in the critical area of "Marketing". Reality Marketing Revolution by Lieberman & Keiles is simple, basic, on point, action oriented and provides follow-thru suggestions with a Resources Directory. I loved the identified five questions the authors use with their clients to craft an effective marketing strategy:

1. What are the company's revenue goals over the next 12-18 months?
2. Who is the exact target audience that will purchase your service?
3. What pains and problems does this target market have when they purchase services like yours.
4. What solution does your company provide to cure those pains?
5. How are those solutions remarkable enough to start a buzz and set you apart from the competition?

This is a great, marketing guide for small to medium sized businesses.

My second pick is Inbound Marketing By Halligan, this is a must read and guaranteed to kick up your effectiveness at leveraging social media and blogs. This book is all about getting found online and driving business in to you! I've yet to read anything better out there on this critical topic to every business. Short on theory and long on action, that's how I like it and that's what Inbound marketing delivers. It will not only tell you why you should be more active in this relatively new frontier, but more importantly "HOW". Ever since reading it, my mind continues to race with ideas, we've put several things in place and know we have a long way to go before we have tapped the potential. I suspect Inbound Marketing will be used like a reference manual for us, and you, for at least the next year in order to leverage so many of the actions that Halligan shares. The internet has the potential to be a game changer for our companies and our sales forces. Once you've read just 30 pages of Inbound Marketing, you will be salivating over the potential and begin putting in place action items to get business coming to you!

Inspect the Baskets

2010-03-09T10:03:00.000-08:00

This is an activity, that if done at least monthly, will in it's own right add increased business to your bottom line. So, let's take a look.

Every sales professional should be maintaining three baskets of business:
1. Prospects
2. Customers
3. Clients

Prospects are people/firms that aren't currently doing business with us, but we sure wish they were. Customers are those firms/people who buy from us occasionally but not regularly. Clients are the very best-those people/firms that do business with us regularly and ongoing. The Sales Professional's goal should be to build a clientele. We then call this working smarter, not harder. In fact, the top sales performers tend to work with less people and trade off of their relationships.

So, back to inspecting the baskets. For a starter, each sales person should identify the top twenty in each of the three baskets and inspect what stands in the way of winning over their business, and what actions are being taken to winning them over. Once we are solidly reviewing the Top Twenty, we suggest adding another twenty, and so forth. Over the years, what we have experienced is the age old things that get measured, get done. Do this on a regular basis, and watch your business grow!

We Are All in Sales

2010-02-09T14:19:00.000-08:00

Airlines losing money, as normal course of biz.

I recently sat on a flight that was 30 minutes past departure time, and there was zero communication to the passangers (also known as customers, the people who create the revenue). 4 flight attendants were standing 3 rows up from me in the bulkhead, having a jolly good time with one another, catching up with who knows what.

Meanwhile, the customers (many who missed connections the previous day due to weather and were anxious to get on to their destinations) are ignored. I wondered if the owners/managers of the business were present if the flight attendants behavior would have been different?

What if the flight attendants were outside their business and were now the customers, being ignored by the store they were considering shopping in. Would it affect their purchasing attitude? Would they share their negative experience? Is it any wonder the airlines as an industry are losing money?

So, now, let's look to your business. What messages are the people in your company sending to their customers on a regular basis? Create a system to ensure you know regularly and that all can be consistently aware.

We are all in sales, just don't realize it enough.

Test the System

2010-02-01T11:48:00.000-08:00

How bad is the economy? Imagine trying to make a reservation for a hotel room at 9pm in the evening for a date 2 months out and being told to call back tomorrow at 8am when "reservations" is open! When I laughed and said I had never heard of such a thing, the hotel rep asked "what?". I said that I never heard of a business telling a customer to go away, she replied she wasn't doing that, just to "call back tomorrow after 8am".

Is this what the owner had in mind? Could the person on the line have asked for my contact info to followup that I didn't go elsewhere?
Here's the icing on the cake. When I related the story to my wife, she said she runs into it "all the time".

This is all happening when unemployment is north of 10% and the economic news is reported as dismal. I know 10 year old kids who are more enterprising!
Lesson: check what's being said regularly by your team with the customer. Be a customer and "test the system". Are you welcoming business or sending it away?

Opportunity!!

2010-01-15T13:55:00.000-08:00

YEAR IN REVIEW-2009-JACK DALY
For those of you new to this process, this is an annual summary and reflection of my year, similar to a year-end report on business to a Board of Directors, however this focuses on the personal side of my life. Thanks go out to many of you for your support and in some cases joining in the journey, as I attempt to enjoy life to the max. Enjoy this “look back” at 2009.

Adjusting to “the unexpected” is one of the great challenges we all face in pursuing our goals each year. 2009 surely presented “the unexpected” to me, as I began the year recovering from surgery for a broken elbow via a road bike crash, then in the second quarter I suffered another bike crash (must need training wheels), in which I broke some ribs, my collarbone and suffered a concussion requiring 17 stitches. Nonetheless, adjustments in scheduling were made and for the most part, desired goals were accomplished. Here’s the tale of the tape.

BALANCE: Given my life avocation as a professional speaker, most of my work requires travel away from home. By pre-planning and tracking where I sleep, I can better regulate how often I’m out of town on business and make sure life is not all work (regardless of how much I love doing what I’m doing!).

