Find My Catalyst Podcast

Carol Quinn, CEO of Hire Authority and the Founder & Creator of Motivation-Based Interviewing Hiring is one of the most important decisions you will make as a CEO, Founder, Leader, or Manager. Carol Quinn joins us this week to discuss Motivation-Based Interviewing (MBI), the importance of hiring, common mistakes, and important considerations when working through the interview process. Carol Quinn is CEO of Hire Authority and a national speaker with more than 30 years' experience in interviewing and hiring. She has taught thousands how to hire High Performers using motivation-based interviewing. Questions Addressed What are the differences between motivation-based interviewing & behavior-based interviewing? How do you identify/reveal passion? What is the difference between an internal & an external locus of control? What's wrong with "one-upmanship" in the interviewing process What are companies doing when it comes to keeping track of data in their hiring process? How do you bring passion, attitude, and skills into the interview process? Key Takeaways Hypothetical questions create hypothetical answers With Behavior-Based Interviewing, the expectation is that past behavior will be indicative of future behavior. If you can hire somebody great one time, why can't you when using the same process, create consistency in hiring success? This question and the hit/miss hiring results led to the creation of MBI. MBI - designed to identify high performers - someone who will go above and beyond to get the best results High performers have great skills, passion, and attitude. You can hire someone with great skills, and they could be a poor, average, or high performer - It's not just about skills. The interview process has evolved. MBI looks at what all high performers have in common. They have the Skill They have the Passion They have the Attitude (how a person responds to on the job challenges) Passion You cannot assess passion directly Interviewers have to get wiser about the questions they ask, they need to understand how to assess attitude & passion. Passion is usually tied to self-motivation Find out what the candidate likes doing the most - ideally, match this to the role. MBI includes a series of 5 questions that focus in on what the person likes doing the most, the least, etc. Weaknesses tell you about skill deficits and tell you about passion. Passion is not something you can teach. Passion helps you get through the adversity. Attitude The high performer's attitude reflects an internal locus of control, their attitude may be "I don't know how to do it, but, we can figure it out" - This is solution focused & empowering The high performer goes into a problem-solving mode They have an optimistic perspective that keeps them in the game This is a split second decision "I can't" or "I can" The "I can't" is representative of an external locus of control The "I can't" person begins a to build a case for why they cannot be successful. No one is pure "I can" or "I can't" Skill, Knowledge, IQ combined predict the successful hire approximately 7% of the time, while Attitude accounts for the remaining 93%. A hiring mistake can set you back, not only due to the cost of the hire, but the time that is lost. As interviewers, we want to be able to identify the high-performer despite their interviewing skills. CareerBuilder - 68% of employers surveyed struggle with interviewing. Interviewing for a sales role is one of the most interesting of all interviews because you have candidates who are prepared to interview & want the job as a sales professional, while at the same time, the interviewer wants to put someone in the role. This can create significant risk. Many companies look at the cost per hire and average days to fill a role. These metrics can lead to fast/cheap hires. As a result, we miss on the quality of the hire. Quality of hire is the most important factor. It does not take any longer to evaluate the quality of a hire. (See link below) Short-term turnover is tied to the hiring process - MBI reduces short-term turnover by ~50% If you have a "quality of hire" problem, and you end up retaining low performers, you will create a culture problem. Attitude is 80% formed by age 5. The person who has the attitude has to change it, not the employer. The #1 reason for the metrics - to motivate positive change in the hiring process. "Training is not going to fix what the interviewer missed" - Carol Quinn The average interviewer either (A) asks questions off the cuff, or (B) asks canned questions that are ineffective. Show Links Hireauthority.com Hire Authority - free resources tab Phone Number - 561-231-0313 LinkedIn LinkedIn group Twitter Anniversary edition of MBI - Motivation-Based Interviewing - published by SHRM Thank you Thank you for rating and reviewing the podcast via iTunes, Google Play, or your favorite podcast platform. Ratings & reviews help others discover the podcast - thank you for helping us get our message out to the community. Please send listener questions and feedback to hello@catalystsale.com or contact us directly on twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. Catalyst Sale Service Offerings Growth Acceleration - Plateau Breakthrough Product Market Fit ---------------------- Subscribe to the Catalyst Sale Podcast Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Google Play Catalyst Sale In every business, in every opportunity, there is someone who can help you navigate the internal challenges and close the deal. There is a Catalyst. We integrate process (Catalyst Sale Process), technology and people, with the purpose of accelerating revenue. Our thoughtful approach minimizes false starts that are common in emerging markets and high-growth environments. We continue to evolve our practice based on customer needs and emerging technology. We care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do. Sales is a Thinking Process.

