The 2009 Sales Compensation Trends Survey© provides compelling evidence of how the current recession is affecting corporate sales forces. Now in its 7th year, The Sales Compensation Trends Survey© recorded some of the most abrupt changes in several historically stable sales force trend indices. Data collected from over 180 large corporate US sales forces, representing over 150,000 sales professionals, demonstrates the impact of the 2008/2009 economic recession.

Compensation, Recognition & Rewards

This report details the 2010 compensation trends found in two sales roles: 1) new business development teams, and 2) inside sales teams. Priorities and challenges are discussed as a result of findings. Data is based on a survey conducted by Phone Works, an EcSELL Institute partner.

Compensation, Recognition & Rewards;
Planning

Judgment. Integrity. Character. Courage. These are the four things every CEO needs to be successful today, according to Mark Goulston. Read his manifesto on leadership to find out why these four attributes are so important, and examples of what can happen when they're ignored.

Sales Leadership & Management

The 360‐degree feedback process, in which subordinates, peers, bosses and/or customers provide behavioral and performance feedback to recipients, has become pervasive in management and human resource development practices. Reported statistics on 360‐degree use suggest that it has gone from almost unheard of in the 1980s to widespread use in 2000. There are many diverse claims regarding the benefits and impact of 360‐degree feedback. This article presents best practices that can ensure positive impact. These suggestions are based on a review of literature that addresses 360‐degree impact and behavioral change.

Sales Leadership & Management

Because of the availability of so many feedback instruments, finding the best instruments for an organization's needs is difficult. Presents a step-by-step process that shows how to evaluate multiple-feedback questionnaires intended for management development. The steps take you through such issues as instrument development, consistency of score, validity and reliability, feedback display, scoring strategies, and cost.

Professional Development;
Planning

This paper outlines the five most common issues that Sales Leaders need to avoid and reveals the what has helped top performing sales managers unleash the maximum talent of their sales teams according to the research conducted by the authors.

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Sales Methodology & Skills Development;
Sales Leadership, Management & Coaching

What makes one sales person a super-star and another a mediocrity? For many organizations, it’s not difficult to discern the best versus the worst, what is challenging, is discerning the Stars from the Some-of-the-Times. Learn the 5 mindsets that differentiate the merely competent from the simply stellar (and how you can turn your average performers into superstars by tomorrow morning).

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Professional Development;
Sales Methodology & Skills Development

According to studies, we all work for the same thing—and it’s not just money. It’s meaning. Through our work, we seek a sense of purpose, contribution, connection, value, and hope. When we achieve meaning through our work, we succeed beyond our wildest dreams.

That’s the simple but profound premise behind the groundbreaking study by renowned management expert Dave Ulrich and psychologist Wendy Ulrich. They’ve interviewed thousands of people to identify the “why” behind our most successful experiences. When a sales leader knows why her sales reps work, she can help them know how to succeed.

Professional Development;
Sales Leadership, Management & Coaching

Recommended reading from one of our Advisory members, the US Army has leadership down to a science. Discover what sales managers can learn from the training offered to the best and brightest in the US Military.

Sales Leadership, Management & Coaching

Effective hiring is the result of a carefully crafted process in which a variety of parameters are evaluated and used to "dial-In" the various predictors of sales success used within the process. This paper discusses the idea that, while automated screening is important, good hiring requires a broader perspective. Such a "process based" approach is required to leverage the benefits of a technology backed process that provides the ability to "screen out" unqualified applicants while "screening in" those who demonstrate potential for success.

Talent Identification & Acquisition

As the global economy struggles, business leaders around the world are being confronted with a host of new economic, strategic and operational realities that are testing their existing knowledge and skills.  The importance of learning becomes even more critical when organizations undergo large-scale changes such as restructuring, downsizing, rapid improvement initiatives and technology infusions.  This white paper identifies the factors that prevent managers from learning and acquiring the skills necessary to function effectively when their organizations are changing all around them.

Professional Development;
Sales Coaching, Leadership & Management

The burning question for most managers is, ‘How do I get people to do what I need them to do?’ The real lesson of brain science is to forget about using reason, reward, or punishment to motivate people, and to focus on using ideas conveyed through a story to change the way they think.

All of our new understanding of the brain comes down to this: if we really believe in what we’re doing and it’s worthwhile, we will communicate that belief with every ounce of our being and it will be infectious.

