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Keep your sanity

I recommend you start out, or continue posting on what you know about.  It is the easiest way to launch your vibe.  It lets people know what you are all about.  Similar-minded folks tend to gravitate and find each other.
I'm not talking about race, status, education, love interest, career, notoriety, controversy, religion or beliefs.    Be about you!

I interviewed with a real executive a few months ago.  The hairs on my arms are fluffy but they still stood up.  My spidey senses were on full alert.  Usually, it indicates a strong sense of doing well in the interview.

I got a charge out of the interview.  Especially a humane chief executive officer.  I walked away thinking that I REALLY wanted to work for this gentleman.  As often is the disciplined case, I had scoped out the website on the company, scooping tidbits of information as an overview of the company.  I had not examined anything at my disposal to check out the man whom I was interviewing with.  Dumb, I know.  I did do the usual of adding the person on to LINKED IN so that I could see what kind of career they had, not academics, but real experience being key.  His fit in with 99.9% of all the other CEOs:  bland.

The more I think about it, the more he didn't measure up in person.  Yet in practice, he is exactly that.  Someone who can easily be identified as unique, in a very crowded world.  I think that's what made me take exceptional notice and do a little bit more digging afterwards.

The intellect was apparent, what was said was insightful while calm.  The authenticity was classy and firm.  

What he presented, was a shambles.  It screamed inside:  he needs me!  He really needs to clean up his act.  Not that he is doing anything harmful or addictive, unless you consider his +Instagram posts:  a very fit man, dedicated to mountain biking, cycling, and being put to the test.

Why, I wonder, would his @Twitter profile indicate that he is sarcastic and opinionated?  Apparently, that is the view he wants others to see him.  When I started out on social media, there were so many of those types:  loud, obnoxious and opinionated.  

Probably, 10 years ago this March (2020), when I joined Twitter, super sarcastic personalities were the norm to shoot up on the stratosphere, being catapulted to online super stardom.  So often, the real person couldn't measure up.

Some folks still stand out.  One was a professional DJ, on the radio, homed off the west coast, he used his personality, his advocacy and his philanthropy to the max on Twitter to fill his local food bank.  He certainly didn't make any money off of his efforts.  Ending up in a city across Canada, doing what he knew best:  being a DJ.  I see the number of followers he has.  They are certainly impressive.  However, not indicative of how much he has used the internet to spread good cheer and bring something back to those in need.  

Pay it forward

Evolved from acts of kindness on social media.  Those who inform others on whatever the imagination can conjure up:  technology, science, environment, humanity, mental well being, health, beauty and knowledge.  Giving to others in spirit, inspiration or motivation.  

Humanitarian causes, issues, controversies are the new norm.  Not the obnoxious, they've mostly moved on to You Tube to rant and rave:  very conducive to reposting videos, and a word for the wise.  

This blog has evolved over the last 10 years.  The topics dispersed on spin off blogs.  In fact, when I tried to consolidate them, I got comments about how scattered and I had a blog for just that:  when I wanted to meander about something.

To be continued .......

Why do my Instagram followers keep dropping?

A clean desk is a sign of a sick mind ~ Albert Einstein

Harvard Business Review

8,766,981 followers

3h •

When your space is a mess, you are too.

The Case for Finally Cleaning Your Desk

hbr.org

When I was at my peak performance in sales: winning awards ..... my desk was a big huge blob of paper. When I became a leader, I kept my desk sparse and turned off all devices when someone came to me with a problem. When I took a job to pay the bills: I ensured I was surrounded by art: art of beaches, boats or light hearted sayings to keep me motivated. People need to stop trying to be a square peg in a round hole. You are you and your desk habits are your own: * pristine (conveys no nonsense efficiency) * cluttered paper bomb (disorganized scatter head) * lively & personal (keeping things light & disassociate from surroundings) When in fact: * spotless can mean you are organized and efficient * a MESS says: whatever you're doing is more important * tasteful art and super slogans means you are balanced NOTE: I am not a doctor, educated in human behavior, nor am I a psychologist. This is my own take.

Michael McCool - the sales guy

Art by Jeannette Marshall (c) 2019

Do your homework and know your numbers before you meet with an executive prospect

It is easy to communicate processes with new customers or prospects if you have a highly developed implementation planning focus.  That builds trust.

Do what you say you are going to do and never promise mountains when all you have to offer are mole hills.

You need to be realistic on what you're selling from the eyes of a buyer.

They don't buy on blind wishes unless you can craft a proposal that solves ISSUES or problems.

Be knowledgeable about your product, your industry, you prospect, their industry, their customers, how they market themselves and how they seem to show themselves to the world online.

Go to Quora.com or even Linked In and post a question (with a graphic image whenever possible) asking others about an industry or problems that are typical in that world.

Don't lead in with bells and whistles or a dog and pony show of this speed, feed, process rate, production model ... etc. etc. unless you know that is what your audience is interested in.

Know that you are usually meeting with an audience of one.  You can display competence and credibility when you have done your homework.

CRMs are the ideal way to keep track of all of this valuable morsels of information.  You can use Outlook or a Calendar or Notes type APPs without being fancy dancey .... color coded diaries that allow you to sync work appointments with training and driving the kids to soccer, or a doctor's appointment or parent/teacher interviews .... the reality being you work hard and smart, so that real life has time to fit into your schedule and create a balanced approach.

If you put all your eggs in one basket (one major account customer or client) then you may lose them to a price-hungry competitor chopping at the bit to displace you based on price.  That is risky.  During turbulent economic times, everyone shops, compares to complete the assessment that they still have value in the relationship and how much of a hassle it could be to change from your company.

You can't do that unless you are intertwined with intricate processes of the customer, not who fits into your wheel house.  Someone who will pay top dollar for REAL VALUE is who you should be looking for in that case.

Those sales take a lot longer and too few companies get that or align their sales coverage to compensate for the larger fish.

Do your homework before you even hire a sales professional.  Create a value-attractive career environment for them to want to follow.

The best ones are harder to find.  The ones who are pounding the pavement, making the cold calls, setting up appointments shrewdly, balancing time management with real surprises.

Training is more sophisticated than most Companies are willing to commit.  They think it is about touring around, shadowing someone in the front lines or background, are all important with onboarding, but so is training on your company, industry, realistic research on where the company sits.