Transitioning from Sales Enablement to Organization Enablement This week on the podcast we discuss sales enablement as a function and the different lenses that an organization may use to inform their approach. We also discuss the idea of organization enablement and wonder if this will be the next evolution within organizations. Questions Asked Has your attitude about Sales Enablement changed? How does Sales Enablement gain a better understanding of the functional areas of the organization? How do we make the transition from where we are today, to Organization Enablement? Key Takeaways Start with considering the lens you are looking at enablement through Learning Operations Marketing Sales Operations Enablement Technologies we use at Catalyst Sale. HubSpot Pardot Funnelwise Slack Google When enabling sales, you should consider multiple functions within an organization. Identify how these teams interact and cross paths with your sales team. Sales enablement created to address a gap - we needed someone/something to bridge the gap between Product & Sales, and Product & Marketing. The enabling function inside an organization can help to create consistency in communication The enablement function should meet with customers - they can connect the dots between what the customer is saying and what product/sales/marketing sees. Organization Enablement as a function - maybe we should consider learning as an enabling role inside an organization. In order to perform at a high level, to be successful, I need everyone in the organization to perform well. Everybody sells, we are all part of the value chain Get others engaged - leverage the expertise of your team - They can ask great questions, many times with better context. Show Links Catalyst Sale Twitter LinkedIn hello@catalystsale.com Jennifer McClure ep 60 Sales Enablement Society Catalyst Sale Workshops & Training Thank you Thank you for rating and reviewing the podcast via iTunes, Google Play, or your favorite podcast platform. Ratings & reviews help others discover the podcast - thank you for helping us get our message out to the community. Please send listener questions and feedback to hello@catalystsale.com or contact us directly on twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. Catalyst Sale Service Offerings Growth Acceleration - Plateau Breakthrough Product Market Fit ---------------------- Subscribe to the Catalyst Sale Podcast Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Google Play Catalyst Sale In every business, in every opportunity, there is someone who can help you navigate the internal challenges and close the deal. There is a Catalyst. We integrate process (Catalyst Sale Process), technology and people, with the purpose of accelerating revenue. Our thoughtful approach minimizes false starts that are common in emerging markets and high-growth environments. We continue to evolve our practice based on customer needs and emerging technology. We care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do. Sales is a Thinking Process.

Compensation, Building Business Acumen, and Networking Round 2 with Guest - Jennifer McClure - Speaker, Executive Coach, President of Unbridled Talent & CEO of DisruptHR Jennifer McClure, CEO Unbridled Talent & DisruptHR joins us for her second appearance on the Catalyst Sale Podcast. We cover a number of topics this week, including the gender pay gap, building business acumen, and networking both inside and outside of your organization. The gender pay gap discussion was prompted by a twitter chat initiated by a friend of the podcast - Cara North. Thanks for listening to the Catalyst Sale Podcast Questions Addressed How real is the gender pay gap issue? What can we do to fix the issues at an individual level? How can we prepare for the salary/compensation negotiation? How can we build our business acumen, financial acumen, understanding of general business strategy? How can people improve their approach to networking? Key Takeaways The issue is real, it is clearly an issue. Women are typically paid less than men for doing the same job. The smart HR Leader/Business Leader will look at the current pay structure for their team. This may exist today because the leadership is not looking at the data. They may not be looking at the data because they believe this is not an issue they are having at their organization. From an employee standpoint... You have a choice, your goal is to get paid what you are worth. Consider all of the parameters - Salary, Opportunity, etc. Make your choice, own your choice. From a manager's standpoint... If you notice issues in pay equity, you should take measures to fix the issue. Look at the data objectively Create a communication plan This is not part of a merit increase budget It is on you to make the business case. Use the data, work with your HR leadership to help make the business case. Separate this type of adjustment from performance. Make the change once you recognize the error. What would it cost us to replace the person? If they came in today and said they were resigning or leaving for another opportunity, would we counter with a similar "market rate"? Preparing for the negotiation Do the research. Know your worth. Power comes from information. Know the top things that are important to you, before you get seduced by the role or the conversation. Have the data. Own your choice, create your own opportunities. Understanding what the biggest problems are, that the business has to solve. We tend to look at ourselves first, rather than the organization. Talk to the functional leaders within the business. What are your challenges? What obstacles are you facing? There are a number of things