Professional Development;
Sales Leadership & Management

Without trust, a team will not do more than just go through the motions of teamwork.

Professional Development;
Sales Leadership & Management

Selling complex solutions is not like selling a commodity. Your prospects have a uniqueness about them that requires you to be more thorough, and detailed in your presentation. They are typically organized in many silos. These silos are here to stay, so your strategy to sell to them must include the ability to create a business case that spans the organization. Research indicates that elongated sales cycles, from delayed decisions are forcing vendors to discount heavily. Lack of sales tools like ROI, quality sales proposals, solution configuration tools, and detailed implementation plans are a major cause for these decision delays.

Sales Methodology & Skills Development;
Planning

How and under what conditions are new solutions generated? Business Improvisation is the process of accessing and applying creativity to a situation in real time. It is the ability to converge composition, creativity and execution to achieve success. And it’s an essential business skill.

Professional Development;
Planning;
Sales Leadership & Management

What do great women leaders have in common?  Read this research report from EcSELL Pillar Partner, Caliper Corp to see how well equipped women are to lead teams in this new world.

Sales Coaching, Leadership & Management

Transform your sales force by shifting your focus on the perfect customer.  A Zebra score-driven sales process will galvanize your entire organization, transforming a wasteful sales and business culture into one of the most efficient, proud, and productive aspects of your business.

Sales Methodology & Skills Development;
Sales Analytics & Performance Tracking;
Planning

This whitepaper describes a novel process for analyzing and highlighting the one of the most pressing problems facing the sales force – identifying significant issues in the sales forecast. The Cerado Analysis process is a simple, yet powerful, process for visually identifying the most significant opportunity areas for sales executives. Since this method illustrates a new way of examining information that is already commonly shared by the sales force (forecast and actual close information for deals in the pipeline), it also does not put any increased administrative burden on the field sales force.

Sales Analytics & Performance Tracking;
Planning

Although companies are spending millions of dollars on CRM software and services, many are still flying blind when it comes to really knowing what motivates their customers and prospects to buy.

Sales Analytics & Performance Tracking;
Planning

How has leadership changed and will it look different in the future? The Center for Creative Leadership explored this question with more than 300 leaders - and uncovered some important, emerging trends.

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Professional Development;
Compensation, Recognition & Rewards;
Planning;
Sales Leadership & Management

The use of advanced analytics is driven up by organizations’ need to  understand constantly changing business environments, as well as to discover opportunities for cost reductions and new sales targets. To meet these business goals, sales executives are stepping up their use of two forms of advanced analytics: query-based analytics (which relies on complex SQL statements to define recent business events) and predictive analytics (which uses data mining and statistical methods to anticipate future events).

Sales Analytics & Performance Tracking;
Planning;

Dr. Longenecker’s research demonstrates some key findings about effective coaching, including the fact that coaching requires individualized strategies based on the employee's ability and motivation, employees do not always receive the coaching they want and need, and managers believe that they have considerable room for development in this critical leadership practice.

Sales Coaching, Leadership & Management

An organization with a high degree of connection has employees who are more engaged, more productive in their jobs, and less likely to leave the organization for a competitor. Organizations with greater connection also have employees who share more information with their colleagues and, therefore, help decision-makers make better-informed decisions and help innovators innovate.

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Professional Development;
Sales Leadership & Management

Starting with the history of customer satisfaction measurement and the evolution that occurred, this white paper discusses the difference between satisfied customers and loyal customers.  It includes an overview of how to use this information to create an organization that inspires much more than customer satisfaction, as well as the ROI that is attainable when you become Trusted Advisors to your customers.

Professional Development;
Sales Methodology & Sales Skill Development

Reflections and insights from a forum on crisis leadership convened at the Center for Creative Leadership

Sales Leadership & Management

Nothing tests a leader like a crisis. The highly charged, dramatic events surrounding a crisis profoundly affect the people in an organization and can even threaten the organization's survival. But there are actions a leader can take before, during, and after a crisis to effectively reduce the duration and impact of these extremely difficult situations. At its center, effective crisis leadership is comprised of three things - communication, clarity of vision and values, and caring relationships. Leaders who develop, pay attention to, and practice these qualities go a long way toward handling the human dimension of a crisis. In the end, it's all about the people.