SLEEP NIGHTS
09 goal 09 act 08 goal 08 act 07 goal 07 act 2010 GOAL
Business 123 101 120 132 130 140 129
Home 100 175 138 141 130 132 157
Fun 111 78 78 83 65 77 80
Desert 31 11 30 10 40 16 0

For the first time in years of measuring sleep nights, the year experienced wide variances. Several factors were contributors, and in summary the variances reflect an overall positive. Due to increased (and desirable) international travel, we were not using our second home in La Quinta. During 2009, we successfully leased it out and shifted the planned “desert” nights into “home” nights. Additionally, the combo of the business recession of 2009 resulted in about a 20% reduction in “business” nights, again shifting to more “home” nights. The additional nights at home were a real treat, and our 2010 goals reflect such. Having business nights somewhere between 120-130 and fun nights around 80, will result in home nights of approx 160. A good balance!

HEALTH/FITNESS: This is a big component in my goals and life, both because of the enjoyment I derive from the myriad of activities and the in tandem benefits accrued to me in good health. Despite the two bike accidents, the news was quite positive here.
09 goal 09 act 08 goal 08 act 07 goal 07 act 2010 GOAL
Workout days 200 254 200 182 0 204 250
Wine days 150-200 178 150-200 173 150-200 176 150-200

Workout days exceeded plan by 27%, despite the bike accidents. As such, and with the goal in 2010 to qualify for Ironman Hawaii, have set 2010 goal at 250 workout days. I do like my wine, and without some type of “governor, I would probably be drinking a bottle a day. So, I strive to have more workout days than wine days and must be at a weight of <190 to partake. For all years reported, wine days have been < workout days and consistent year to year at approx 175 days. That works!

Run 96 hr/480 mile 102/585 96/480 93/517 -93/531 100/600
Bike 144 hr/2160 m 222/3903 144/2160 149/2385 - 148/2393 220/3300
Swim 70 hr/200k yds 76/218k 100/200k 73/204k - 104/286k 70/200k

1 Ironman, 1 Half Ironman, 4 Olympic triathlons, 2 Marathons (both new states, making it 26 states on goal of all 50 by 2016). This compares with 2008 of 2 Ironmans, 1 Half Ironman, 4 Olympic triathlons, 4 Marathons, 3 Half Marathons. In 2007, it was 1 Ironman, 3 Half Ironmans, 3 Olympic triathlons, 4 Marathons and 2 Half marathons.

Strength workouts were begun in 2008 with 21, but started late that year and interrupted by bike injury. Despite bike injury in 2009, strength workouts came in at 93 against a plan of 96. Goal for 2010 set at 96. Total exercise hours logged were 502 for 2009, outperforming 2008’s 324 by 55%. The 502 hours based on a 40 hour “workweek” comes out to be approx 12 weeks. Weight started and finished the year at 187, and stayed between 185-189 year round, same as in 2008. All doctor visits were conducted according to plan. Water intake and flossing all achieved daily.
Feel terrific about the “health goals” in total, again given the bike crashes. Feel short of the “state marathons” target of 4, only getting 2 in. This goal becomes exceedingly more difficult, with states remaining holding less marathons, states are not normally visited and challenged by many calendar commitments for intl travel and business gigs. Extra effort will be required here going forward.

FAMILY/GRANDPARENTING FROM AFAR
All targeted visits with Grandson Malcolm were accomplished, approx one per quarter. Additionally, had a bonus week of him visiting California for a week at the beach. As well, several visits with other family members, including special birthday celebrations during at week at Cabo-Adam at 30, Marie and Valerie at 45 and me at 60 (Francine celebrated 50, but couldn’t make the trip). Valerie and family visited us at the beach for a week, lifelong friends Rick & Kathy a week in Hawaii and Christmas with Malcolm and parents and son Adam in Charlottesville, VA for a white Christmas. Sister Valerie had her first Half Ironman with me and many other friends in Austin and son-in-law Nathan, Valerie and hubby Jim all joined in at Philly/DC Olympic triathlons. Trumping it all was Bonnie & I celebrating our 40th wedding Anniversary on December 27-WOW!!

TRAVEL
After a very ambitious world travel schedule in 2008 and the incidence of my bike crashes as well as being “homesick”, we made an early in the year decision to back off some of our planned travel in 2009 and enjoy the comforts of home. Upon reflection, it was one of our best decisions of the year. Still, we enjoyed Cabo for a week, about a month in Australia/New Zealand, and 10 days in Hawaii. We added several weeks enjoying the beach right here in San Clemente-delightful! (India, China and a Mediterranean cruise were benched for other years). 2010 looks to be shaping up as a big and fun international travel year, with Barcelona, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Whistler, Montreal, South Africa, the UK, Amsterdam and Hawaii all looking to be probable.

GOLF
Given the emphasis I’ve now placed on the triathlon sport, golf has taken a seat far back in priority than what it was previously. My goal of playing the Top 100 courses in the USA remains intact, however I am still at 79 with no courses picked up in 2009. Given existing domestic travel schedule, looking at several opportunities in 2010. Played a total of 16 rounds in 2009, compared to 32 rounds in 2008, 24 in 2007 and 50 in 2006. Golf index stuck at 12 due to infrequent play, realistically playing bogey golf. Continue to be in search of my first hole-in-one!

