Accountability

November 8th, 2007
Feeling Down? Think Zerbin Singleton.

I was watching the Navy-Notre Dame football game last week and heard an unbelievable story about the Navy running back, Zerbin Singleton. His story brought ...READ MORE

Feeling Down? Think Zerbin Singleton.

Thursday, November 8th, 2007

I was watching the Navy-Notre Dame football game last week and heard an unbelievable story about the Navy running back, Zerbin Singleton. His story brought tears to my eyes - tears of grace and hopefulness.

The short version is that his mom was incarcerated for drug abuse and other things when he was young. After making the rounds of being raised by Aunts, Uncles and Grandparents, his father came back into his life.

But shortly thereafter, his dad committed suicide. He was in high school at the time.

Pretty severe hand he was dealt, huh? So how does a young man turn that turbulence and heartache into success? Well, he did. He graduated Magna Cum Laude in his high school class. After being turned down at Navy, he attended college in GA - but he never lost his dream of playing football at the Naval Academy.

Somewhere along the way, I’m sure he had counsel who said, “Hey, consider yourself lucky. Think of where you are - versus where you could be. Think of the odds you’ve beaten to even be in college.”

But that wasn’t enough for him.

After his freshman year, he went back at Navy again. This time he got in. And now he’s majoring in Aerospace Engineering at the Academy - and playing college football.

So the next time you complain a little because things didn’t go your way - or you begin to feel sorry for yourself at the hand you were dealt, think about PVT Singleton. I know I will. He had no options. He HAD to make it happen. He didn’t have parents to nurture him - to coddle him - or to bail him out.

He is the poster boy for PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY. Like Nietsche says, “That which doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger.”

Tags: Account Executives, personal accountability
Posted in Accountability, Bill Caskey | 4 Comments »

October 25th, 2007
Everyone Wants Different Results - But Few Want to Change

When you're in the "change" business like we are at Caskey, we come across a lot of companies/people who say they want different results in ...READ MORE

Everyone Wants Different Results - But Few Want to Change

Thursday, October 25th, 2007

When you’re in the “change” business like we are at Caskey, we come across a lot of companies/people who say they want different results in the market: more money, more fame, more customers, more profit, etc.Several weeks ago, a prospect sought us out to train his sales/marketing team. After he told us about his $2,000,000/year revenue problem, we began giving him recommendations on how we would approach the project. Through that process, the conversation turned to content - exactly what we would teach his people. While some trainers/developers refuse to talk about that in the sales process, we disagree. If what we teach will be resisted by company/people, then why start?As we discussed some of our philosophies, I sensed he was becoming nervous. I reverted back to the original problems/pains (the ones that were costing him $2,000,000/year). He maintained he was “very open-minded.” (By the way, if people tell you that, be careful. Usually, it’s just them trying to convince themselves of it.)

As we continued with our conversation, it became apparent that this was going to be the “client from hell.” The type that says they want help - and want to fix the problem - but they really don’t because they are so emotionally invested (not financially) in their current model. There was so much “resistance” to change that he preferred to stay in his rut (losing $2M/year), rather than change his belief set and take new action.

I learned a valuable lesson there (probably had learned it before, but I need the Universe to remind me): People want different results - but they don’t want to change their thinking and actions to get them.

When’s the last time you changed something major in your business life - how you do something or how you approach something or how you think about something? When’s the last time you took inventory of your sales approach/philosophy (I mean a rigorously honest assessment, with someone from the outside helping you)?

If you haven’t done that in a while, you may be operating at a low optimization rate - and rather than resorting to the worn out adage of “working harder” to accomplish your big goals, maybe you can just work different. If you really do want different results, you might just have to change some things up stream to insure that your goals get met. As a friend says, “Don’t let your ego get in the way of your future.”

Tags: Accountability, sales managers, sales results, sales training
Posted in Accountability, Bill Caskey, Sales Management Content | 1 Comment »

October 16th, 2007
Your Opinion Of Me Is None Of My Business

by Brooke Green“Your opinion of me is none of my business. . . ” (Author Unknown) That is one of my favorite quotes and one I ...READ MORE

Your Opinion Of Me Is None Of My Business

Tuesday, October 16th, 2007

by Brooke Green“Your opinion of me is none of my business. . . ” (Author Unknown)

That is one of my favorite quotes and one I keep filed in my brain at all times.

Peer Pressure
I train a lot of business development teams that have become more interested in how they look to their peers than fulfilling the job that they were hired to do. Why is that? As adults, don’t we talk to our kids about being proud of who they are, operating with integrity, not buckling under pressure? Why are we spending time covering our rear ends with our peers, instead of operating with the intention to do our jobs to the best of our ability and being fulfilled in our professional life? Why is it about us, instead of our clients?

Truth
Is it because it’s easier to get mired down in the crap than to use our brains and operate with pure intention? The answer, YES! When I’m training groups of intelligent adults, with really good hearts, I find that they would rather place blame than take accountability. “Suzy isn’t doing her job!” “Bobby is saying bad things about me!” “If my boss would hold me accountable I would care about what I do.” Most are looking for someone else to hold them accountable or they think they have some sort of accountability hold over their co-workers.

You can only be accountable to yourself. The truth is that we create reasons not to do our jobs, not to be successful. If we clear all the crap away and act with the intention to help our clients, the expectation rises. Darn, then we’ll really have to perform.

Get out of the CRAP
So what can you do when you lose your way? Life is a series of choices – slow down, and make a different choice. Get out and see suspects/prospects/clients – dive into what you are supposed to be doing. Remind yourself why it’s fulfilling. When you make it about other people instead of yourself – the crap quickly clears. As my Mom would say, “take the high road!”

Tags: Accountability
Posted in Accountability, Brooke Green | No Comments »