Sales Leadership & Management

One of the biggest challenges facing businesses today is maintaining customer loyalty. Your customers' willingness to recommend your products and/or services is the strongest indicator of their loyalty to you. Understanding how your customers think about your company, and focusing on those who are your strongest advocates is a key to sales success. The Customer Experience Monitor is one tool to help you monitor and effectively manage customer experiences.

Sales Methodology & Skills Development;
Sales Analytics & Performance Tracking

Developing managers who can lead and engage employees is a challenge, as data shows nearly half of managers are ineffective.  Therefore, it is more important than ever to understand the abilities managers need to perform well in their roles.  Interestingly, research indicates that empathy toward employees may be one of the most important traits that leaders of today need to possess.

Sales Coaching, Leadership & Management

The purpose of this report is to demonstrate what organizations can expect to receive in return for investments in leadership development. With the considerable investment now being made in leadership development around the world, and the looming shortage of leaders over the next twenty years, our goal was to establish standards for what organizations should expect to receive when they choose to invest in leadership
development.

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Professional Development;
Planning;
Sales Leadership & Management

This study, titled Everyday Leadership, was commissioned by a team of CCL faculty and staff charged with exploring future markets, products, and services for the Center for Creative Leadership. The study attempts to better understand these non-traditional leaders by gaining additional insights into their
personal lives, their thoughts and theories about the practice of leadership, and their hopes for the future.

Professional Development;
Sales Leadership & Management

Over a span of two years, researchers at the Center for Creative Leadership conducted in-depth interviews with 325 senior executives who had personally taken part in choosing someone for a top-level position. The findings, reported here, illuminate (1) how executive selection takes place in modern organizations, (2) what factors determine whether organizations look inside or outside for candidates, and (3) how selected executives are defined as successful or unsuccessful. This report features an executive summary; a context-setting introduction; a full description of the methods and results, including forty figures; and a summarizing discussion. The scientific and practical implications of the study are also considered.

Planning;
Sales Leadership & Management

Scientific evidence shows that an individual's first set of responses on the Caliper talent assessment is the most reliable.

Talent Identification & Acquisition

Sales lead management is not just a marketing function. It is the job of everyone in a sales management role to understand the effectiveness of a lead when they enter the sales process. Read this whitepaper to understand the “Five Silver Bullets”.

Sales Methodology & Sales Skill Development;
Sales Analytics & Performance Tracking

The following article strays somewhat from the typical paper EcSELL provides its members. The author relies on some principles that are hard to ignore and certainly will make any reader think about their own organizational best practices. Though not specific to sales departments, it is specific to management and leadership of companies and teams. Feel free to let us know what you think…

Planning;
Sales Leadership & Management

Leaders are responsible for bringing out the best of their teams. What are you - the Sales Manager - doing to enable sales reps to achieve their selling potential? The author argues that the most important part of leadership embodies the primacy of people and employees. Therefore, people-centric leadership requires an emphasis on enrichment, advancement, quality of life, and connectivity across the organization.  The author provides recommendations for implementing people-centric leadership and a structure for measuring employee well-being.

Sales Leadership & Management

Organizations worldwide currently face difficult economic pressures that may well result in the need to make reductions in work force. Organizational leaders considering making such reductions must decide how to determine which associates to retain and which to let go. Learn more about the principles of FutureSizing in this article.

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Planning

As the business environment has become more complex and unpredictable, more complex and adaptive thinking abilities are needed for tomorrow’s leaders.  However, the methods being used to develop future leaders have not advanced to grow these skills. This white paper discusses the development challenge of trying to grow “bigger” minds in your organization and strategies for doing this.

Professional Development;
Sales Coaching, Leadership & Management

Three generations of sales people make sales compensation design challenging. This study was designed to test whether the broad compensation preferences of other generational research holds true for the sales function. The results of this study will: arm sales management with the specific knowledge they need to design effective sales compensation and reward plans that motivate all generations in their sales force; detail distinct profiles for each generation in sales, which will help sales operations improve hiring and job design; and provide best practices and recommendations that sales organizations can act on now.

Compensation, Recognition & Rewards

The modern sales function resembles production, as it would have been, prior to the industrial revolution. This paper presents a method for engineering the sales function into a measurable, manageable and scalable process — the key characteristic of which is an extraordinarily high volume of business-development activity (salespeople consistently perform at least four appointments a day, five days a week). As well as presenting the theoretical basis for the new approach, this paper provides detailed insights into the practical implications of Sales Process Engineering.