you will hear, if you are having the discussions. If you want to work at a strategic level, you have to be solving business problems. Ask questions & listen There are no stupid questions when you are truly seeking ways to help others be successful. (Be Intentional) Any system that takes the human connection out of the process in networking, and allows you to network at scale, is not relationship building. Networking is not Marketing. Add value first, but don't do so "automatically, every two weeks" Relationships & Networking should be intentional. You can share value, people can connect, when they are ready to engage, they will do so. Outbound/Outreach - be intentional, be personal. Whether it is Pay Equity issues, knowing your worth as a candidate, networking with others - be intentional. Do the research on your end to understand how you can add value. The action starts with you. Show Links Unbridled Talent jennifermcclure.net Impact Makers Podcast Twitter Call to Action How do you build business acumen? Let us know via twitter @catalystsale or email us directly. Please share your stories with us @catalystsale on twitter or via hello@catalystsale.com ---------------------- Thank you Ratings & reviews help others discover the podcast - thank you for helping us get the message out to the community. Please send listener questions and feedback to hello@catalystsale.com or contact us directly on twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. Catalyst Sale Service Offerings Growth Acceleration - Plateau Breakthrough Product Market Fit Catalyst Sale - Sales Fundamentals Training Program ---------------------- Subscribe to the Catalyst Sale Podcast Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Google Play Catalyst Sale In every business, in every opportunity, there is someone who can help you navigate the internal challenges and close the deal. There is a Catalyst. We integrate process (Catalyst Sale Process), technology and people, with the purpose of accelerating revenue. Our thoughtful approach minimizes false starts that are common in emerging markets and high-growth environments. We continue to evolve our practice based on customer needs and emerging technology. We care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do. Sales is a Thinking Process.

Listener Question - Tips for Making the Transition to Field Sales This week on the Catalyst Sale Podcast we have a listener question. Chris from Ontario is the process of transitioning from an inside sales role to a field sales role, and he wonders if there are any best practices or tips to keep in mind when making the transition. We discuss the importance of planning, building rapport, being aware of your surroundings, and tips to keep the conversation on track. We wrap up the discussion talking about the transition from a customer success role to an account executive or account manager role. Please continue to send the questions and recommendations. Thank you for engaging with us via LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. Questions Addressed What are some important considerations when making the transition from an inside sales role to a field sales role? What are some considerations around non-verbal communication when meeting with a customer? How do you overcome a reliance on scripts? What are some important considerations when making the transition from Customer Success to Account Executive or Account Manager - how do you make the transition effectively? Key Takeaways Get back to basics, people are people Go in with a plan Anticipate challenges Confirm meetings beforehand Anticipate challenges Take advantage of your time on location, schedule other meetings. Ask Questions Set the Agenda Clarify Expectations Gather intelligence - look around the office, notice books, magazines, company-specific communication in the lobby. Dress the part Work to wrap up the meeting 5 min before the scheduled end time. Use pen & paper to keep notes Customer success to account executive or account manager - how do you make the transition Stay committed to customer success, focus on the customer. Help your customer accomplish the things they are trying to accomplish Account manager - growing accounts renew by default Shift mindset - take a growth mindset Final Thoughts Be yourself If you have a question, ask it. Be aware of your surroundings Establish next steps Execute on next steps Show Links Catalyst Sale Twitter LinkedIn hello@catalystsale.com Product & Sales Alignment - a Catalyst Sale Workshop Thank you Thank you for rating and reviewing the podcast via iTunes, Google Play, or your favorite podcast platform. Ratings & reviews help others discover the podcast - thank you for helping us get our message out to the community. Please send listener questions and feedback to hello@catalystsale.com or contact us directly on twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. Catalyst Sale Service Offerings Growth Acceleration - Plateau Breakthrough Product Market Fit ---------------------- Subscribe to the Catalyst Sale Podcast Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Google Play Catalyst Sale In every business, in every opportunity, there is someone who can help you navigate the internal challenges and close the deal. There is a Catalyst. We integrate process (Catalyst Sale Process), technology and people, with the purpose of accelerating revenue. Our thoughtful approach minimizes false starts that are common in emerging markets and high-growth environments. We continue to evolve our practice based on customer needs and emerging technology. We care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do. Sales is a Thinking Process.

