We’re knee deep in the holiday season, the traditional time of gift giving in many parts of the world. There is also quite a bit of reciprocation that happens during this season. I write that because quite often we give gifts to other people because we know they will be giving us a gift. God […]
I think you’d agree that we live in an information-overloaded society. What you may not be aware of is the extent of the overload. William C. Taylor wrote an article – “Permission Marketing” – for the magazine Fast Company and told readers, “This year, the average consumer will see or hear one million marketing messages […]
My daughter Abigail’s good friend, Maxie, used to work at a bakery in our hometown of Westerville. One Saturday morning Abigail and I stopped by to say hello and get a sugary treat after having coffee. I noticed Maxie was busy replacing donuts and making sure the pastry trays were completely full. Unfortunately, it was […]
Why? That’s a deep, powerful question that can apply to almost anything. Kids ask why the sky is blue. Sports fans ask why the coach called a certain play. Citizens ask why politicians make the choices they do. You get the point. I’d like to focus the question on you. What’s your why? Or put […]
This week people across America will be celebrating Thanksgiving. While this holiday has its origins going back to the 1600s with the Pilgrims it wasn’t until Abraham Lincoln that we formally acknowledged the last Thursday in November as the day of celebration. Franklin D. Roosevelt altered that in 1939 when there were five Thursdays in […]
Don’t worry; this post isn’t about algebra or calculus. This week we’re going to look into the value proposition and how salespeople can use the principles of influence to make sure their product or service offering shines. First, let me say my introduction to the value proposition came nearly 20 years ago when John Petrucci joined State Auto. I learned […]
I work with lots of people in different roles when it comes to teaching ethical influence. Over the years, I’ve worked with senior leaders, middle managers, supervisors, claim reps, underwriters, field sales reps, insurance agents, business owners, financial reps, and many others. I’m always amazed at how often people try to persuade without a clear […]
I’ve been on the road a lot lately. In a recent stretch I was gone Monday through Thursday or Friday four weeks in row. When I returned from a recent trip, my wife, Jane, had gone to Myrtle Beach to spend time with her family. I was left with a daunting task: two-dozen shirts to iron! […]
You’ve probably heard the old expression, “Practice makes perfect.” The message is intended to convey that you won’t improve at something without practice. However, the reality is this – not any old practice will do. For example, who will ultimately perform better in each of the following scenarios? The golfer who hits a large bucket […]
I grew up playing football. From the time I was eight years old until I was 18, every year was all about football. Unfortunately, I wasn’t naturally big, strong, or fast. As a junior in high school, I played outside linebacker at a strapping five foot nine inches tall and a weight of 155 lbs.—soaking […]
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