Planning

Planning to purchase a CRM. Learn what a “hosted CRM” is what issues you should consider during the decision-making process.

Sales Analytics & Performance Tracking;
Planning

This paper summarizes what has been learned from 20 years of studying corporate culture and the
four-step approach to measuring and managing your culture effectively.

Professional Development;
Sales Coaching, Leadership & Management

Sales processes need to be evaluated a minimum of once/year. Begin with an understanding of how your market likes to buy and then follow the next three steps as recommended by EcSELL Institute’s Pillar Partner, The TAS Group to maximize sales process effectiveness.

Sales Methodology & Sales Skill Development;
Sales Analytics & Performance Tracking

Solving a problem? Plan ahead! Matthew E. May believes we need to stop thinking about innovation as an outcome, and start thinking about innovation as a process. As a practical matter, innovation, problem-solving and learning employ the same iterative process— they all blend supposition, logic, creativity and reflection. Time frames and territories will always change, so the central challenge is having the proper mind-set, discipline and tools at our disposal so that we’re able to combine “blink” and “think” strategies in an effort to create something new. May’s experience includes over eight years as senior advisor and master instructor at Toyota.

Planning;
Sales Leadership & Management

“Inspirational Sales Leadership” helps sales managers get the most from their people by identifying the leadership behaviors that motivate the right mix of results, and then systematically applying those behaviors to help their teams reach new levels. Inspirational sales leaders are able to create a sense of purpose, pride, and commitment, which translates into improved performance across every part of a sales team.

Sales Methodology & Sales Skill Development;
Sales Leadership, Management & Coaching

This ebook chapter introduces the topics of personal selling and sales management. Where personal selling focuses on direct contacts with prospects, sales management is concerned with the planning, organizing, leading, and controlling of personal contact programs to satisfy customers and achieve the objectives of the firm. The chapter outlines the major changes taking place in selling and the forces causing these changes, provides a description of sales management process, and discusses the competencies required to be a successful sales manager.

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Professional Development;
Sales Methodology & Skills Development;
Sales Analytics & Performance Tracking;
Compensation, Recognition & Rewards;
Planning;
Sales Leadership & Management

Research shows that as we go up the executive ladder, we need to become increasingly comfortable with uncertainty and sudden change. Known as “Learning Agility”, this essential skill requires mastery of change -- the complex ability to learn, adapt, and apply ourselves in constantly changing conditions, along with helping others cope with transformations. This is a 16 page paper worthy of printing and reading while waiting on the tarmac during your next business trip.

Professional Development;
Sales Leadership & Management

Change is ubiquitous in sales. But successful, effective change, involves three things: structuring change, managing change and leading change: “The Golden Triangle of Change”. This paper outlines what MIT professor, Jonathan Byrnes, has identified as the critical elements to successfully manage change.

Planning;
Sales Leadership, Management & Coaching

The Leaky Bucket Productivity Assessment measures sales force and sales management practices, including Methodology, Analytics, and Leadership trends. This report examines the findings and provides insights on the productivity of 140 responses to the during in 2008.

Sales Methodology & Skills Development;
Sales Analytics & Performance Tracking;
Sales Leadership, Management & Coaching

In times of change, leaders need to be more agile than ever.  Adapting to new business strategies, working across cultures, dealing with temporary virtual teams, and taking on new assignments all demand that leaders demonstrate higher levels of flexibility. This white paper addresses what it means to be agile and offers some important conclusions for leaders who wish to thrive in today’s turbulent times

Professional Development;
Sales Coaching, Leadership & Management

This white paper reveals how sales teams are using automated Sales Enablement tools to transform their business and gain an insurmountable competitive advantage. Specifically, we will focus on how salespeople can get insight into how a prospect has been engaged, from first contact through the sales cycle to close. In other words, we‘ll show how salespeople can interpret prospect behavior in the digital world. The result: better, more informed pursuit decisions leading to faster, higher close rates and shorter sales cycles.

Sales Methodology & Sales Skill Development

Leadership is not a title and not a position, but involves a series of behaviors that can harness the power of a team to influence positive change.  Our friends at CCL recently introduced this Whitepaper that illustrates the power of helping everyone become a “leader”. 

