Sales tips, leadership communication skills insight and more from Steve Giglio, sales training professional for more than 25 years.

The Position is Yours…Now What?

One of the many joys of coaching is following clients through their professional trajectory and contributing further to them once they’ve achieved a highly skilled, C-suite position within an organization.

A pattern I’ve noticed that needs to be transformed is when a new hire sits back and waits for their CEO/CCO/Board to direct them once they start.

OMG…No!

Is that emphatic enough?

Among your strong qualities, I’m going to bet one of them is your ability to smartly, relationally take initiative. And the expectation is…you will start doing that on day one!

Recently, I coached a marvelous client through this process. Here’s how we broke down this excellent opportunity for him and his action steps to achieve carte blanche with his CEO.

Job #1: Establish yourself as an expert in your field who commands hundreds of dollars per hour for your services. Note: This is in your mind, not literally. The goal here is to realize that the executive hiring you NEEDS you. If he could do the job without you, he/she would! From the very start, you need to help by giving them confidence that you can handle whatever comes your way. Give them that peace of mind and you’ve won them over. To that end…

Job #2: Within 48 hours of your hiring, ideally even before your first day, sit down with your boss and define the specific goals needed to achieve success, understand the commercial challenges, and absorb the vision the company has for you in the position. This is mission-critical. You must understand and affirm them; it shows transparency and alignment.

Job #3: Create your 90-day plan. This roadmap will include your onboarding, essential meetings with your peer set, and an outline of your team’s overall development. This step alone will allow your supervisor to know that soon, you will be managing elements of the work that have been causing stress. That’s a big relief in just 90 days!

Job #4: Get agreement on the future. You both need to be 100 percent bought in on where things need to go, how they are going to get there, and who is going to handle what. Mutually creating a vision for the future of the department that puts you in a strong position before you’ve really even started is a very bold and strong step!

Result:

I worked these steps with my client as he embarked on his new position. His CEO was blown away. Not only was he appreciative, but he admitted not fully realizing the valuable intricacies of the job until my client was in it.

Stand Up, Speak Up, Persuade

Have you ever thought about something for too long without acting on it?

Well, this post is mine.

I realized this as I completed my address to the police sergeants of major US cities who had gathered for a conference in Nashville. I was invited to speak by their president whom I coached extensively last year. Through our work together, he became a confident, articulate, and concise speaker.

My presentation focused on persuading their respective memberships to understand and accept their ideas/recommendations and convince politicians and government representatives to agree with their strategic plans.

From this talk and previous interviews with the sergeants, I realized they all struggled to communicate their ideas with their constituents. Painfully so. This really impacted me. It also reinforced my north star of helping others communicate with confidence no matter the audience.

The best part of the talk was illustrating, through one of their members, how to control a large meeting when presenting a controversial course of action. To succeed with the coaching make-over, I met with the sergeant virtually several times so that I could understand the challenges he faced with his constituency. He had to deliver an important, highly controversial recommendation to his fellow sergeants and position it from their perspective. He practiced it multiple times. He then delivered it to his constituency a few months before the Nashville meeting and got approval!

In Nashville, now having the confidence to deliver this message, we simulated his original meeting to illustrate the essence of the message and how he controlled the crowd. I realized from the extensive Q&A portion of my talk how important, mastering these skills were to everyone who attended.

The epiphany I’m sharing is that if they can master this, so can you!

Here’s what it takes.

Step #1: Know your audience/listener and what the benefit is to them from agreeing with you

Step #2: Briefly state your recommendation.

Step #3: Restate the benefit to THEM from accepting your idea

Model your recommendation on these three steps and you’ll have newfound confidence in what you’re delivering…a key ingredient to having anyone get on board with your insights!

Accountability Is Not a Bad Thing

I realize that many of us cringe whenever we hear the word accountability.

We hear it and think:

  • What does he mean?
  • Is she auditing my work?
  • Does this mean I’m not doing well?
  • Am I about to get a whole lot more work to do?

Accountability is not, nor should it be, a bad thing. However, in my experience, many people take it that way. It’s your job as a team leader to instill accountability in your teams so that they realize it’s just a way to benchmark their accomplishments. Now…doesn’t that sound better?

Well, to use oft quotes phrase, that “says easy, does hard.” Many employees fear being held accountable because so much of the time, managers use this as a cloak for their real purpose: reprimand. Don’t do that!

Your team wants to know how it is doing collectively and each individual wants to where they stand based on goals. So, a question to ask them all is, “What must we do differently to achieve the goals we set forth in January?” When you set the table with that question, it allows everyone to feel a part of moving things forward. Had you asked, “Why haven’t we accomplished our goals?” that put everyone in defense mode. And as you likely know, it’s hard to get anything positive to happen when people are guarded against new ideas.

