Performance

Taking Time Is Not Equal to Wasting Time

In our rush to embrace new technologies, are we unintentionally sacrificing human connection? We justify this trade-off with buzzwords like efficiency, speed, and quality, but I can’t help feeling that we’re losing something essential along the way. Sales management is a prime example. The more technology we adopt, the more mechanized the process becomes. We dissect the sales journey into […]

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Balancing Client Quantity and Revenue Quality in Business

This week, I had a fascinating discussion with a business owner about the size of a business and the balance between client quantity and revenue quality. The question was simple yet profound: Is it better to generate €2M with 18 clients, or €1.8M with just 10 clients? The answer, as with most things in business, […]

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The power of “I don’t know”

Sales has long been likened to a competitive sport, where dominance, expertise, and force are seen as the keys to success. But what if impactful selling isn’t about overpowering objections, but about redirecting and flowing with them? Drawing inspiration from the martial art of Aikido, we explore how embracing balance, agility, and empathy can redefine […]

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Montreux and AI

What does Montreux—a serene Swiss town nestled by Lake Léman—have to do with Artificial Intelligence? At first glance, nothing. But let me explain… Last week, I was invited to speak at a conference in Lyon about the transformative impact of AI on the sales profession. To frame my talk, I posed three essential questions: The audience […]

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Why Do We Only Build Sales Teams with Salespeople?

Reading Yes to the Mess by Frank J. Barrett sparked an intriguing thought: Would you build a football team with only defenders? Or a jazz band with only saxophonists? Of course not—it would be absurd. Even in business, you wouldn’t construct a finance team entirely from accountants. So, why do sales teams consist solely of […]

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Reclaiming Your Pace: Lessons from the Highway

ot too long ago, I found myself on the highway, eager to embrace the freedom of driving at my preferred speed of 140 km/h. I engaged my adaptive cruise control, excited for a smooth ride ahead. However, the experience didn’t unfold quite as I expected. As I cruised along, another car entered my lane...

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Sales Optimization vs Sales Maximization

Recently, I have come across a blog post of Seth Godin where he shares his insights about Maximization and Optimization.   It provoked a thought process and the question popped up almost instantly… How would that apply to sales ? Here it is…       1.   Maximization of Sales: A maximization mindset in sales focuses on driving […]

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Why Do Sales Teams Keep Repeating What We Know Fails?

  The persistence of ineffective sales behaviors, despite decades of research highlighting their shortcomings, remains a puzzling phenomenon. A survey by ASG of 1,231 buyers revealed that the most off-putting actions in cold outreach include pushing products over understanding customer problems (34%), being too aggressive (26%), refusing to accept a ‘no’ (24%), and coming across […]

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Sales Performance vs. Sales Results

  What if I tell you that your sales performance is not the same as your sales results? Every time I share this thought with a sales leader, I am often met with disbelief. Eyes wide open, they firmly disagree.   However, let me explain. Sales is a performance-driven profession, much like sports. You can […]

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