Sales Coaching, Leadership & Management

The rapid expansion of globalization and multinational corporations means more and more managers work across the borders of multiple countries. Some of them are expatriates; most are not. And although many of these managers are not wrestling with the issues of relocating and adjusting to living in a different culture, they all find themselves dealing with cultural issues - defined in the broadest context - every time they pick up the phone, log onto their e-mail, or disembark from an airplane. What do these managers do? Is it different from the work they did when they managed in their own countries, and if it is different, how so? What does it take for them to be effective when they manage across so many countries simultaneously? What do these managers need to know in order to be effective? What do organizations need to know and do in order to select and develop people who will manage and lead effectively in the global economy? This report addresses those questions as it documents the findings of a Center for Creative Leadership research study into what factors might predict managerial effectiveness in a global context.

Sales Leadership & Management

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Sales Leadership & Management

What motivates today’s freshest sales professionals? Find out in Ron Bronson’s white paper, “Managing Millenials”

Sales Leadership, Management & Coaching

The ability of an individual to recognize and appropriately manage his/her own and others’ emotions in the workplace is an intuitively desirable skill for employees to have. The Caliper assessment's ability to measure emotional intelligence (EI) is discussed.

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Professional Development

Talent Identification & Acquisition

What motivates people to do well in their roles?  Typically, studies have focused on external factors like pay, rewards, and recognition, but current research is finding that motivation often comes from within.  This research paper examines the relationship between why people are in their current positions and how motivated and committed they are to their organization.  It also includes ideas on how leaders can motivate and retain employees through continuing complexity and change.

Sales Coaching, Leadership & Management

Most companies place priority on strategy over execution even when research clearly shows that execution of strategy actually accounts for 85% of a company’s financial results. When it comes to execution, it’s not a matter of what, but rather who executes your strategy? Obviously, it’s your salesforce. Therefore, the critical driver for performance lies in the sales managers’ abilities to put the right talent in the right positions, and then aligning the workforce to the strategy. With all of these pieces in place, it is then possible to realize the potential value of your strategy. This paper will discuss the two key areas of value creation that you can realize simply by making the right investments in your human capital. It will further demonstrate how performance and talent management software can enable you to drive significant financial results.

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Planning

What has not been clear from previous literature regarding training needs of managers at different organizational levels is specifically what different types of learning, knowledge, and training they need at each level, or how these skills are best learned. This study addresses two primary questions asked by many organizations as they develop internal training programs for their managers:
1. What do employees want to learn, and
2. How do they want to learn?
These questions are examined to look at differences in the needs of managers at various organization levels and across generations.

Links to Other Library Items:
Needs of Emerging Leaders Report.pdf

Sales Leadership & Management

What has not been clear from previous literature regarding training needs of managers at different organizational levels is specifically what different types of learning, knowledge, and training they need at each level, or how these skills are best learned. This study addresses two primary questions asked by many organizations as they develop internal training programs for their managers:
1. What do employees want to learn, and
2. How do they want to learn?
These questions are examined to look at differences in the needs of managers at various organization levels and across generations.

Links to Other Library Items:
Needs of Emerging Leaders Presentation.pdf

Sales Leadership & Management

Dr. Andrew Abela overturns much of the conventional wisdom and practice for creating presentations. This white paper is an executive’s summary of his book, Advanced Presentations by Design, which is based on over 200 research studies from the fields of communication, marketing, psychology, multimedia, and law. Andrew provides fact-based answers to critical questions about presentation design, including how to adapt your presentation to different audience personality preferences, what role your data should play and how much of it you need, how to turn your data into a story, and how to design persuasive yet comprehensible visual layouts. His website, www.designapresentation.com is a must view.

Sales Methodology & Skills Development

Sales Leadership & Management

This report summarizes the results of a January 2008 survey that was conducted to gather information about some of the key elements of sales incentive plans, such as plan design, trends in plan changes, plan launch and communication, and plan governance.

Compensation, Recognition & Rewards;
Planning

The cost of turnover in sales can severely limit organizational success. Author Dave Kurlan has identified the factors that can predict whether sales reps will stay or go.

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Professional Development;
Sales Leadership, Management & Coaching

Sales Analytics & Performance Tracking;
Compensation, Recognition & Rewards;
Sales Leadership & Management

CSO Insights interviewed leading senior sales executives, including Hewlett-Packard’s Joseph Batista and Harvard Business Professor Benson Shapiro, to find out what’s working in sales management today

Sales Methodology & Skills Development;
Compensation, Recognition & Rewards;
Planning;
Sales Leadership & Management

Understanding that 2009 was a tough selling year for many organizations, CSO insights sought to better understand the challenges that first line sales managers are encountering, determine why those problems exist, and then look at how other firms are addressing those issues by effectively leveraging people, process, technology and knowledge.