MISC
GOT continues to be a moving event each year. Costa Mesa house continues to be well run by son Adam and wills/trusts all redone and updated. Hang glide and race car activities backburned to 2010 due to bike crashes. Application for Amazing Race to be filed in 2010. Reinstituted Red Cross platelets donations now that India travel is behind me, and donated 4 times in second half of 2009, more targeted in 2010. Given my wife Bonnie’s great cooking, we set a minimum target of 113 home-cooked meals to be eaten at home in 2009, and the actual came in at 115-what a plan! Only 97 are planned for 2010, due to extensive intl travel. Read 26 books vs plan of 24, same as in 2008. Watched 69 movies vs plan of 48, compared to 74 in 2008 (lots more movies recovering from bike crashes!).

SUMMARY OVERALL
The theme of the year was “physically fit, productive and balanced with FUN! I claim the year (just as last year) - Mission Accomplished! Thanks to all who either helped me along the way and/or joined us along the way in our journey thru life. Bring on 2010 for many more memorable times!

2010 GOALS

2009-12-07T13:51:00.000-08:00

THEME: Physically fit, productive and balanced with FUN!
(1. Speak 2.Travel to speak 3.Fun)

A. FAMILY
1. Bonnie 2. Melissa/Nathan/Malcolm 3. Adam 4. Extended family: birthdays, vacations, recognition.

B. HEALTH
1. Weigh 187 or less, year round (1)
2. Body fat 19% or less
3. No wine unless <190 (4 free days per month): Then, weekends, vacations and special events only
4. Workouts 5 times a week/250 a year
5. Marathons: 4 per year in quest of 50 states goal set in 2004, finish 2016 (thru 2009, 26 states completed)
-2/7 Surf City, CA
-5/2 Vancouver, BC
-8/22 Pikes Peak, CO
- 3 more as opportunities present
6. Ironman and Marathon in all 7 continents in 7 years- finish 2014 (2)
(4 Ironmans on 3 continents completed thru 2009)
7. Ironman Brazil 5/31; qualify for Hawaii
8. Ironman World Championship-Hawaii 10/9
9. Triathlons various
- 3/27 Oceanside 70.3
- 6/27 Philly Olympic
- 8/29 Chicago Olympic
- 9/26 Mission Viejo Olympic
-10/17 Austin 70.3
10. Swim yards 230,000/ 75 hours
11. Run 8 hours month/100 year/600 miles year
12. Bike 18 hours month/220 hours year/275 miles mo/3300 miles year
13. Strength/weights workouts 8 month/96 year
14. 100 crunches daily
15. Pushups by quarter: Daily- 10/20/20/30
16. Pikes Peak Summit 8/22
17. Blood platelets donation 5x year
18. Doctors: Medical June; Dentist Feb/June/Oct; Eyes June; Skin Mar/ Sep
19. Colonoscopy
20. Floss daily
21. Water/half gallon/daily

C. QUALITY OF LIFE: TRAVEL/VACATIONS
1. Barcelona Feb 21-26
2. Vancouver/Whistler Apr 29-May 2
3. Brazil May 20-31
4. Montreal Jun 15-20
5. Australia/NZ Jul 17-31
6. South Africa Sep 1-11
7. UK Sep 12-16
8. Amsterdam Sep 17-20
9. Hawaii Oct 4-11

D. VISITS WITH MELISSA/NATHAN/MALCOLM (3)
1. Mar 5-8 Charlottesville
2. Mar 26-Apr 4 San Clemente
3. Jun 25-28 Philly
4. Oct 4-11 Hawaii
5. Dec 23-27 Charlottesville Christmas

E. QUALITY OF LIFE – GOLF
1. Index 12 or below
2. 18 rounds
3. Pursue Top 100 – goal set in 2000/ 79 complete thru 2009
Possible opportunities:
1/12 Jacksonville, Fl
1/15 Rhodes, Iowa
1/22 Las Vegas
3/28 Scottsdale, AZ
8/10-11 Los Angeles
8/25-27 Green Bay, WI
10/12-13 Chicago, IL
10/15 Austin
11/30-12/1 Detroit, MI
12/14-15 North Carolina

F. EVENTS
1. Bonnie 60th Bday – April
2. African Safari – Sep
3. GOT – April
4. Race car Richard Petty
5. Hanglide
6. Holiday Party – Jan
7. Four wine tasting dinners @ house
8. Presidential Libraries: 6/13 complete
9. Apply for Amazing Race

G. HOUSEHOLD
1. LaQuinta house rental
2. Costa Mesa house rental
3. Investment Mgmt review 3x year

H. BALANCE/ PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Manage/monitor sleep nights

Qtr 1 2 3 4 Total
Biz 35 25 33 36 129
Hom 46 35 37 39 157
Fun 9 32 22 17 80
Total 90 92 92 92 366

Meals-H 30 20 22 25 97

2. Books 24 year/ 2 month
3. Magazines 14 month
4. Movies 48 year/ 4 month
5. Daily paper

I. FOOTNOTES
1. A few goals specifically identified as:
- (1) non-negotiable
- (2) most difficult
- (3) most important
2. Send 4+ letters/notes per year to someone who made a difference in my life-thank them and let them know.

