Collaboration

Too often, the marketing department thinks about ways to get the attention of customers while the sales department thinks about how to get a little more spend out of them (or how to find the next one).  They don't think (develop) as a cohesive unit.  They don't think in terms of a natural, trust-deepening progression from awareness to affinity. While executive-level management books blather on about collaboration and informed decisions, recursive loops and such, the reality remains siloed.  Multiple...

Crickets.  Crickets.  Crickets.  Hear that?  That's the awkward silence that follows talking a topic to death. It can be emotionally wrenching and off-putting.  Sweaty palms, nervous patter.  And we've all been there.  Done that. It can happen when two minimally acquainted people are pushed into close proximity in a social setting.  The plasti-smile gets yanked on.  It can happen at work when someone stubbornly advances their antiquated, myopic point of view while others look on uncomfortably....

Do you remember those elementary/middle/high school days, when permission was needed from a person of authority in order to visit the library, use the restroom, see the school nurse (or otherwise roam the halls aimlessly)? I was reminded of that age-old process for gaining approval [in order to facilitate completion of a task] today when I took my 6 yr old to meet his first grade teacher. At the risk of oversimplifying things,  I'm suggesting that the necessity of acquiring a Hall Pass to get where...

Business Development can be a four letter word.  My sincere recognition to those truly effective salespersons out there - you may not know any, they're rare - those intelligent, articulate, knowledgeable, approachable, genuinely interested experts who know how to put a group at ease, speaks wth confidence, and projects an authentic "I'm likeable!" image. Right now I'm mentally struggling with preparing for a new business presentation - deemed an "interview" by the prospect.  They provided us with...