Is being a team player overrated?

I recently had a conversation with a frustrated sales manager of a new team. His standards and expectations are high and only matched by his enthusiasm and willingness to help others. Some of the team members he hired himself and some he inherited. We spoke about the team and their enthusiasm, work ethic, skill and teamwork. Currently his main concern was with several of the members undermining his authority and being a potential cancer to his organization.

This conversation made me think of the importance of teamwork, so I decided to ask the World through the popular social media site, LinkedIn. The question I posed was "Is being a team player necessary or overrated?" In a short period of time I received 23 answers which gave me some insight as to how others approached the notion of team work. The feedback from Linked In was fantastic and the quote I read in a chapter from "Three Feet From Gold"  helped me put it all together. The quote in the book was "Goals are aspirations until they become real. Then they become responsibilities."  When you reach the goal of owning a car, you take on the responsibilities of carrying a insurance policy and conducting regular maintenance. When you attain a goal of owning a house, among the many responsibilities you must pay school taxes, have homeowners insurance and pay utility bills. How does all of this pertain to being a team player?

When applying for a job or a promotion we have a goal...to receive an offer. At the point of receiving the offer we either accepted or declined it, right? If we accepted the position, it's reasonable to say that we have achieved our goal and now, according to the Napoleon Hill Foundation, we have a "responsibility". This responsibility could be by our own doing or one set forth by the employer in the form of expectations, rules or accountabilities. Hopefully, before you were hired, these rules and expectations have been explained to you; therefore, upon accepting the position you have also accepted the responsibility to live by them. If team work, collaboration, idea sharing or team selling is a prerequisite at your company or on your team, it is your responsibility to uphold those organizational values once you accept the position.

If you find yourself in a spot where you are asked to be a team player and support decisions for the betterment of the team, I suggest you look at the responsibilities you took on when you achieved your goal of being hired and see if they match the expectations set by your manager.

For those of you who have a "leave me alone" attitude and feel your only responsibility is to achieve your quota, try bringing in a deal the last day of the month and expect to bill it without the teamwork. Without the hlep of the people in administration who process the paperwork, the staff in the warehouse who setup your product or the delivery crew who lug it to your customer before 5:00 PM the same day.

I can't speak for every organization or industry, but I can tell you unequivocally, at Connecticut Business Systems, you will not last unless you are the ultimate team player.

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Three Feet From Gold

This morning I began reading a book titled "Three Feet From Gold" by Sharon Lechter and Greg Reid with the Napoleon Hill Foundation. Napolion Hill was the author of the renowned book "Think and Grow Rich". It was lent to me by my good friend Don Foley who's always had my best interests in mind. The book is a story about a young man whose ego has gotten in the way of his progress. He meets a prominent business man who takes him under his wing and through various introductions to successful friends, he mentors and coaches him back on track. Without giving the book away, I wanted to share 8 key points I walked away with thus far.

"The most common cause of failure is quitting". Like the man who sold his empty mine to someone who discovered more gold by digging three feet further, many of us quit moments from success or accomplishment.

"Whether the glass is full or empty depends on where it began". This is an interesting twist on an old saying depicting those who see the glass as half full to be optimists and those who see it as half empty as pessimists. The glass starting out full and now being half empty can be looked upon differently than the one which started out as empty and now is half full.

"Before great success comes, you will surely meet with temporary defeat". Knowing that this is true, let's continue and persevere!

"There is a difference between being interested and being committed". What are you commited to? Many people quit because they have no passion for the business or their work. Those who succeed have a vision and love what they are doing. They are able to stick to it despite the setbacks they encounter. They have "STICKABILITY".

"Work your strengths, hire your weaknesses". Many of us try to do it all regardless whether we are good at it or not. This usually takes us away from the things we do well which compounds the overall problem.

"Seek counsel not opinions, and then pass it on".  Most people listen to opinions from people they know, rather than seeking out counsel from subject mater experts.  The problem is that most people we know may have little or no actual successful experience on the topic.  "Opinions are usually based on lack of knowledge, whereas counsel comes from wisdom and experience".

"Never make a major decision in the valley". How many times have you made a big move in times of sorrow, anger, a low point of your life?  Ride out the storm so your major decisions come from a point of progress and not defeat.

"A dream is just a dream unless it's written down. Only then does it become a goal". It's not about what you want to do, it's all about what you promise yourself you will actually accomplish. Keep cards with your goals written down in your pocket. These will serve as a constant reminder of what "promises" you need to deliver on.