Management Lessons on an Aircraft Carrier at Sea

2009-11-30T12:32:00.000-08:00

I thought everyone that reads my blog would be interested in the post below....

Subject: Top Ten Lessons from the USN: Management Lessons on an Aircraft Carrier at Sea From the net.courtesy of CHINFO News Clips, by Guy Kawasaki, June 10

This is a guest post by Bill Reichert, my colleague at Garage Technology Ventures. He and I recently joined other bloggers for an overnight trip on the USS Nimitz. The USS Nimitz is an aircraft carrier that's named after Chester Nimitz (Nimitz signed the US/Japan surrender terms that at the end of World War II). The Nimitz has a crew of approximately 3,000 men and women. When an air wing is deployed on it, the total number of personnel becomes 5,000. It is part of Carrier Strike Group 11.

Very few people have the opportunity to experience life on a nuclear aircraft carrier up close and personal. Recently, I had the extraordinary experience of spending a day and a night at sea in the Pacific on board the USS Nimitz. I was part of a Navy outreach program to give ordinary landlubbers like me a perspective on the mission and operations of a naval strike group.

I was excited. Who would turn down a chance to get on top of a nuclear power plant driving 100,000 tons of steel through the ocean, with 5,000 men and women handling scores of aircraft, carrying thousands of pounds of bombs and missiles, burning thousands of gallons of jet fuel a day, with margins measured in inches, and tolerances of seconds?

What could possibly go wrong? As a Prius-driving, granola-eating, anti-gun, Left-Coast Californian, I do not fit the stereotype of the typical armed forces booster. I am inclined to favor green technology over weapons of mass destruction. But I discovered during my visit that many of us who are working in non-military organizations, and who may not have given a second thought to the Navy as a model, would do well to understand how a small city floating on the ocean works. From startup entrepreneurs to seasoned executives, we can learn a lot from the U.S. Navy, from the enlisted men and women as well as from the commanding officers.

When we got to the Naval Air Station on Coronado Island in San Diego, we received a quick slide presentation before we flew off to the Nimitz, a hundred miles or so off the coast. Then again, when we met with the admiral on the ship that evening, we got another slide presentation. There were five or six dot points on the power point slides outlining the mission of the Navy, but frankly I can't remember them all. All I can remember is the impression that, fundamentally, the mission of the U.S. Navy is to make the world safe. It's a pretty ambitious objective. You may approve or disapprove of this as the best use of taxpayer money, but if you spend any time on a nuclear aircraft carrier, you have to admit they do a pretty impressive job.

During about thirty hours of immersion with sailors and pilots (and public affairs officers), I realized that were several principles at work that make the Navy so successful-principles that are not at all unique to running an aircraft carrier-representing important lessons for everyone interested in entrepreneurship, innovation, teamwork, and management:

Inspiration: Having a big, meaningful goal is a tremendous force for inspiration, motivation, and cohesion. The Navy's mission is not some vague, abstract, feel-good paragraph in a business plan; it is very concrete, and very easy to understand and internalize. In addition to defending America, fighting terrorists, and rescuing victims of piracy, the Navy takes enormous pride in their role in helping the tsunami victims in 2004, and in helping the Katrina victims in 2005.

While everyone I talked with had his or her own particular story, everyone had a distinct and powerful pride in what they had accomplished and in the people around them. It was frankly astounding. Even in the best organizations, in my experience, such a core consistency of pride is extremely rare. Of course, most organizations don't have a mission as inspirational as the U.S. Navy.

Perspiration: If everyone buys into the goal, you can get an amazing amount of work done, including regular sixteen hour days with very low pay. The Nimitz does not offer a 9-to-5 workday. Some days, crews are on the flight deck for fourteen or sixteen hours, into the wee hours of the morning, inhaling noxious fumes and making sure every plane gets back safely. And then after the planes get back at midnight, the maintenance crew is still at work making sure the planes are ready for the next day. A maintenance chief told me that, given the age of the planes and the stress of carrier flying, it is typical that a plane requires twenty-five hours of maintenance for every hour of flight time. That seems inefficient, but the alternative is unacceptable. You don't want to fly a plane that is anything less than 100 percent maintained.

Teamwork: As much as the movie Top Gun created the impression that it's about competing to be Number 1, the ethic in an actual operating situation is intensely about team performance. Watching the crews maintain, fuel, setup, and pilot F-18s for flight, it's clear it's not about who's the hottest dog on the deck. Every single person counts on other members of the team to enable them to get their part of the job done, and no one person can take credit for success, or benefit from another's failure.

Recruiting and training: There is a common misperception that the military attracts the lower performers in our society who have no other choices. The Navy is very fortunate to have more people who want to join than there are available slots. But more important, the men and women who make it through training are astoundingly competent people. The lesson here is that it's not about fancy degrees and prior polish; it's about a commitment to excellence in each individual, and the willingness to work to exhaustion to make sure you live up to your commitment.

Accountability and continuous improvement: There is no contradiction between an intense ethic of teamwork and the need for individual accountability. In the Navy, everything is monitored and measured.