Leadership Lessons from Dan Cockerell This week Dan Cockerell joins us on the Catalyst Sale podcast to discuss leadership, experience, doing work, and his next journey. Dan recently retired from the Walt Disney Company, as the Vice President of the Magic Kingdom, and has recently launched his consulting, public speaking, and virtual COO practice. Questions Addressed Did Dan say "Yes" too fast at times? Was it tough to decide to make the move to leave the stability of the Walt Disney Company? How do you get feedback from the frontline when you are leading a large organization? How do you inspire others to engage? Why is hiring important, and how does Dan identify talent? Where does nature vs nurture fit in ideal roles? How can podcasting help with internal communication? How does Dan differentiate between Coaching vs Mentoring vs Training? What's Dan currently working on? What has Dan learned about selling? Key Takeaways Grab the next opportunity, and focus on it like every other job, and make good things happen "I guess you'll have to go out and get a job" if it doesn't work out. "Do Your Best and Forgive Yourself" - Admiral Charles Payne, Naval Academy class of '42 - Have a high expectations for yourself, but know you will fail sometimes. (mind) The Gap - we all have a belief system, there is who we want to be, what we want to do, but sometimes we fall short. Hold yourself accountable to "the gap". What you do, defines who you are. Doing the work is important. Be intentional, but do not look like you are being intentional. Walk the floor, work with customers, interact with others in the operation. Don't go into feedback discussions with an agenda. When you get information, you have to use it correctly. Building a relationship takes care of a lot of things. When Dan facilitates roundtables, he starts with sharing experiences and asking for their thoughts on the scenarios. There is always something between the lines, make sure you are listening. If you are out there, and accessible, you have a better chance of success. Talented people in the right job, with the right skillset, do great things. Find the best person you have worked with, or the person on your team who you really enjoy working with, think of their traits, what makes them the best. Frame your interview questions around those traits & behaviors. Be open & authentic when evaluating data & asking questions, whether in the hiring process, or when bringing on clients. (internal podcast) When launching the internal podcast, Dan was working to address a gap in communication and reach. He wanted the team to hear his voice. He did this by recording on his iPhone & distributing the MP3 to the cast members. Don't stress or over think the tech. This does not need to be overproduced. No one is above coaching. Coaching is an in the moment thing. If it is done right, it is based on improving performance. Training is technical in nature, it is less behavioral, according to Dan. An Advocate is a person who is in a position of authority, they can advocate for the person when they hear about a role. The Mentor is a thought partner.I can meet with them periodically, we can work through scenarios. Mentoring is a partnership - Dan You are the one who can take the action. Leverage the collective intelligence & perspective of your tribe of mentors. Dan's three areas of focus. Consulting/Coaching Keynote Speaking Virtual COO Be a student, ask questions, be humble, but have confidence. Show Links LinkedIn DanCockerell.com The article of the Week Call to Action What do you think about fractional roles? Let us know via twitter @catalystsale or email us directly. Please share your stories with us @catalystsale on twitter or via hello@catalystsale.com ---------------------- Thank you Ratings & reviews help others discover the podcast - thank you for helping us get the message out to the community. Please send listener questions and feedback to hello@catalystsale.com or contact us directly on twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. Catalyst Sale Service Offerings Growth Acceleration - Plateau Breakthrough Product Market Fit Catalyst Sale - Sales Fundamentals Training Program ---------------------- Subscribe to the Catalyst Sale Podcast Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Google Play Catalyst Sale In every business, in every opportunity, there is someone who can help you navigate the internal challenges and close the deal. There is a Catalyst. We integrate process (Catalyst Sale Process), technology and people, with the purpose of accelerating revenue. Our thoughtful approach minimizes false starts that are common in emerging markets and high-growth environments. We continue to evolve our practice based on customer needs and emerging technology. We care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do. Sales is a Thinking Process.