So these are the key take always from the first four chapters.  I am curious what do you think?

Side note:  I do not believe there is such a thing as "failure" like the picture above depicts.  Unless of course you don't get up, dust yourself off, learn from your experience and have at it again!

The Buy-Learing Sales Process

I was originally exposed to a buy-leearning sales approach in the early nineties when Dick King walked into my office and asked what I was reading. Dick retired from Xerox with over 30 years of industry experience, so when he suggested I read “Getting Into Your Customers Head” by Kevin Davis I listened. He knew that my company at the time was looking to use the book as the official sales approach. I bought it that afternoon, read it over the weekend and proceeded to teach the process to my team the following week. Although the company’s sales force did not truly grasp the concept, the training department began teaching the process a year later. (Side Note: I believe the reason for any sales process not taking hold at the team level is the inability or unwillingness of the sales managers to coach it and support it in the field.)

Here is the the Kevin Davis process.

Customer Buy-Learning Process               

Sales Roles














Each customer step has a corresponding sales role with specific action steps. It’s important to know where the customer is in the buying cycle before you can engage with you

Besides the steps of the sales cycle, here are 5 key points I took away from the book which I reinforce daily.

1. The biggest problem sales people face today is that we sell too fast!  This has nothing to do with the time it takes from the moment you find a prospect to the “close” of the sale. What it means is that sales people present the solution well before the customer is ready to buy. We find a potential customer, ask what they want or need and we fill the order with a solution the same day. Then we hear crickets for weeks while the customer is shopping around and comparing other options by themselves!

2. Customers do not buy because they have needs; they buy because they have problems! This is the toughest concept to grasp because we’ve been taught for decades to uncover customer needs and present solutions which can fill those needs. Yet there are thousands of customers who expressed needs for products and services and have not made a decision to buy. Think of the many things you “need” which you have not bought. I don’t mean thinks like a tooth brush or shampoo. I mean some of the more significant things that carry a higher price tag like windows for your home, a phone system for your business, or furniture for your office. When the problems associated with the lack of these items escalate, the decision to making a purchase gets closer.

3. Consequences of not fixing the problem is much greater than the problem itself! The classic example is the one of a leaky roof. Today it’s a small hole which can be fixed with a new shingle or some caulking, but if the leak persists it may lead to wall damage, mildew and rotted wood. Sales people will be much more successful if they ask questions which force the customer to realize what could happen if the problem is not addressed today.

4. The irony in sales is that the sales people think the “close” is the end of the relationship and the customers thinks it’s the beginning! The steps after the sales are the most crucial in developing and growing an account yet many reps simply take their money and run.

5. If you’re maintaining an account, you’re losing it. In order to keep a account you must grow it! This statement supports the importance of the sale roles after the “close”. How can you leverage the sale of a product you just sold to sell more products or services in the account? In the office equipment industry, there are so many items beyond the copier which can impact the account. Document management software, supplies, printer management or facilities management just to name a few.

The bottom line

If your sales process does not include the customer's approach to buying, you are in danger of prolonging or even losing the sale.

Xerox Earns Fourth Consecutive J.D. Power and Associates Customer Service Certification. http://ping.fm/3Ug7S

The Power of Giving!

Jarek just joined the 29 Day Giving Challenge. Will you do it too? View the video below and click the link to join.

Be Grateful

Americans all over the world will gather today with family and friends for a Thanksgiving celebration. At our house Thanksgiving is a big deal. Today my wife Sandra and I will play hosts to 22 people. It will be a special day! Last summer Sandra lost her sister Nancy. She passed away after a long bout with Alzheimer’s. Nancy was a big part of our Thanksgiving Days over the years and in many ways, this Thanksgiving is a tribute to her. We will also welcome Sandra’s Canadian cousins and their families who are traveling from Quebec. We haven’t seen them in almost 20 years so it will be a an emotional reunion. Steve my brother-in-law will be here with his two children Michael and Samantha. Nancy’s and our good friends, Mary and Dave will be here as well. Sandra’s two brothers, Cliff and Matt are coming in from New Jersey and Massachusetts and my mom and step-dad will be making the trek from Cape Cod. I am looking forward to the stories, hugs and tiers!