Every system has to perform at 100 percent, and for every system there is a person responsible for making sure that happens. Every cycle of take-offs and landings is measured and scored. And every score is assessed to figure out a way to do it better. During launch cycles, the drill is to get a plane catapulted off the deck every sixty seconds. According to our hosts, during the training exercise we watched, the greatest variation off that was fifteen seconds. Wouldn't it be cool if O'Hare could match that?

Respect: In the Navy, if you don't like someone because of their race, or creed, or whatever, you have the opportunity to change your mind, because that person may be living in the bunk fourteen inches away from you. Respect isn't just an altruistic ethic, it's a necessity.

More so than any other institution, the U.S. military has been successful at integrating America's young men and women. I'm sure the Navy is not perfect in this regard, but when I looked around the bridge and saw the incredibly diverse team of men and women who were calmly, confidently, and competently running this multi-billion dollar acme of American technological accomplishment, I thought why can't all of America be more like this? Actually, most high tech companies are well integrated when it comes to race and creed (less so gender), but when it comes to respect among individuals, most organizations have a lot to learn.

Overcoming fear: On a busy aircraft carrier, there are a lot of things that happen that are really scary, and people die. Despite the macho prototype of the Navy pilot, in private these pilots admit that landing a jet on a moving carrier at night is a downright terrifying experience. Watching a series of jets land at night, you get the impression that it must be pretty easy, because they do it so well.
But it isn't easy, and even with years of practice and experience, it's nerve-wracking. And you do it, because it's your responsibility and that's the only way the mission gets accomplished.

Work/Life balance: It's hard to imagine how people in the military handle being away from their families for months at a time, in environments that are almost entirely work. It's clear that it is not easy for most. My impression is that the Navy tries to ease the strain by creating a work environment that is much looser and more casual than we expected. We thought the crew aboard the ship would be much more heavily starched than they were, and that the interactions between subordinates and superiors would be much stiffer. We were amazed at how relatively easygoing everyone was, considering that they were responsible for one of the most massive concentrations of firepower on the planet. When you are on the line, there is no slack, and there is no room for anything less than 100 percent. But when there is a break in the action, you can relax and be human.

Reverence and irreverence: The week before our visit, the Nimitz lost five crew in a helicopter accident. These were not strangers; these were co-workers and friends. Among the pilots, it seems that everyone has at least one story of a good friend who was lost. For these men and women, death is all too real. There are memorials around the ship to remind everyone of those who have given their lives in the service of their country. At the same time, there is an irreverence that pops up quite frequently, sometimes when you wouldn't expect it. The captain, in welcoming us, referred to the aircraft carrier as being "kind of like a jail, except there's the possibility of drowning." Not exactly what you would expect to hear. And the whole call sign culture-pilots with nicknames like "Freak Show" and "Booger," to make sure no one takes themselves too seriously and everyone appreciates that even the best of the best are human.

One-hundred percent performance: From moment to moment, the operations on board a nuclear aircraft carrier expose the crew to an extraordinary degree of danger. A simple mistake can result in death, and much of what is being done on the ship and in the air is not at all simple. But they make it look simple. We watched scores of planes take off and land on a moving platform without a hitch. The key is training, training, training, and total focus and dedication when you are on the line. The activity on the flight deck looks a little random and pretty informal-no stiff spines or tight formations. But in the end, you realize you've watched an amazingly choreographed ballet, with an underlying intelligence and efficiency that comes from a lot of people working together to optimize the total performance of the organization.

Those are my top ten lessons from the U.S. Navy. Some of my colleagues on the trip have some additional perspectives to add. (You can see links to their travelogues below.) But all of us discovered that we can learn a lot from the U.S. Navy.

Certainly the Navy is not perfect. As in any organization, there are egos and frustrations and resentments. And people make mistakes, and bad things happen. Not everyone agrees with every decision made up the chain of command, or back in Washington, DC. The Navy understands that it is not well-served by squashing free thought, but everyone in the Navy appreciates that there is a time and a place for debate, and the deal is that you are signed up to do what the organization needs you to do once you are on the line.

Not every entrepreneur wants to model his or her organization and culture on the Navy. For many entrepreneurs, indeed, that is a very unappealing concept, but that's because they don't really understand what makes the Navy one of the most effective organizations on the planet. Like any other successful organization, it's about the people, not about the technology. The key is harnessing the incredible potential of every individual through inspiration, training, and teamwork.

Honor. Courage. Commitment. Not bad principles for any company.

Black Cars

2009-10-08T11:45:00.000-07:00

"More products". "New products". "That's the answer! ". Really?

What are all those people crammed into the Apple stores for? My last visit there I could only count a dozen or so products.

Remember the old Henry Ford story of "we sell black cars" and if that's all we offer, that's what we will sell?

The answer to lagging sales will not be found in "more products". The best sales professionals, regardless of how many products they have, generally sell the majority of the numbers with less than a dozen products-they become experts and specialists in them, and go about selling those "professionally". Too many offerings gets the typical sales person spinning in circles, dizzy, and confused. The cry for "more products" is typically a "weak excuse" by the sales force for not "professionally selling".