So, here are a few steps I recommend you use to influence your team in such a way that they realize the ownership they have in the overall goals:

Step #1: Commit to making it healthy and FUN

Step #2: Reread Step #1

Step #3: Meet with each person separately and ask them what they’d like to strengthen.

Step#4: Together, determine the credentialing projects that will yield this development. Here’s the secret to making it fun: You both commit to these credentialing projects together. This shows the direct report that they are not alone in this journey. It tells them you’re there to cheer them on and adjust/correct them when you see them going off-purpose.

Step#5: Measure Success. This accountability step measures the achievement of these credentialing projects once a week and at the end of every month. The idea is to celebrate what’s been achieved and mutually determine the next step in the achievement process. Do this and each person will feel a responsibility towards the goals the team, as a whole, is working to achieve.

Oh…and one last tip…the more positive you are, the more engaged and committed your direct report will be. Make sure you openly acknowledge hard work and dedication. Sure, maybe the results weren’t there but you can work on that. What you are trying to do is instill responsibility and accountabiliity. After that, the results will come!

 

 

Develop Your Code of Conduct

“He assembled and analyzed sets of data and facts, drew sound conclusions, and expressed those conclusions in a clear, convincing form.”

-General Mosely referring to Dwight D. Eisenhower

This says it all to me: I like Ike! Being able to communicate effectively is both a skill and an art. Unfortunately, in today’s world of instant communication, both are suffering in favor of speed. As you prepare presentations, make sure you have developed a code of conduct that will influence how your message gets across.

Amazingly, up to 85% of our communications are judged by how clear, concise, and declarative we are. Of course, there is never a substitute for sound content. However, how that content is delivered makes or breaks its success. That is why I use video recordings of my clients to show them how they are presenting their message. This practice is paramount to what I do. It is very powerful to study yourself on video and discover the subtle but essential techniques to comport yourself. Every time a client sees themselves via video, they inevitably pick out deficiencies in their delivery style. Of course, they sometimes need a little help from me to get there!

Proof of this lies with a client with who I’ve just worked. Until we recorded his delivery, he didn’t realize how tentative and wandering his critical board communications were. His content was solid as was his knowledge of the subject matter. However, after viewing his performance, he remarked, “Wow, I’m not motivated by this!” Imagine how his audience felt!

Being able to visually see things you are doing that detract from your message is huge! And luckily, his delivery was clear, crisp, and inspiring within one hour!

This is my wish for you and all my clients this year: to be heard, followed, and needed.

My 2025 Will Be Affirming

This year, I’m dedicating my effort to affirming others well before I solve their commercial challenges.

I often observe in others their impetuousness to be heard rather than learning from others first and then contributing their knowledge.

The first program I deliver to new clients focuses on understanding the client’s business before solving problems. I apply that to my own business development work, too. It’s important to me that, as I always say, I listen first, sell second.

Great consulting and advising begins with client affirmation. Listening to a client’s issues is a pillar of this effort. If you demonstrate that you heard them when they communicated their challenges and you can recite them back, you’ve just moved the needle towards becoming their trusted advisor. You cannot be seen or heard as highly insightful without affirming your client’s challenges and the impact they have on their firm’s business. The solution must be taught to them from their admission of their challenges.

Succeeding at this dramatically aids us in making a difference to someone, which is why we do what we do. Many years ago, a wise client of mine shared his primary operating principle: Give, Love, Serve. Looking for my 2025 resolution…well there you have it!

Good success this year!

Reflecting on 2024

Reflecting upon this past year, I’m most fulfilled by seeing and feeling clients’ efforts to broaden and strengthen themselves.

Each of us is on a development journey. I’ve learned, and I teach, that this exploration is always ongoing. The true gift is the growth, not the speed at which achievements are realized.

Part of that growth comes from receiving, and giving, feedback. I’ve often stressed that feedback is a contribution, not a castigation. In my last post about annual reviews, I recommended that you hold it positively, knowing that you will learn a lot if you are willing to really hear the feedback you’re given. It’s also critical that you deliver feedback so that it can be received as helpful, caring, and committed.

When engaging with clients in the upcoming year, it is as important as ever that you fully develop a tailored value proposition. In this process, I continue to be gratified when I create a climate of discovery through insightful probing questions that get deep into a client’s needs. This process, each time completed, illustrates to teams the technique of being interested, then interesting. It fosters a genuine level of client affirmation well before one starts to present a solution.

Thank you for following this blog and participating in this year’s observations and discoveries. I promise even more in 2025.

Happy Holidays!

