A successful coach and an all-star player have many things in common. Generally speaking, they both desire to win and know what it takes to win.  They operate from the same playbook and know what general obstacles will prevent them from winning.  They practice to get better, and both have experienced defeat as well as success.

So, what are the fundamental differences between a successful coach and an all-star player? There are only two:

First difference - the coach not only knows the playbook inside and out but can also demonstrate even the minutest concept of the play.

Second difference – the all-star player can execute the play at a high-level of performance.

In order to increase your leadership credibility and become a successful coach you must demonstrate the playbook in any given situation.  All too often, we see frontline sales coaches fail because of this very important concept; instead of taking the opportunity to demonstrate a play and illustrate their knowledge, they choose to be an appraiser and not coach. The second largest pitfall is when a coach goes out to demonstrate a play and does the opposite of what the play should have been. This not only lowers the team’s opinion of the coach, it can potentially bury the coach’s credibility.

Increase your credibility and bottom-line results by memorizing the playbook, demonstrate your knowledge by practicing with your players, never pretend to know the play, and don’t be an appraiser. If all else fails, follow the old saying: “Don’t ever ask someone to do something you wouldn’t do yourself.”

Mark Hart – Senior Director, Frontline Performance Group  

These turbulent economic times are forcing many companies to be more aggressive in their sales and overall revenue acquisition efforts. As a result, owners of struggling businesses are increasingly looking at telemarketing as a method to drum up more business. Agents who are good at engaging customers quickly, and slow to get discouraged by rejection, have substantial opportunities ahead providing they can overcome the #1 killer of effective phone sales…fear.

Listed below are a few key concepts that will help you overcome dread of the “One Hundred Pound Phone” the next time you are dialing for dollars.

1. Understand how you see a problem, often is the problem.

If you envision the prospect viewing your call as intrusive, that’s how you are going to come across on the line, nervous and pensive. Most people are so time pressured today they are perpetually behind on tasks they need to complete, both at business and at home. So instead, see yourself as someone who can help the prospect take care of an issue or solve a problem, and as a result give them one less thing to worry about.

2. Use the number one phone-fear killer…action.

When all else fails, and you are pacing the room wondering what the person on the other line is going to say; when you are hoping you will get their voicemail and a brief escape…just pick up the phone and dial the number. It forces the issue. Know the worst thing that can happen to you is nothing! You were not getting business before the call, and if they say “no” you won’t be getting business after the call. Again, the net impact is nothing. As my friend Bruce Micciulla with NOVO1 Contact Centers says, “See the phone as an ATM machine!” Once you realize that every call translates into dollar bills, fear melts and confidence grows.

3. Be persistent!

I once knew a guy that was a tremendous sales heavy hitter. I was struggling at the time, so I was always curious about his mindset. One day I asked him a simple question. How did he get to be such a sales big shot? He replied “Big shot? I just keep trying and keep learning. I’m no big shot. I’m just a little shot that keeps shooting!” In phone sales, it is persistence (in learning and doing) that pays.

If you keep dialing and making attempts, eventually you are going to improve and begin capturing sales. That is, if you don’t quit. This allows you to see every call as a success…either you further honed your skills because of what you learned on the call or you captured the sale. Keep trying and good things will happen. It is a mathematical certainty. The first calls are the toughest because of fear of the unknown. Power through your first 20, reevaluate what you learned, apply it and you will be well on your way!

Chris Brown - Senior Vice President, Frontline Performance Group

“One of the most neglected virtues of our daily existence is appreciation.”  – Dale Carnegie

As promised, this is my second blog devoted to sharing an overview of one of the principles from Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People with a practical suggestion of how it can be applied in our day-to-day interactions with others.

Part One: Fundamental Techniques of Handling People

Principle 2: Give honest and sincere feedback

In this chapter, Dale Carnegie suggests that “One of the most neglected virtues of our daily existence is appreciation.” He speaks of how showing sincere appreciation can help us to accomplish more and literally change a person’s life. Carnegie reminds us that there are distinct differences between appreciation and flattery, among them are:

1. Sincere vs. insincere

2. From the heart out vs. from the teeth out

3. Unselfish vs. selfish

One of the many stories he shares to support this principle is about a young boy named Stevie. As the story goes, Stevie had a challenge that no one else in his classroom had, he was blind. Yet his teacher asked him to help her find a mouse that had been discovered running loose in the classroom. Now I suspect it would have been easier, and perhaps more time efficient, had she sought the assistance of a sited child. However, rather than focus on what Stevie could not do (see), she instead took the time to acknowledge something else he had that no one else in the classroom did, a remarkable sense of hearing. It was the first time someone had shown appreciation for his “gift”. This young boy is now known to the world as Stevie Wonder, one of the greatest pop vocalists and songwriters of our time!

In business, all too often we’ve become so rapt with our own desire to be important, to succeed and get the job done that we become quick to criticize, with much specificity I might add, when things go wrong. Yet when things are going well, we tend to just sprinkle a few “At a boys!”, “Great job!” and “Keep up the good work!” forgetting to give our staff (the producers) what they desire – sincere appreciation for their gifts and approval for a job well done.

Consider This- Look for opportunities to use this principle of showing appreciation to your team when coaching them. It will help to grow their confidence and sustain desired behaviors.

Lynda Fleming - Director of Learning & Development, Frontline Performance Group

Roger Bannister, an English track star, shocked the world by running a sub-4-minute mile in 1954. Prior to this great accomplishment, athletes, physicians, coaches and the media deemed the sub-4-minute mile an impossible feat. On May 6, 1954, Bannister shocked the world and posted a 3:59.4 minute mile. Yet an Australian runner by the name of John Landy allowed the record to stand for only 46 days. During a race in Finland, Landy ran a 3:57.9 minute mile. Within 3 years of the initial Bannister “threshold buster” 16 runners broke the 4-minute mark.

Moral of the Story:

#1 – Half the battle of reaching a goal or breaking a new level of performance is simply believing there is a new level of performance to be reached.

#2- No matter how high your performance goal is it will always become someone else’s target.

Ken Stellon - Senior Vice President, Frontline Performance Group