To me thanksgiving is an opportunity to reflect and thank those around us who have made a difference in my life. Regardless of the hurdles and challenges I face, I know there are many whose obstacles are much greater than mine. As far as I’m concerned, I’m the luckiest man alive. I was born in communist Poland, lost my dad at the age of 6 and had a mother strong enough and smart enough to realize that a life in the States will be the best for her family. She took my sister and me to England where we lived in a one room apartment sharing a kitchen and a bathroom with six other families. She was the only PHD in Chemistry who worked as a semesters during the day and a waitress at a restaurant at night. We were there on a visitor’s visa so getting a job in her field was impossible. We stayed in London for a year and a half before a job opportunity at the Woods Hole Oceanographic in the US presented itself to my mom. In February of 1976 we left Europe for America, the land of opportunity! Where money grows on trees and the streets are paved with gold! I believed that then and I believe it now!

Besides my mom, I appreciate the many mentors who have helped me shape my life and career! My soccer coaches throughout high school and college were a big part of my growth. They taught me the value of skill development, self improvement and team work. I’m grateful for many of my bosses who helped me grow and develop as a business man and leader. Many of them gave me tasks that would challenge me, but I could handle. I had numerous customers who cared about me enough to point out some of the shortcomings I had as a sales rep and manager. I cherish the many friendships I have developed over the years with people who would give me the shirt of their backs! I can only hope I would do the same for them.

This year was a tough year for many. In our case, it was one with several challenges. I took on a new job with a competitor and left a company I was with for over 21 years. It was a leap of faith in probably the toughest of economic circumstances. Sandra has been alone with the kids during the weekdays since the middle of June trying to sell our home and juggling all of the family matters alone. I love my family greatly. Together with Nancy’s passing it’s been a very difficult year for Sandra. I don’t have to look too far to find what to be thankful for. My wife has always has been the best thing that’s ever happened to me! Although I may not show it as much as I should, I appreciate her most of all!

Is your referral program helping you grow your business?

Although I’ve been in the business world for many years and always considered myself a pretty good “networker”, it was only recently when I realized how important a referral program is to growing your business.

I was first exposed to a formal referral program in college while working as a Nautilus instructor for the Faunce Corner Health Club, a  Healthtrax Company where membership growth was a top priority. The sales department was responsible for bringing in new members and used the instructors to gather referrals from current members. Nautilus had a very systematic and regimented workout system. There was a lot of interaction between members and instructors so it there were many opportunities to ask members if they knew anyone who would be interested in losing weight, getting stronger or interested in trying out the club. There were roughly 5 instructors and all of us had a quota of 5 referrals per week. I was getting 25 per week and within a month was promoted to sales. The club was thriving, with new members joining daily and we always had people to call on. Looking back at my 21 years in the office equipment industry, I have yet to come across a company or organization with a formal referral program like the Faunce Corner Club. One with a quota, follow up process and reward program.

The Dilemma

So why is it that organizations spend so much time on “cold” calling to get new prospects and miss “warm” opportunities right under their noses. I think it’s because most of us mistake referrals for references. At Connecticut Business Systems we have thousands of references from satisfied customers who wrote letters stating how wonderful we are and we use these references every time we make a contact with a potential client or prospect. But what if we were to get 5 referrals from every satisfied client? In our industry, virtually every business is a prospect. Whether it’s copiers, printers, document management software or consulting, every business or organization either needs or will need our services at some point. References are pats on the back from current customers; referrals are specific individuals or organizations your customers or contacts refer you to. Another reason is that reps are taught selling skills like objection handling and closing, but seldom are taught the art of networking or generating referrals.

During a recent team meeting one of my sales reps complained about a small deal where he made a very small commission. In his words it was a “waste of time”. I asked him who they use for legal advice. Who is their insurance company? Who does their taxes? Who are their best clients? Who are their top competitors? Besides business contacts all clients have people they know that work in other organizations. Friends and family members who work at the same places we’re cold calling. Most contacts have also worked at different places during their career. Do you know where your contact was before joining the current firm? Needless to say the answer to all my questions was “I don’t know”. The commission on that particular deal might have been small, but this customer was a potential gold mine for referrals and future sales.

Every appointment can produce referrals

Another great referral opportunity presented itself during a recent field blitz. A rep and I walk into a architects office. They just bought a copier from a competitor. The equipment was not yet delivered so we tried to persuade the owner to accept a competitive proposal from CBS. He appreciated our efforts and wished we came in 10 days prior, but at this time he was going to remain with the competitor. After a few minutes of conversation, I asked him if he was willing to work with us on building a referral base in southern Connecticut. He agreed and a week later we came back with pizza and exchanged contacts for potential appointments during lunch with his staff. The customer came prepared with a list of 30 personal contacts including addresses and phone numbers and we asked him to give us a list of their top potential clients they are tiring to get into.