Years ago, when I was in the mortgage business, we offered over 50 loan products, representing 25 investors, each with their own nuances and procedures. Our sales folks were buried in their dizziness, yet regularly begged for more (the latest and greatest). It was when we went from 25 investors to 3, and from 50+ programs to a handful, that our sales went up, our service levels went up, and our profits went up.

Take a look at your product offerings. Figure out your version of the "black cars", then teach your sales people how to sell that!

Learning from the "Dumb Guys in Class".

2009-09-28T13:56:00.000-07:00

I fly on airplanes nearly everyday. So far in 2009, the planes are generally "sold out"- no empty seats.

Now, if I were to say "low cost airline?", most would reply Southwest Airline. They've been doing that "price thing" for years. AND, they have been the only airline in the USA to regularly report profits. All the other airlines continue losing money, despite full airplanes (qualifying them as "Dumb guys in the class").

Do they really think the answer to profitability is "lower prices"? The math just doesn't work. So, I'd suggest it must be something other than price. Here's where to look: improving operations; improving service; improving corporate culture, etc.

Now, how are you faring in this tightened economy? Where are you looking and what are you doing to "make it work". If you think the answer is to "compete on price", I suggest it's time for you to "sit in the corner...with a dunce cap".

There's Gotta be a Better Way

2009-09-17T09:28:00.000-07:00

This is one I hear all the time. "I'm a professional service firm (ie, lawyers or accountants, etc) and in our type of business a Sales Manager concept won't work. In fact, Sales People won't either. As such, we need to have our professionals do both the technical work and the sales. Since they are professionals and their income is a byproduct of the work they generate, they self-manage."

So, someone wants to be an accountant and invests their time and money to learn to do that. Seeking to be recognized as "professional" they go through the process of becoming industry accredited. Clearly, this is what they want to do. Now, under the premise that this type of business can only be sold by the "doer", we throw the accountant out in the street to "sell his services". Got the picture? I just want to be sure I've got this right. Is this person the correct profile for effective selling? Is this what they enjoy doing and approach it with passion? And since the answers to the prior two questions are probably "NO", wouldn't you think the role of the Sales Manager would be ever more critical?

Just because the circumstances are unique or challenging is not an acceptable reason to default to having the technical professional (accountant) do the selling AND the tech work. Besides, figure out which is the highest payoff activity (ROI) and make sure the focus is properly there.

A partial answer to this challenge is team selling, where the "technical professional" is brought in to help close the deals once the "sales professional" has the prospect further along. And no matter what direction one takes as to doing the sales, someone (Sales Manager) has to ensure the key selling activities are being regularly performed. Whatever your product or service is, would you really want an accountant or lawyer be the key resource to grow your sales? Hey, stop laughing out there. You might hurt the feelings of the "technical professionals" that split shift as sales people!

There's gotta be a better way, find it.

Ps. This brought to you by a former accountant with Arthur Andersen!

Going the Extra Mile

2009-09-15T10:19:00.000-07:00

Just recently I addressed a group of independently owned retailers, who expressed their concerns for survival in competing with the "big box chains". Much of their concerns came down to fighting the price battle. Certainly this is a legitimate concern, faced by many. The great news is "there is life beyond the big boxes"! However, it will require more than "business as usual".

The big boxes can be beat, and are being beat regularly, with service beyond expectations. Critical to this is the quality of the people we hire, how empowered they are to "do the right thing", and how trained they are on "what are the right things".

This all requires consistent communication by the leader, reinforcement of the good examples through reward and recognition, and creativity to go that "extra mile".
Be sure to identify those "extra miles" so all can experience the "why" of doing business with you.

A couple months ago I shared the story of the many "extras" delivered to me by my "independently owned" bike shop. Click on http://www.edgecyclesports.net/ to see examples of that "extra mile". Every business has the opportunity to win the battle with the big boxes; just remember it will require you going that "extra mile".

Which Leader Are You?

2009-09-09T12:42:00.000-07:00

Why are some companies growing through this tightened economy, while others are struggling? Do you really think they were just fortunate to be in the "right" business sector?

How about this as an answer? The leaders decided to "win" each day and challenged all in the company to come up with creative ways to effectively compete.

The leaders professed often to all in the company that the company would not only survive but thrive in this economy. The leaders were open to new ways to do the business, inclusive of operating in "new to them" channels of business. The leaders became more involved with the sales force, once again calling on "best customers" to both solidify the existing relationship as well as find ways to expand that business with them.

Are you looking for the opportunities presented in this tightened economy, or portraying you and the company as "fighting a losing battle"?

Which leader are you?

Referrals=Margin Opportunity

2009-08-31T10:30:00.000-07:00

Let's break Sales into three groupings:

1. Sales from existing customers
2. Sales from new customers
3. Sales from referrals

Of the three, referrals often offer us the highest margins. Here's an exercise.

Look at your financial and business plans. Is there a line on the Revenue section for Referral business? Next, look at each of the business plans for each sales person. Is there a line for Referral business?

I'm betting the answer is "NO".

So, if there is no plan for referral business, by default we are saying on the highest margin revenue opportunity, we are leaving it to chance! Ouch. We all know these two axioms, and now is the time to put them in to practice:

1. Things that get measured get done
2. Inspect what you expect

Time to leverage our solid business relationships into more business on both the top line and the bottom line. Get more Referral business.