Failing to Plan is a Plan to Fail Part II in our series on common challenges that we see across our customer and prospect base is focused on planning. Specifically developing the plan, adapting the plan, and execution. One of the biggest challenges organizations we work with have relative to planning, is clarity around expectations, which leads to issues with focus & expectations around speed. Setting expectations, establishing a plan, working the plan, and adapting the plan all play a critical role in this process. We hope you enjoy the discussion and look forward to your feedback. Questions Addressed What are some of the challenges organizations face when it comes to planning? Why is adapting the plan the third step? Why is it important as a park ranger to know how to take a punch in the head? How does this apply to us in Sales? Key Takeaways Defining expectations, creating a plan, adapting the plan. One of the biggest challenges organizations face relative to planning, is clarity around expectations. This usually leads to issues with focus. Ryan Carson reinforced this point on a previous podcast, when talking about issues with hiring that first Sales VP. When it comes to planning - begin with the end in mind. Know that perspective may be different depending on role. i.e. VP of Marketing vs VP of Sales vs VP of Operations. Design thinking - once we understand the objective, we design backward. Create a plan that helps you get to that objective. It is important to identify the gates that you will need to get through in order to meet the objective. (Think of a road trip) "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth" - Mike Tyson Know that you will need to adjust the plan once you start gathering additional information. Maybe the use cases you have identified are not accurate. Your plan is philosophical, it will never be perfect. Apply your OODA loop - Observe, Orient, Decide, Act, and repeat the loop. (link) Communicate the plan, adjust, iterate, optimize. Something is going to happen, that you do not expect One question we should ask ourselves - What are the things you are doing on your end to adjust your loop, so that the competition cannot get inside your loop? The fundamentals. How do you ask the right questions to get to the root problem/challenge? How do you position your solution in the context of the customer need? You don't know until you know As you go through this, you identify patterns, and identify different ways to address the issue. Training helps you prepare and know how you will react to the situation. (Pepper spray discussion/example) Experience should provide clarity. Everyone wants to move fast. The process we follow Set a goal - Buy-in on the objective is important (identify and establish your goals) Establish measurable items that work toward the goal Set a plan to help you execute on the measurables - consider how you might address the objective (i.e. growth within the base, identifying partners, etc.) Evaluate the data to determine success. A weak plan with a solid foundation is better than a solid plan with a weak foundation. Show Links Catalyst Sale Twitter LinkedIn hello@catalystsale.com Product & Sales Alignment - a Catalyst Sale Workshop Thank you Thank you for rating and reviewing the podcast via iTunes, Google Play, or your favorite podcast platform. Ratings & reviews help others discover the podcast - thank you for helping us get our message out to the community. Please send listener questions and feedback to hello@catalystsale.com or contact us directly on twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. Catalyst Sale Service Offerings Growth Acceleration - Plateau Breakthrough Product Market Fit ---------------------- Subscribe to the Catalyst Sale Podcast Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Google Play Catalyst Sale In every business, in every opportunity, there is someone who can help you navigate the internal challenges and close the deal. There is a Catalyst. We integrate process (Catalyst Sale Process), technology and people, with the purpose of accelerating revenue. Our thoughtful approach minimizes false starts that are common in emerging markets and high-growth environments. We continue to evolve our practice based on customer needs and emerging technology. We care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do. Sales is a Thinking Process.