The same day another rep and I walked into a small radio station. All they had was a tiny printer with minimal printing demands. After a brief conversation with the receptionist, we found out that her good friend owns a local printing company. The rep called the printer that afternoon, referenced the his friend the receptionist and scheduled an appointment to review options for replacing his two production copiers! It’s so much easier calling on a account when you can reference a person who referred you to them.

How many sales people do you know?

Every territory has sales professionals from other organizations who call on the same clients for their products or services. They have current customers who like them and competitive accounts which they targeted for potential business. I try to work with sales people who can also benefit from our customers. Office furniture companies, phone providers, network and computer organizations are some of the vertical markets where mutual benefit exits. So, why aren’t sales reps working together to exchanging names of current contacts? Actually some of our reps are beginning to get it! One meets every two weeks with a sales person who sells networking technology in the same territory. Two others joined a leads exchange group at their local Chamber of Commerce. We’re also planning to invite some of these reps to speak in front of our team about their current organization and how we can help them with some of their key prospects. This brings me to my final point.

Give before you receive

In order to get referrals you need to give referrals. Your referral program will not be complete if you do not include specific processes for organizing and giving referrals. I organize the business cards I collect manually in card binder. I file them by vertical markets to make recognizing a referral opportunities easier. I recently became a board member of Big Brother Big Sister Foundation. We needed several trucks and clothing bins wrapped with our logo and other specific images. Since I refer to my card binder often, I knew I met a person who owned a sign company and specialized in wrapping cars and outdoor items. He's not participating in the bid process. In the past, I responded to referral opportunities as they came up, today I search out opportunities to refer someone. It’s quite easy actually. On every appointment with our clients or prospects, after we get done with the business at hand, I ask if they are working on other projects where they need a supplier or consultant. Just last Friday we were able to refer a computer company to a prospect who is looking to expand his business and needs computers and a new network. So if you’re not getting referrals, look in the mirror. Have you referred any one today?

For other ideas on building a referral base Click Here.

Sales professional meets a sales person

Are you a sales professional or a sales rep? I recently posed this question to my new sales team at Connecticut Business Systems during a Monday morning sales meeting with the intent of getting some feedback as to what they thought the difference was. What came out of the exercise was something unexpected. What actually came out of the meeting was what I actually expected of them.


Many years ago, when I was a brand new sales manager with A-Copy, Canon's largest independent distributor of copy machines, a man walked into my office, introduced himself and after a few minutes of pleasantries asked me "what are you reading, right now?" His name was Dick King, a local industry hero who just retired from Xerox after many successful years of sales, training and managing. He and I competed for business several times so even though we never met, we knew of one another.

His question took me back a bit at first for several reasons. One, I thought it was an odd question to ask someone you never met, and two, I haven't read anything since college! As a matter of fact I hated reading! So after admitting that I'm not a fan of books we proceeded to have a conversation around the value of reading and the impact it can have on personal growth and improvement. What made it interesting is that he didn't tell me what I should read, at least not at first. What he did was ask me what my interests were. That was an easy question to answer since I just took up the game of golf a month prior and it was the only thing I could think about. I caught the bug. It consumed me. I wasn't very good, but did everything I could do to improve. Hit the rage every afternoon, watched the golf channel every evening and was in the process of having a custom set of clubs made by a local golf shop. So once Dick saw how passionate I was about my new hobby, he suggested I read a book called "Golf is not a Game of Perfect" by Bob Rotella, a rebound sports psychologist known for his work with many famous golfers, sports teams and businesses.

That was the beginning of the end. It was the first time in my life where I read something, applied the principles or techniques which were suggested and saw immediate results and improvement. Talk about getting hooked! During the same year, I read close to 30 books on various subjects and my career began to take off. A conversation with Dick became almost a daily event. We created a yearly reading list which included books like "7 Habits of Highly Effective People", "The Oz Principle" and "Getting into your Customers Head" and compared notes on various subjects. Dick was a sales professional. I was a salesperson. Don't get me wrong. I was hardworking, dedicated and I knew my products inside and out. I was committed to my company, cared about my customers and had a passion for winning deals. Everything you want in a sales person, right? Yes, I was a good sales person, but Dick thought me what it took to be a sales professional, a "student of the game". You see there are many sales people in the world. I have either hired, trained, managed or fired hundreds of them over my 21 year career. However, I only met 4 which I consider a Sales Professional.

