Ideas

These (and other) social networks are having a more powerful impact for small business organizations than for huge ones....

Our nation's economy is fragile. Soon, we could reach the point of maximum vulnerability. The mass media spins rhetoric to distract us from the truth when their role should be to educate us about how to navigate through these financial rapids.

Dale had just come out of a four-day sales training program his company had sponsored for its top performers. This was heady stuff. He'd learned how to apply Sun Tzu's "Art of War" – about ancient Chinese warfare – to modern day competitive engagement in selling.

Vistage/TEC speaker Sam Manfer really hits the nail on the head on the subject of closing sales quickly....

You may have an unauthorized profit sharing plan at your business. A 2008 report by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners revealed that $994 billion dollars were lost to fraud by employees.

Question: "My company is trying to develop a performance management framework based on a competency model we established...

It's tough to be in sales right now. Budgets are tight. Competition is stiff. While the economy is showing signs of improvement, companies are still wary about spending money. Now more than ever, you need a competitive edge to be a top sales performer. What's yours?

Before launching my training and consulting practice, I worked for three Fortune 50 corporations, each ranked No. 1 in their respective markets.

This column has always been about shedding traditional ways of selling. More specifically, I have encouraged salespeople to reinvent themselves by adopting what I call a "business resource mindset."

It's still early in the year, so it's only fair for CEOs, company presidents and executive leaders to ask: what things do we know for sure about 2010, and what's really just pure speculation?