Embracing Yearly Reviews: A Path to Success

Yearly reviews are a staple in the professional world, whether you are a consultant working with an organization or an executive inside one. Instead of viewing these reviews as mere formalities, consider them opportunities for growth and recognition. Here’s a tip: ENGAGE WITH IT and ENJOY IT!

Why Engage with Yearly Reviews?

Yearly reviews provide a platform where you can articulate your achievements and demonstrate how they have contributed to your development as a better executive or representative of your company. Engaging with the review process highlights your accomplishments and sets an example for others, including your reviewer, to follow your lead.

The Importance of Sharing Your Achievements

Many supervisors may not be fully aware of the extent of your accomplishments or the skills you have gained from them. This is your chance to inform them. By clearly listing your achievements and the skills you have acquired, you provide a comprehensive picture of your contributions to the organization.

How to Prepare for Your Review

  1. List Your Accomplishments: Begin by compiling a list of your significant achievements over the year. Be specific about what you accomplished and how it benefited the company.
  2. Highlight Skill Gains: For each achievement, note the skills you developed or honed. Explain how these skills have made you a more effective and valuable organization member.
  3. Connect to Company Success: Clearly articulate how your accomplishments have contributed to the organization’s success. This demonstrates your understanding of the company’s goals and your role in achieving them.

Communicating with Your Reviewer

Before your review, send this information to your reviewer with a note expressing your anticipation for the discussion. A suggested note might be:

“I’m looking forward to discussing these achievements during my review.”

This proactive approach demonstrates your high level of engagement and commercial judgment, underscoring your role in your organization’s success over the past year.

Conclusion

Yearly reviews are more than just evaluations; they are opportunities to showcase your growth and impact. By engaging fully with the process, you not only highlight your achievements but also reinforce your commitment to your professional development and the success of your organization. Embrace the review process with enthusiasm, and it will serve as a powerful tool for your career advancement.

Find Your Charisma

I’m frequently asked how to help clients unlock their charisma, and my answer is always the same: “You already have charisma; let’s discover it together.” I truly believe that!

Whether you’re an executive who can no longer follow a wayward CEO or someone eager to leap into consulting after mastering your field, embracing your charismatic potential is entirely within your reach. Here’s how to do it:

**Identify Three Key Skills:** Pinpoint three essential skills you possess that are crucial for success in your profession.

**Craft a Compelling Case Study:** Develop a powerful case study that highlights these skills and can be delivered in under sixty seconds. This concise narrative will captivate your audience.

**Shift the Focus:** Instead of over-sharing about yourself, relish in the opportunity to share your hard-earned skills. This approach not only enriches conversations but also showcases your expertise authentically.

A great example is a recent client who was ready to embark on a new journey, creating his own business. However, he needed a clear starting point. By following these steps, he now engages his target audience with confidence and charisma. The best part? He no longer needs to reinvent his story every time; we’ve crafted a narrative that reflects his genuine personality and values.

Unleash your inner charisma—it’s time to shine!

My CEO Needs to Understand My Input

As a leader, it is important to have insight and the ability to understand what you and your team need to achieve in the long run. However, effectively communicating this insight to higher-ups without making them feel threatened can be challenging.

The key is to remember that they will need time to accept your innovative ideas. It’s essential to remain patient and realize that they need to recognize the value of your idea before giving it the green light.

For example, a client needed to persuade his CEO to attend an important board meeting. Rather than insisting on their attendance, I recommended that he approach the CEO and focus on the primary benefit of their presence: providing essential insight into the company’s pioneering efforts. By emphasizing the value of his attendance, the CEO quickly recognized its importance.

The lesson here is to highlight the biggest benefit of your idea to them first and ensure that it aligns with their desires. Only after obtaining their agreement should you present your solution.

Take a Lesson from Your Tailor

We select clothing, such as a sports coat, and then a tailor alters it to fit perfectly. The challenge for us in business is realizing and acting when we need to tailor our approach to our clients because, in its original form, it’s not quite the right fit.

During a recent business development/sales training program, my client gave me an invaluable acknowledgment I wanted to pass on to you.

He said, “I realize from your program that you tailored your sales methodology and approach to us versus most other firms that only impart their methodology and expect us to adapt it.”

This really hit me. I was very grateful for this observation. I have put significant effort into reconstructing my entire program for them, I knew that’s what they needed most from me. Ironically, I worried that I wasn’t following my normal agenda. However, I made peace with it because I knew deep down that this new approach was best for them. And, lo and behold, my client acknowledged it!

The takeaway is that people know when you are committed to them versus when you are operating under your own agenda. The former creates an atmosphere of unique partnership while the latter says that you have grouped them with every other client/customer.

So be sure to tailor your approach, others are watching.