So what makes a sales professional? A person who not only produces significant results through hard work, great customer skills and product knowledge, but one who studies the art of sales, invests in learning and continually improves skills, knowledge and attitude. The sales pro, studies trends, learns the intricacies of different vertical markets and competition. Dick once told me that if anyone invests one hour to a particular subject or field of interest each day, in five years they will be in the top 5% of the subject matter experts in that field. How many people do you know that have done that? One hour of learning each day!

I dated a girl in high school whose father was a physician. Had a longstanding successful practice in Falmouth Massachusetts and from what I saw had many regular patients. Yet everyday he came home with a stack of periodicals which he would read before dinner for about an hour. So one day I asked him why he bothered. His answer was simple. In order to stay on top of his game, he need to make sure to stay current with the latest medical news, advancements and improvements. Many of us feel that some of the top professions include being a doctor, lawyer and college professor. Every physician, attorney and professor I know spends time daily on honing their skills and knowledge, so why is it that so few sales people invest in their skills and knowledge?

It starts with the sales leader's expectations. My team knows what my definition of a sales professional is. It's a individual who produces consistent results, has great work ethic, customer service skills, knows the products and studies the sales industry. Cory Schemenaur, a sales professional who once worked for me, was invited by a client to join their annual business planning, senior staff meeting. He was invited not because he sold them a lot of copiers, although he did do that. The customer viewed him as a consultant, a valued advisor with a high level of business acumen. Cory invested many hours in learning about their industry and market. He studied their progress, he knew their mission critical applications, he knew their vision and mission. Most of all he was able to use his knowledge and skills to add value to their organization. Cory was a student of the game. Are you?

What does your ideal customer look like?

This was one of the questions posed to a group of small business owners during a recent seminar I attended in Stamford, CT. It was sponsored by Tile America and the presenter was Jim Malski, the president of Action Coach, a private firm based in Westport, CT.  Action Coach is dedicated to helping small to medium size companies with all aspects of their business.

When Jim asked the question I (a sales veteran of 21 years) along with pretty much everyone in the room had to stop an think. Most of us were able to come up with a decent overall answer, but none of us had a iron clad, well thought out, and battle tested description. We blurted out the obvious answers like; our best customer is profitable, pays on time, values our work, refers us to their friends and buys several times per year. Needless to say none of the participants have done this exercise either alone or with our sales representatives prior to coming to the seminar. So I decided at my following sales meeting, to pose this to my Connecticut Business Systems team with sales experience ranging from fourteen years to three months. Here is what we came up with.

Our ideal customer is:

• Cost conscious and understands that process improvement leads to increased productivity and efficiencies.
• Invests time and resources in improving their business operations.
• Understands that leveraging their technology investments can assist in fulfilling the company's overall objectives.
• Views our account executives as trusted business advisors and uses us to solve business problems.
• Open to new ideas regarding cost reduction through technology consolidation and print management.

Oh yes, they also pay on time, value our work and give us referrals. Wow, what a difference! Jim did suggests that when we go through this exercise with our teams we actually start by listing the name of our best current customer. What about them makes them so good to do business with? This was one of the most productive exercises I have done with any of my teams.

We now have a clear picture of what our ideal customer is. We also developed questions to ask on every first appointment which test our suspects or prospects against the "model client". We went from asking questions like "How many copies do you do a month?" to "Can you tell me of a time when you leveraged technology investments to fulfill your business goals, mission and vision"?  Which one of your current sales people do you view as business advisors and not just sales reps"? Even when we get blank stares, the customer realizes that Connecticut Business Systems is not just interested in selling a "box" to push paper, anyone can do that. At the very least, early on in the sales cycle, our prospects will understand that we are a professional organization interested in helping them attain their big picture goals and not just add to the expense side of their balance sheet.

There are other added benefits to this exercise outside of creating great business questions. When we think about the ideal client we can easily recognize the ones who are not, which allows us to make the necessary adjustments and provide the right amount of resources for each situation. With this positive view of the "model client" we have a better chance of attracting the type of customer which appreciates our approach and views us as business partners. And the next time any of my reps are at a networking event and someone asks what type of accounts are a good leads for us...we have the "ideal" answer.

So what does your ideal customer look like?