The Art & The Science of Sales - Leveraging Data to Take Action. This week Steve Will, Revenue Champion & SaaS Sales Leader, joins us to discuss sales, data, common challenges, dealing with conflict, and what's next. We discuss Steve's background and experience, both as an individual contributor, and leading sales teams. Questions Addressed How does Steve define success in sales? How do you distinguish between the Art & Science of Sales? How can you improve functional product knowledge? What are common mistakes companies make when thinking about data? What are some of the questions you should be asking when looking at data? How can technology be leveraged to help improve Marketing & Sales alignment? What does the sales professional of tomorrow look like? Key Takeaways When Thinking of the Art - three things come to mind for Steve. Sales Skills Product Knowledge Industry Knowledge Talk to your peers - Peer & Customers are a great source of information when it comes to industry knowledge Ask your prospects & customers where they go for information. Separate yourself from the norm in your space, put your product through the use cases, work through the practical application. When Thinking about the Science of Sales - consider the data that is available. The ability to uncover the story that the data is telling is critical. Putting the information into practical use is the next step. There are a lot of Sales Enablement tools that will help support sales cadences. A common mistake, is running using these tools, but not understanding how the cadence should change based on the personas you are working with. The Funnelwise playbook is a good example of where the Art & the Science of Sales come together in a successful partnership. Leveraging the data in context to take action. Crucial Conversations You need to have a good understanding of each others role & responsibilities Give your team member the benefit of the doubt Treat people with respect Be patient Most of the time, conflict occurs when goals do not align. As sales leaders, we are comfortable with being measured by revenue. Jill Rowley - talks about the traits of the modern seller. Leverage Data Seek Collaboration Communicate Effectively Exhibit Business Acumen Share New Ideas Embrace Technology The root of sales evil is poor discovery Show Links LinkedIn Crucial Conversations Jill Rowley Catalyst Sale Twitter Call to Action How do you distinguish between the Art & Science of Sales? Let us know via twitter @catalystsale or email us directly. Please share your stories with us @catalystsale on twitter or via hello@catalystsale.com ---------------------- Thank you Ratings & reviews help others discover the podcast - thank you for helping us get the message out to the community. Please send listener questions and feedback to hello@catalystsale.com or contact us directly on twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. Catalyst Sale Service Offerings Growth Acceleration - Plateau Breakthrough Product Market Fit Catalyst Sale - Sales Fundamentals Training Program ---------------------- Subscribe to the Catalyst Sale Podcast Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Google Play Catalyst Sale In every business, in every opportunity, there is someone who can help you navigate the internal challenges and close the deal. There is a Catalyst. We integrate process (Catalyst Sale Process), technology and people, with the purpose of accelerating revenue. Our thoughtful approach minimizes false starts that are common in emerging markets and high-growth environments. We continue to evolve our practice based on customer needs and emerging technology. We care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do. Sales is a Thinking Process.

Coaching, Mentoring or Training - What's the Difference? On previous episodes we have discussed Mentoring in Sales (42), we have also discussed Coaching vs Training (79). This week we discuss all three approaches in the context of personal development and improving capabilities. We share our thoughts on the differences between Coaching, Mentoring, and Training, why one approach may be better than another, and when it might make sense to combine methods. Questions Addressed What's the difference between Coaching & Mentoring? How do you know if you need a coach or a mentor? How important is it to be coachable? How do I know if I should work with a coach? How can we connect with Catalyst Sale to discuss coaching? How do you know if Training, Coaching, or Mentoring is a better fit? Key Takeaways Coaching tends to be focused on the current task, or skill. The coach and the person receiving the coaching, are looking at ways to optimize. Mentoring tends to consider the bigger picture. There may be more ambiguity. It is less about the skill, more about the longer term objective. Good mentors should also be able to coach. Coaches, on the other hand, may not be good mentors. When considering skills improvement, coaching may be a better solution. i.e. cooking. When working on improving your skills in the kitchen, a coach can help you by being in the kitchen. The coach should be there, with you, and provide coaching in real time. Coaches look for the subtle changes that can make a significant impact - they look for the details. Mentoring is a bit more philosophical. The relationship between mentee and mentor is critical. Coaching may be a bit more tactical. The relationship between the coach and the player is not critical. Being coachable is crucial if you want to develop your skills. Ask yourself, if you are not coachable, if you have a big ego, how will you grow? It is important to have an open mind when working with a coach. You should have a solid understanding of where your deficiencies are. You may need a coach in an area, but you may be blind to it. This is where a mentor, a manager, a colleague, or others can make a recommendation. One way to overcome your blind spots is to shift your perspective. Fit with a mentor is really important. When it comes to coaching, the fit is not the focus, the results are more important. Skill development should lead to something With a coach, you should see direct skill improvement. With mentoring, am I moving in the right direction? Training tends to be more structured. Most cases 1:many, however a 1:1 approach may make sense in a training environment. If your objective is to "Learn something new" - Training may be a better solution Coaching tends to be task-based or skill based. 1:1 really works well with coaching. If your objective is to "Improve a specific skill" - Coaching may be the best approach Mentoring tends to be more open, less structured, relationship driven, future-focused, and the relationship will evolve. If your objective is to "Improve being/focus" - Finding and working with a mentor may work best As an example, when thinking about swimming - training works well at first, comfort around the pool, coaching might be specific to hand position in a given stroke, mentoring might be more focused on nutrition, pre-race prep, and mindset. Call to Action Ask yourself - Am I coachable? In what scenarios will a coach help me more than a mentor or participating in training? Engage with the community via twitter @catalystsale - how are you applying infinite learning concepts? Show Links Catalyst Sale Podcast Episode 42 - Mentoring in Sales Catalyst Sale Podcast Episode 79 - Training vs Coaching Catalyst Sale Twitter LinkedIn hello@catalystsale.com Catalyst Sale Workshop - Product & Sales Enablement Thank you Thank you for rating and reviewing the podcast via iTunes, Google Play, or your favorite podcast platform. Ratings & reviews help others discover the podcast - thank you for helping us get our message out to the community. Please send listener questions and feedback to hello@catalystsale.com or contact us directly on twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. Catalyst Sale Service Offerings Growth Acceleration - Plateau Breakthrough Product Market Fit ---------------------- Subscribe to the Catalyst Sale Podcast Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Google Play Catalyst Sale In every business, in every opportunity, there is someone who can help you navigate the internal challenges and close the deal. There is a Catalyst. We integrate process (Catalyst Sale Process), technology and people, with the purpose of accelerating revenue. Our thoughtful approach minimizes false starts that are common in emerging markets and high-growth environments. We continue to evolve our practice based on customer needs and emerging technology. We care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do. Sales is a Thinking Process.

