Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet When your business with one customer exceeds 25% of your annual sales, then you have a “gorilla” customer and you’re probably feeling vulnerable. You’ve earned the business by serving them well, and if they offered you more, you’d likely be pleased to expand the relationship, but be wary. Loss of a gorilla customer can be devastating, and typically that loss has nothing to do with your performance. The 3 …
Bob SchultekAuthor of The Gauntlet The pursuit of change generates conflict, which when left unresolved, inhibits progress, wastes energy, destroys relationships, and potentially, can threaten the success of the enterprise. Conflict is a natural consequence of change management. Change initiatives are accomplished by first revealing the basis for differences of opinion that are generating tension, and then productively and collaboratively working to resolve those disparities. Most often, the root cause of conflict is ambiguity about …
Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet Accountability: “The obligation of an individual or organization to account for its activities, accept responsibility for them, and to disclose the results in a transparent manner.”When something goes wrong and the finger pointing begins, that is how most people perceive accountability. But success as a leader or as a productive team cannot occur without it. When accountability is front-loaded into strategy, early in implementation, before the outcome is …
Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet rschultek@staging.elfin-bead.flywheelsites.com 216-272-4449 The market is tilted in favor of commoditization – easy access to information about multiple options, a simplistic assessment of those options to fit them into pre-determined boxes, and little time or interest in exploring alternatives beyond what is evident through readily available information. Responding to your inquiries without discovering why solving the prospect’s problem is important to them just reinforces their perception of you as …
It may seem that your attitude, the way you feel, depends on how things are going for you. But in reality, how you choose to feel affects the way things are going. Your attitude reflects your most heartfelt expectations. Every day, you make the vital choice about your attitude. This choice is significant because it impacts every part of your life – your thoughts, words and actions are all driven by how you choose to …
Leaders seeking commitment from their teams regarding the implementation of a decision often encounter delays as a team pursues consensus and certainty. Living with the reality that decisions must be made promptly, and typically with limited time for research or analysis, is a fact of life for leaders; they understand that these circumstances could lead to a decision being wrong. But their teams may struggle with this reality as they work towards committing to the …
Without customers, there is no business. New orders from these customers are the lifeblood of every company. As a result, sales teams are incented to close more orders. But getting the order is only the beginning of the sale tale. Until the customer pays the invoice, new orders are just promissory notes, reflecting your commitment to deliver your promised solution and the customer’s promise of payment if satisfied. The order may be booked, but the …
Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet rschultek@staging.elfin-bead.flywheelsites.com 216-272-4449 Pursuing improvement means tackling change. Change is hard work…it requires commitment, perseverance and discretionary effort. Commitment, perseverance and discretionary effort cannot be commanded…they must be inspired. Inspiration rises when people believe that their work is meaningful…that they are making a difference. The awareness that work is meaningful springs from the expression of a Company’s Purpose and how consistently its leaders and people act in accordance with …
Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet rschultek@staging.elfin-bead.flywheelsites.com 216-272-4449 Customers don’t buy your product or service – they buy the benefits your solution promises to produce. The most compelling solutions generate strategic value, a quantifiable financial advantage that stimulates customer growth, paired with a strengthening of their distinctiveness and competitive advantage. These promises cultivate enduring relationships when they are fulfilled. Delivering what you pledged to deliver is the other side of your promise. Without fulfillment, your …
Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet rschultek@staging.elfin-bead.flywheelsites.com 216-272-4449 Implementing standard procedures helps sustain the consistency and quality of work, usually boosting productivity. But the drive for conformity has a price. It increases bureaucracy which can inadvertently stifle the very creativity and initiative you ask your people to practice, potentially compromising innovation and improvement. The same conformity that delivers greater reliability, risk-proofing and safety can breed a fear of failure and a drift towards mediocrity. Since …