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Professional Development;
Sales Methodology & Sales Skill Development;
Sales Analytics & Performance Tracking;
Compensation, Recognition & Rewards;
Planning;
Sales Leadership, Management & Coaching

The EcSELL Institute’s 3rd white paper discloses the findings of some basic elements common to the Sales Manager’s role. We also break out the results for the best in class, which we define as sales departments on pace to achieve their annual sales goal. When appropriate, we not only reveal current results, but also tie in our former research if it furthers our quest for fact-based conclusions.

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Professional Development;
Sales Methodology & Skills Development;
Sales Analytics & Performance Tracking;
Compensation, Recognition & Rewards;
Planning;
Sales Leadership, Management & Coaching

During the spring of 2010, Phone Works conducted a survey among technology companies in the San Francisco Bay to discover a variety of trends in sales organizations. The results of their research can be found in this 2-part white paper. Data includes: sales managers to sales rep ratios; inside rep to outside rep ratio, average daily calls for inside reps; annual quota averages; conversion rates… an much more.

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Professional Development;
Sales Methodology & Sales Skill Development;
Sales Analytics & Performance Tracking;
Compensation, Recognition & Rewards;
Planning

The sales pipeline is an essential tool for sales managers to evaluate data in order to align sales to the organization’s financial targets. This paper examines the process to enable an organization to fully manage the pipeline for the most productive results.

Sales Methodology & Skills Development;
Sales Analytics & Performance Tracking;
Planning

Retired Microsoft COO and SVP at Proctor & Gamble, Robert Herbold believes that one of the biggest risks that a successful company faces is success itself! When organizations experience meaningful levels of success, they tend to believe that they are entitled to continued success in the future. In many cases, managers become complacent and comfortable. In fact, what they should be doing is building on all the things they have done well in the past. Herbold discusses the pitfalls of success and how to avoid them by planning and staying nimble.

Sales Leadership & Management

A summary of studies examining how client executives view their relationships with professional salespeople.

Sales Methodology & Skills Development

Achieving access to the executive suite is critical to sales success.  Given today’s economic environment decision making has been pushed up in order to keep better control of budgets.  As Sales Coaches work with their reps, make sure they understand what the research states regarding the needs of today’s executives and what they desire from their “partner-suppliers”.

Sales Methodology and Sales Skill Development

For organizations with complex sales, here is a strategic account management evolution to help drive success in the toughest economy.

Sales Methodology & Skills Development

Senior leadership teams are arguably the most important groups in any organization. Their decisions have implications for everyone else in the organization as well as for the future of the organization itself. In this brief, we will review what these groups have to do and what they need. We will consider why senior leadership team coaching might be important for their success and raise some cautions for those who would like to work in the field.

Professional Development;
Sales Leadership & Management

: The senior leadership team, including Sales Executives, is arguably the most important group in any organization. They have the most overt power. Their decisions have implications for everyone else in the organization as well as for the future of the organization itself.  And yet the executive leadership team is often poorly resourced to accomplish its tasks. Members are selected because of their functional responsibilities or included because they “must not be left out,” so the assurance that they are really equipped to operate as the “Enterprise Team” cannot be assumed. In this brief, we will review what these groups have to do and what they need. We will consider why senior leadership team coaching might be important for their success and raise some cautions for those who would like to work in the field.

Sales Leadership, Management & Coaching

There are no great companies, only great teams. Do you know if you’ve got the right players on your team? This article previews the April 2011 Summit session with Dr. Courtney McCashland and her conversation about discovering how the past 20 years (and going!) of strengths research can improve your sales.

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Sales Analytics & Performance Tracking;
Planning;
Sales Leadership, Management & Coaching

Feedback from 250 Executives and Managers from the upper mid-west regarding their thoughts on sales performance. 

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Sales Methodology & Sales Skill Development

EcSELL Institute Sales Leadership and Coaching Strategies Sales Management April 2010 Summit handouts from Carl Binder.