Managing an Exit - The Good, The Bad, The Ugly This week on the podcast, Mike & Mike tackle the question of a startup exit or merger from the perspective of the employee within the organization, to the founder/leadership team, to the company who is making the acquisition. Acquisitions & exits are tough, they become more complex as more information is shared, especially if too much of the wrong information is shared or gaps are left in the information. It is a delicate balance and a difficult dance. We hope you enjoy the discussion, and look forward to your feedback on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Questions Addressed What are some of the things you should not take for granted during an exit? What about timing, and the way organizations handle setting expectations on the amount of time the acquisition should take. How does managing an exit correlate with a sales process? How do you avoid losing key people? Let's say you are the company who is making the acquisition - how do you determine what to do with the technology? What are some considerations that we should keep in mind from an employee perspective, founder perspective, and acquiring company perspective? Key Takeaways Cultural differences and mindset that is different between an early stage company, and one who may be more established, and is leading the acquisition. Communication & setting expectations are important, from both sides of the equation. Transparency can be dangerous. If you are a small company, managing resources directly, too much information, shared too soon, can put an organization in a psychological holding pattern. Transparency can lead to uncertainty and can be a momentum buster. Anne Wolfe - Some of this information needs to be held as state secrets. If the performance of the company starts to suffer due to uncertainty, it can have a negative impact on customers & the organization. Understand the culture inside the organization, keep this in mind when considering communication. When it comes to timing, figure that it will take longer than initially anticipated. Always remember, you still have a business to run. Consider the worst case scenario - what happens if the acquisition does not take place? Be prepared to adjust, and keep operating the company. When managing pipeline, you usually have multiple opportunities in play to help mitigate risk. When managing an acquisition, as you get further down the process your risk increases if you lose focus, and the deal falls apart. Be careful about over-communication, this can lead to speculation, and you may lose key people as a result of uncertainty. People will make up the story. The transition from you are "on a mission" to you are "in a role" can create significant conflict and risk. Be careful about taking the parts away from the golden goose, you may no longer have a goose. From the enterprise perspective, remember to take a holistic approach to integration. An integration strategy requires multiple perspectives. Do your job, deliver on your role, minimize distractions. Don't forget about your customers & your employees Minimize assumptions, and leverage the collective intelligence of the organization to minimize the impact of blindspots. Call to Action Share your personal experience with acquisitions either from the perspective of being the founder, an employee, or the acquiring company? We are actively increasing our engagement on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook, and look forward to hearing from you. Please share your questions, comments, and recommendations with us via twitter at @catalystsale or @simmons_m Show Links Catalyst Sale Twitter Mike Simmons Twitter LinkedIn Action Requested Help us and others by rating and reviewing the podcast. We would love to hear from your at hello@catalystsale.com or @catalystsale on twitter - what are some of the topics you would like to hear us address on a future podcast? Thank you Thank you for rating and reviewing the podcast via iTunes, Google Play, or your favorite podcast platform. Ratings & reviews help others discover the podcast - thank you for helping us get our message out to the community. Please send listener questions and feedback to hello@catalystsale.com or contact us directly on twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. Catalyst Sale Service Offerings Growth Acceleration - Plateau Breakthrough Product Market Fit ---------------------- Subscribe to the Catalyst Sale Podcast Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Google Play Catalyst Sale In every business, in every opportunity, there is someone who can help you navigate the internal challenges and close the deal. There is a Catalyst. We integrate process (Catalyst Sale Process), technology and people, with the purpose of accelerating revenue. Our thoughtful approach minimizes false starts that are common in emerging markets and high-growth environments. We continue to evolve our practice based on customer needs and emerging technology. We care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do. Sales is a Thinking Process.

