Grolistic

Maximum Output & Human Capital

by

Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet Our capitalistic economy promotes efficient business operation as a means to maximize profit. Operating efficiently means that systems which drive the business processes are performing optimally, with functioning elements synchronized to consistently deliver quality work on time and within established cost standards. All components of the system, including the human assets, perform best under these circumstances, and can sustain targeted output with minimal stress.But since competition drives capitalism, there are …

Read more

Intimacy and Satisfaction

by

Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet When you last faced a purchase decision, what helped you feel more comfortable with your choice?  What gave you confidence that your judgement was appropriate and correct? You had worked through the analysis and were satisfied with it…but in retrospect, there was something more that convinced you that your decision was the right one. This level of satisfaction is most often due to a productive experience with your salesperson. At first, your basic …

Read more

Change Resistance

by

  Few change initiatives succeed the first time they are launched. Resistance to change is a potent human reaction so expect challenges and outright rejection. It’s what you do next that matters.   If you continue to believe wholeheartedly that your proposed change will increase the value produced for customers and your company, then persevere. Evaluate the basics of your strategy:   Are you appealing to the appropriate audience? Do they have the experience and analytical ability to …

Read more

Leaders Enable Team Success

by

Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet Leaders want their people to succeed; success lifts the person and the leader. Leaders cannot succeed if those they lead fail. The most effective leaders invest significant time engaging and coaching their people. Exceptional leaders appreciate that empathy and emotional intelligence, paired with experience and intellect, enable them to engage and collaborate with their employees such that those they lead gain awareness about how each person makes a difference. This truth is what …

Read more

Culture and Value Creation

by

  The fundamental premise of any business acquisition is that the merged organizations will be more valuable together than they would be if they continued as separate entities. An acquisition is supposed to be an exercise in value creation. Yet, a KPMG study indicates that 83% of acquisitions fail to boost value, and often, value is actually destroyed. Something goes very wrong along the way. Of the five key due diligence parameters for acquisitions – risk, price, strategy, …

Read more

Pulling the Fire Alarm

by

Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet As sales leader, you encourage your team to develop strong customer relationships. Because this takes time, you counsel them about perseverance, commitment and accountability, and enlighten them that they will know that preference has been earned when they are invited to participate in more strategic discussions like new product development meetings. Like most sales professionals, your team is highly self-motivated, with each member consistently demonstrating initiative. They understand that the …

Read more

What Are You Worth?

by

Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet All our lives, we struggle to improve, to advance our careers, and to strengthen the financial well-being of our families. There is genuine value in this pursuit, and during our lifetimes, we’ll have opportunities to make more money. But, is the pursuit of wealth what truly drives you? Is that what defines you? Most leaders acknowledge that real satisfaction comes from what they do, how they act to overcome …

Read more

3 Behaviors That Cultivate Customer Loyalty

by

Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet Who in your organization directly interacts with customers? For most business transactions, people still want to buy from people, rather than buying a brand or company name.  Enduring relationships evolve from these personal interactions. To cultivate customer loyalty, here are 3 behaviors you want your customer contact people to consistently demonstrate: Generosity Seek first to learn about potential customers – their story, their needs, their aspirations – and share ideas, trends and suggestions that might …

Read more

Lessons From Failure

by

Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet Failure has always been a better teacher than success. Failure promptly resets our perspective, making us aware of the need for change and the pursuit of knowledge necessary to implement it. Overwhelming our natural risk aversion, it opens our minds to ideas we’ve never considered or have previously rejected.  Seeking understanding, we dampen our hubris and humbly tap our relationships in search of a broader array of input and a deeper …

Read more

Believe It or Not

by

Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet In today’s marketplace, there’s lots of barking and not much listening. Everyone is in a hurry to inform why they are right, loudly and clearly. When your debate or pitch isn’t resulting in a dialogue about facts or rationale, when no one is conforming to your ideas or even engaging with you in a productive discussion about competing ideas, then the easy answer is to decide that your audience simply doesn’t …

Read more