Success in Selling is a Head Case

2009-08-24T11:42:00.000-07:00

Did you hear the one about the two shoe salesman assigned to sell shoes in Africa?

Both are put on planes to separate parts of Africa and land about the same time. One exits the plane to a large group of natives, none of which are wearing shoes. He immediately calls home office and says he's flying right home because no one is wearing shoes, so no one will need them and he will be unable to sell. The other sales person is greeted similarly, and he calls home office and asks that any and all shoes be immediately sent to him, since no one is wearing shoes, he will be able to sell any and all!

Which salesperson are you in this marketplace? Everyday, we get to decide. 50% of success in selling is a head case; make yours work for you, not against you.

www.SendOutCards.com

2009-08-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

Go to this site, www.sendoutcards.com/jackdaly, and send yourself a photocard, free of charge and my treat. Customize it as you like. See how easy this is to do and then start using these as creative ice breakers and followup vehicles.

I've been doing this for years and this service has garnered me "obscene" amounts of business and revenue. Unique and memorable, and all can be done from your laptop. Quit waiting for the marketing department to "supply" you with the tools to be successful. Ask the top producers about their success, and you will often here them say this: "I'm not successful because of this company, I'm successful in spite of this company"!
Get on with growing your business...and your income!

Stop the Insanity

2009-08-18T14:08:00.000-07:00

Had dinner last night with a long-term friend who in the past couple years transitioned over to the Sales Training field. As dinner ended, we exchanged business cards. When I returned to the room, I glanced at his card. Here was the take-away: "the only thing worse than training people and losing them is not training them and keeping them.". That was from the legendary Zig Ziglar, which prompted this thought.

If you want changed results (more sales), then change the behavior. If you want to change the behavior, then that requires training. And, Training is a process, not an event. It must be ongoing and continuous. My question to you is when and how often are your sales people practicing? All too often they are not, and their only "practice" is on the customer! Stop the insanity!!

Making the Right Moves

2009-08-11T13:16:00.000-07:00

I spoke with a group of CEO/entrepreneurs today and went around the room and asked each (20), who does the selling for them and how do they sell. On several occasions, I was told that given the more difficult economic environment, they had tasked many different positions with additional sales duties beyond their traditional role. Like drivers, technicians and marketing/account management staff. The results were really being seen and they felt this to be a solid strategy.

When asked if they planned to "revert back" to their prior behaviors when the economy turns more positive, they said "no", that this is something that has ongoing value. So, the question is this, "why do so many people and firms wait to make the right moves when their backs are to the wall by economy?". The route to increasing sales is increasing the quantity and quality of the sales force. And, increasing sales is the most important thing we can do. So, be creative and apply the resources to it

Training is a Process, not an Event

2009-07-30T12:47:00.000-07:00

Bundling- Simple and Effective

2009-07-27T12:24:00.000-07:00

Over the past 3 days, I've worked with over 30 different CEO's/owners of companies of a wide span of industries and sizes. At least 70% were failing on the following opportunity. That was the bad news. Here is the good news. They can now take action and secure more business, increase their revenues and secure more reliable repeat business. Here goes:

My monthly home cable bill runs about $280. Huh? For better reception and more channels? Not exactly. That's how the relationship started but over time I've added telephone, internet, dvr, etc. And, even if one of the services is disappointing, its such a hassle to unwind and start over, I just mail in another months check. Don't you want your customers writing the checks and mailing them in?

Take a look your business (whether product or service) and push hard to discover how to best "Bundle". Simple and effective- I like it!

I love the expression "Model the Masters"

2009-07-24T13:24:00.000-07:00

If PRICE is so important in a tightened economy, someone please explain to me why there were lines running out the doors of Tiffanys' at Christmas time, I'm still having difficulty getting high-end wines due to being sold out, and I'm running into multiple hour waits for at a table at higher end restaurants. And what's with all those "every day" folks sitting at the $25 minimum blackjack tables in the casino (playing more than one chip a hand)? Apple products are "higher priced" than others in their category, posting higher and higher profits. And, have you heard anything about Rolex going out of business?-me either. Panera Bread raised its prices twice in the past year and continues opening up stores at a record pace. The auto industry "needs" a bailout because of the "economy" yet that same industry needs to sell 7 cars to make what Harley makes on one bike (and you need to wait 6 months to get the bike!).

Take a look at what you and your company have been offering up as solutions to the economy challenges. How has the cutbacks, price slashing, deep discounts approaches been working for you? Reexamine some of the examples above and see if that's been their approach. Might there be a better way? The economy (and majority of workforce/business owners) was on such a long run of "prosperity" that I fear many are taking a reactive, panic approach to the markets. Like telling salespeople to call on more and more prospects they've never done business with before. Hey, I'm not against prospecting but wouldn't that be an even harder sell in a tight economy. Maybe solidifying and expanding the business we do with our existing clients would be time better spent.

I keep reading and looking in the business mags, papers and internet for the success stories of those shrinking to the top of the equity markets. I'm looking for the investors beating the doors down to get in on those slashing and cutting (inside and out).