Helping People Do Things Better - Learning, Sales, & Doing the Work This week Ryan Carson - Founder & CEO Treehouse joins us to discuss Learning, Sales, and Doing Work. Ryan continues to build and run his third startup, and according to him, you would have to kill him before he stopped working on his mission at Treehouse. He is passionate about helping people do things better. We discuss Ryan's background, why he started Treehouse, his experience with other startups, and what he's learned about sales now that he is leading the sales team. We also discuss hiring for behaviors over skills, and how learning happens. Questions Addressed What's broken in education? Where is the focus on innovation in education? How do you facilitate learning in a way that it makes an impact on the business? What is Ryan's story? How can you create leverage? What has Ryan learned about managing a sales team within Treehouse? When it comes to hiring - what does it mean to hire for behavior vs skills? How do people learn? Key Takeaways Those who are in education are the heroes, the challenges are with the system. Treehouse's focus is on helping those who are trying to get a job. In K-12 they are active in raising funds to support technology in classrooms (i.e. Chromebooks, Google Docs, etc) "What bearing does GPA have on our adult lives? - none" - Ryan We have moved into a world where trade jobs/skills are all of our jobs. Let's decouple success and happiness from the college degree. Do the math on the investment - make sure it is good to you. Start with building the project, and work backward. Entrepreneurs can be split into two categories - those who believe in their business or those who do not, and that makes all the difference. Ryan is driven to help people so that they can be happy - technology can provide this, if you learn how to use it and create with it. When you don't have leverage, you don't have leverage. Ryan's advice - Do not get into that position. You can't win in this scenario. You can't pretend that you have it. There is no hack, there is no shortcut, you have to build the thing. Jocko Willink - There is no shortcut, there is no system, there is no to-do list. The importance of sales enablement. As a founder - be the first sales person - identify the gaps - i.e. differentiating features, marketing collateral, leads, etc. - Do this, and build out the support that will enable your team. If you think you are bad at sales, go deeper. Ask, if you really believe in what you are selling. If you really believe in the problem you are solving. When interviewing start to ask for behavior, and get quiet, listen. Map the Skills. Break these down into Learning Units. Turn these into Courses. Roll the courses up into projects. We do not learn until we take a unit of learning, and rearrange it. Take the information and make it your own. Talent Path (Treehouse Program) - you need to learn to build things. Can you build it? Try to ignore all the hype, the fear of missing out - focus on things that you are passionate about. Show Links LinkedIn Twitter Instagram Treehouse Jocko Willink - There is no Shortcut, there is no system, there's no to-do list. Ryan's Blog Crypto Currency Ryan Blog TalentPath Call to Action If you are a founder, how are you building your sales acumen & experience? Let us know via twitter @catalystsale or email us directly. Please share your stories with us @catalystsale on twitter or via hello@catalystsale.com ---------------------- Thank you Ratings & reviews help others discover the podcast - thank you for helping us get the message out to the community. Please send listener questions and feedback to hello@catalystsale.com or contact us directly on twitter, facebook or LinkedIn. Catalyst Sale Service Offerings Growth Acceleration - Plateau Breakthrough Product Market Fit Catalyst Sale - Sales Fundamentals Training Program ---------------------- Subscribe to the Catalyst Sale Podcast Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Google Play Catalyst Sale In every business, in every opportunity, there is someone who can help you navigate the internal challenges and close the deal. There is a Catalyst. We integrate process (Catalyst Sale Process), technology and people, with the purpose of accelerating revenue. Our thoughtful approach minimizes false starts that are common in emerging markets and high-growth environments. We continue to evolve our practice based on customer needs and emerging technology. We care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do. Sales is a Thinking Process.