Greenbank Bulletin

Many of you with a sales role (or at least sales targets..) will undoubtedly be focused now on your 2011 pipeline, which may - or may not - be filling you with confidence and excitement!....this article will help to usher in the new year with some thoughts on how, in the modern business climate, we can throw away those cold calling phones, leverage social networking and build on existing relationships to generate new ones.

Susan Scott, in her excellent book 'Fierce Conversations' identifies 5 common errors that managers can all too easily slip into when conducting a 'difficult' conversation. We have seen these same errors repeatedly when running training programmes where we use role plays to help managers practice their skills in managing difficult conversations. Perhaps, like us you will find it useful to read through them - and avoid making some of these errors when you next need to have challenging discussions when the stakes are high!

Before anyone truly decides to follow and be influenced by you they will ask themselves, 'Who are you and what do you stand for?'  

Think back to the last time you had a new boss and I suspect that question was not far from your mind.  If we are fortunate then our leaders will let us know the answer to these questions but all too often they do not.  What happens if they don't tell us - well we will make it up!   It is part of our human nature to fill the vacuum with our own 'reckonings' and assumptions.  So how can you make sure that the messages you put across are as powerful and persuasive as possible? Well - telling the right stories can help..