I love the expression "Model the Masters". In sales, I say, look at the top sales people and see what they are doing and do some of the same. Is it not time we as companies looked at firms posting successes and do the same? I'm thinking it ain't a strategy of PRICE.

Social Media- Not Just for Teenagers Anymore

2009-07-23T13:55:00.000-07:00

Social media time. When is the last time you checked on your sales people's active participation in social media? Here's a quick drill. See if they are on Facebook, MySpace, Linkedin, Plaxo, Naymz, Twitter. If not, why not? Set a timetable for it to happen. Then, ensure there is some regularity to their use. I continue to hear, most everywhere I go, how important relationships are in sales and one's business. Agreed. So, leverage these tools to foster the relationships.

In the past month, as a direct result of being active in these mediums, we have booked 5 gigs and I've had several lunch and dinner meetings that were initially set thru the updating of these mediums as to my travels.

Quit with the excuses that these are all about nonsense and sites for teenagers to chat about meaningless trivia. Ignore that and get on with your relationship building. Don't be last to these important sales tools.

How Serious Are You?

2009-06-26T11:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I spoke to 20 owners and CEO's of various businesses. The intent of the six hour session was to learn how to increase revenues. When I polled the room as to how many had Sales Managers, 80% indicated they were doing that job, as well as CEO, as well as more than half indicated they were the chief sales person or rainmaker for their company. Yet, each of their firms had many full-time positions in operational and support capacities. It begs the question "Is there a market for the product or service?" If so, if revenue growth is the desired outcome, then it will grow thru the quantity and quality of one's sales force. What's standing in the way of making the commitment to grow? Please don't answer the economy when you haven't put the resources where needed.

Alignment Equals Growth

2009-06-23T08:09:00.000-07:00

Good old Yogi Berra said "you can see a lot if you are looking". A close cousin to that is "you can hear a lot if you are listening". So, I'm at another airport gate, awaiting my flight to Cleveland, where I will share business growth ideas with entrepreneurs. Here's the conversation snippet I overheard from a traveling salesperson. "Our backs are against the wall and we need the sales numbers. People are riding me hard. So, let's put the lower price on the offer, even if we lose a little on the deal; at least we are showing some sales numbers". Ouch. Suggestion-be sure your sales people's compensation plan is tied directly to profitability of the sales. The concept is called "alignment". If the people generating the business are not directly aligned with the profitability of the company, then overall profitability is at serious risk.

Inspect What You Expect

2009-06-18T10:05:00.000-07:00

I'm just back from vacation in Hawaii and had to share this customer service/sales gem.

In these tighter economic times, it’s been reported that restaurant business has fallen off considerably, as it's a discretionary expense. We witnessed a disproportionate amount of folks cooking at the resort on BBQ’s as witness to that.

One evening we called restaurant advertising with a full page ad in several local magazines, so they were spending money to win customers. On calling we were told to arrive by 7pm to avoid a wedding party they were hosting arriving at 7:45pm so we could get "good service". Good so far!

We arrive at 6:55pm and are told that there is nothing available and they have a wedding party coming. I reply that we were made aware of that and told to come at 7pm and we would be accommodated. At this point the "Greeter" proceeds to "tongue bash" me saying things like "what do you expect from me? Do you expect me to go tell the current diners to get up and leave?" And a few other choice things. I tried to explain that we called before coming there and what we were told. To which the "Greeter" said "well, too bad, there's nothing I can do for you". I'd already arrived at that conclusion and that restaurant lost a potential "lifetime" customer.

How's that for a ROI on expensive magazine advertising? Handled properly, we probably would have come back on another night, as we had several more to go. Be assured, never again and I will go out of my way to protect others from this restaurant.

Last thought. I'm often perplexed to distinguish "sales" from "service". Which of the two is the "Greeter" in? I'm of the belief it was "sales" since we never got thru to experience "service". What first impressions are your company and "sales force" /reception making with the market? Who and how are you checking on it? Inspect what you expect.

PS. I bet the owner spent hours reviewing and approving the full page ad. How much time was spent on the "Greeter"?

Know the difference between an "expense" and an "investment".

2009-06-17T09:45:00.000-07:00

If you are a CEO or Sales Manager and you have cut back your travel and are hunkering in the office to "save expenses", think again. This is the ideal time to be proactively out visiting your customers at the senior level and solidifying their business while attempting to win even more!
Kinda reminds me of that T.V. commercial where the CEO presents the entire staff with airline tickets because business is down...because they have NOT been visiting their customers.

Know the difference between an "expense" and an "investment".

Quality vs. Quantity

2009-06-09T16:02:00.000-07:00

So, I'm walking thru the Denver airport for connection to Winnipeg where I will be with 200+ tomorrow working on brushing up their selling skills. Two "business people" passed by me and one said to the other 'so, do we need anything for this meeting we are going to?" To which the other guy shrugged his shoulders and said 'beats me'. With all the emphasis currently being placed on expense controls, it made me wonder how we all are doing on "quality controls"? If you are a sales person, are you prepared before making your calls, or merely winging it like these two characters? If you are a sales manager, what are you doing to ensure that your sales people are prepared for their calls. In tighter economic times, I fear too many folks are stressing increased quantity of calls. That won't cut it. The key, now more than ever, is Quality Calls!