by Drew Stevens, Ph.D.

With the dawn of a new economy and a new year there are many individuals that continue to suffer and seek work. However there is a reason why some continue to struggle while others fight for positions. The rationale is sales and marketing.

Clearly our business landscape has been altered by numerous factors but those most influential while also uncontrollable are political, economic and technical changes. These systems create reaction by certain organizations and innovation for others. Yet most pressing is that these issues create trends for the coming months and perhaps next few years and small business attempts to emerge from recessionary issues.

By Drew Stevens, Ph.D. 

Have you ever encountered a businessperson that constantly complains yelling about how business is down and the economy, politics, technology and other factors seem to stress them out? Have you experienced selling professionals that blame goals, territory and commissions on everything? 

Confidence

1. Share learning gaps and fears. The only way to establish cross-functional objectives is to immediately get out of the way fears and barriers.

1. Defining Team Ground Rules in addition to individual goals. Explain how each individual adds to the collective goal. It takes hundreds of people to build a data center each with their functional expertise. Explain how each person is a piece of the organizational puzzle for job completion.

1. Tackle issues immediately. Do not allow the cross functional group to harbor on issues this delays data and ruins the collaboration of the team.

1. Implement Accountability. There is a domino effect when people fail milestones. Hold people accountable to achieve the overall mission.

1. Settle disputes quickly. People will harbor issues but the job must be completed. Let issues end as quickly as they begin.

1. Welcome diverse opinions. When members know their opinion counts they are more participative and this allows for more freedom of thought.

1. Conducting Effective Team Meetings is the last method to ensuring your team’s mutual success. Keep all people in the know and communicate barriers and areas of success.

1. Measure progress and celebrate it. Team members need to understand where they are and how they are performing. More importantly people need to be rewarded for meeting team goals.

1. Hire the right people that are concerned with servicing the customer.  There is a major difference in the manner an enthusiastic employee handles clients. Tom had a computer issue as was told by the representative they would remain on the line until the issue was repaired. Tom since purchased 8 computers from the firm.

1. The pen is still mightier than the posting. While the amount of email and texting messages get lost or forgotten. Clients’ love receiving gratuity cards in the mail thanking them for business or congratulating them on a special event. The closer you become with clients they more they trust you and conduct business with you.

1. They enjoy finding fault in others to make themselves appear more superior

1. These people are deeply opinionated

1. They are cowards since it is much easier to provide feedback hiding behind a monitor and keyboard rather than be direct