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Professional Development;
Sales Methodology & Skills Development;
Sales Analytics & Performance Tracking;
Compensation, Recognition & Rewards;
Planning;
Sales Leadership, Management & Coaching

Links to Other Library Items:
Six Boxes Performance Chain
Six Boxes User Applications Chart
Whats So New About Six Boxes Model Perform Improvement
How Behavior Produces Results
Six Boxes Performance Model

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Professional Development;
Sales Methodology & Skills Development;
Sales Analytics & Performance Tracking;
Compensation, Recognition & Rewards;
Planning;
Sales Leadership & Management

Summit Instructor, Carl Binder provided this white paper as a background to his presentation. It addresses some of what he sees as systemic problems in organizations that create difficulties for sales executives and managers attempting to help their employees perform well and happily, and suggests a strategy for addressing those problems.

Professional Development;
Sales Leadership, Management & Coaching

The State of Teams report provides a broad look at the challenges, needs, and functioning of teams in today’s organizations.

Professional Development;
Sales Leadership & Management

Whether your company or team has been in existence for many years or only a couple of months, an accurate and realistic strategic planning effort can help you better prepare for the challenges ahead. Common sense suggests (and research findings substantiate) that those organizations having the clearest sense of their own goals and capabilities are most successful. An old adage says, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any path will get you there.” What your organization wants to ensure is that you are taking the path that makes the most of your talents, time, and resources.

Planning;
Sales Leadership & Management

The Stress of Leadership research examines how stress impacts leadership. Findings indicate stress is a significant factor for most leaders.

Professional Development;
Sales Leadership & Management

A CCL research white paper about bringing sustainability and corporate social responsibility to life.

Planning;
Sales Leadership & Management

The Heath Bros. walk the walk in this manifesto about three straightforward ways to make your strategy work. They preach the power of concrete language and stories to communicate your strategy effectively. Missed the Heath Bros. on "The Today Show" or NPR? Get to know them here because these ideas stick.

Planning;
Sales Leadership & Management

This groundbreaking research reveals what global business leaders believe are the 10 biggest trends in effective leadership. Among them: collaboration, innovation and talent management.

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Professional Development;
Sales Leadership & Management

Achieving high performance takes more than just implementing and executing strong management practices. It is also essential to establish a leadership environment in which people are consistently engaged and to challenge them outside of their comfort zone into a high-growth mode. EcSELL Institute’s new sales performance equation defines all the necessary management, leadership and X factor components you can employ to achieve the best possible results with your team.

Sales Coaching, Leadership & Management

Fiction and fantasy are great for books and movies, but not for sales. Your sales pipeline is your company’s lifeblood. Everything depends on it. But, looking at your pipeline, how can you tell how accurate or real it is? Are the sales opportunities in the pipeline just hopeful wishes, or are they real opportunities? Are your projections for the quarter realistic? Are you really going to hit your number this quarter?

Sales Analytics & Performance Tracking;
Planning

In turbulent times, it's not enough for organizations to focus merely on strategy and operations. In the face of change, it's equally crucial to invest in building a leadership culture that can rise to the challenge. When organizations align their leadership behaviors with their business strategy, performance accelerates.

Sales Coaching, Leadership & Management

Using a personality assessment during the hiring process is widely accepted, however, using assessments for other aspects of employee development has been far less common. This paper will explore other areas of talent management—team building, succession planning, employee selection and development, and performance management— where the integration of personality assessments is highly beneficial and can provide the organization with more opportunities to develop the potential of their people.

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Professional Development;
Planning;
Sales Leadership & Management

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Planning;
Sales Leadership & Management

What's next in the field of leadership? Center for Creative Leadership asked more than 1,000 executives worldwide. This research white paper shares their answers -- and captures the most important trends in leadership.

Sales Leadership & Management

Links to Other Library Items:
Six Boxes Performance Chain
Six Boxes Performance Model Overview
Six Boxes User Applications Chart
How Behavior Produces Results
Six Boxes Performance Model

Talent Identification & Acquisition;
Professional Development;
Sales Methodology & Skills Development;
Sales Analytics & Performance Tracking;
Compensation, Recognition & Rewards;
Planning;
Sales Leadership & Management

Contrary to popular belief, sales reps don’t need more leads. They need fewer leads—or more accurately, fewer raw, unfiltered, unqualified leads. Sales reps need leads that have been carefully qualified, properly and consistently nurtured and appropriately developed, increasing the likelihood of a completed sale.

Sales Methodology & Sales Skill Development;
Planning