Many bad habits can hinder your goals — but the “most self-destructive” habit is so common, that you may not realize just how damaging it is. As human beings, we can’t help but to compare ourselves to others, and comparison is the deadliest thing we can do to ourselves because we will always come up short,” Simon Sinek,

Sales has always been a dynamic and evolving field. As we move further into 2024, we are seeing a continuation of this trend, with fresh methodologies, technologies, and strategies emerging at an unprecedented pace. Here, I delve into some of the most impactful sales trends of 2024 that are reshaping the way we connect, engage, and drive growth.

I first learned about the importance of this from the father of a woman I was dating. This woman was special, and I knew I wanted to marry her. First, I had to make it through the difficult conversation with her father. Fortunately, he gave his permission, along with some advice. He told me, "You need to learn to read her mind." When I replied I wasn't a mind reader, he repeated his advice but didn't elaborate.

Discussion of generative AI has maintained a fever pitch since OpenAI released ChatGPT-3.5 in late 2022. Many leaders’ instinct is to provide direction and codification when trying to drive adoption of new tools. This is particularly true in sales, a function rooted in processes, playbooks, scripts, and templates. However, driving adoption of generative AI as a new way of working — leading sellers toward creative use of generative AI, and helping them to use it as a coaching and learning aid — requires a very different approach. The author offers four steps to get you started.

One of the most fruitful (and enjoyable) things you can do is to prioritize being in relationships with people you enjoy. Even if none of them are or work directly with your target clients, they each represent hundreds, if not thousands, of people they know. And chances are, people within their network are, or work with, your ideal clients.

“You don’t know everything. And because you don’t know everything, you can’t be expected to have all the answers,” Li, a San Francisco-based executive coach, recently told LinkedIn’s “The Path” podcast. “When you can practice humility on a daily basis ... you can be open to a learner’s mindset and that is absolutely crucial.”

At its launch in October 1983, this influential software was known as Multi-Tool Word, and not long after, changed to Microsoft Word for Dos. Back then, there were more than 300 word-processing programs across multiple platforms. People of a certain age will remember WordStar or WordPerfect, yet in a little over a decade, Word eclipsed these rivals. By 1994.

The employee’s job recommendations were impeccable: glowing write-ups from former managers, and a handwritten note from a well-known CEO. And yet he applied for job after job and did not receive interview offers. Was it because he was 61 years old?

Leadership is no Sunday stroll in the park. It's more like a hike up a steep, rocky mountain, often in unpredictable weather. You'll face challenges that'll test you and moments that'll have you questioning if you're cut out for it. Whenever I deliver keynotes on leadership topics, I touch on the most critical aspect leaders need to become exceptional: You have to value your people.

What are customer needs? Answering that question may not always be easy – but it’s crucial for business success. After all, knowing what the customer wants is the starting point for creating winning products and services. Just as importantly, it’s the basis for forming long-lasting relationships. The State of the Connected Customer report reveals that 62% of customers expect businesses to anticipate their needs, and 73% expect companies to understand their unique needs and expectations.

In the age of social media, it’s not hard to picture what an engaged customer looks like. They’re the superfans liking and commenting on every post a brand puts out there. You know the ones; Apple, Disney, Starbucks, American Girl Dolls (for those of you with kids of a certain age), and so on. They’ve built a passionate base of engaged customers who’ll talk your ear off, online and in real life, about every ‘exciting’ new thing.

It is easy to get caught up in the importance of sales when you are running a business. After all, sales are the lifeblood of any business. However, the truth is that there are many other factors that contribute to the success of a business. Increasing sales is probably high on your list of priorities. But, if you want to build a successful business, there is another critical area that you cannot afford to ignore – financial management.

In managing customer relationships — or relationships with any key stakeholders — it is critical to manage the balance of power between the company and any one customer. This can be done by diversifying the customer base, understanding (and be willing to use) customer pressure points, and (in the case where a company is locked into a single key relationship) ensuring that the customer is as dependent on the company as the company is dependent on the customer.

A good leader will question everything. They will look at things from all angles and won't be afraid to ask tough questions in order to make better decisions. So today, I wanted to share some tips on how to ask better questions to grow your business faster and smarter. Asking questions is a great first step, but if you want to get ahead, you have to ask the right questions.

If we reward people for speaking their truth, we can create better and more productive workplaces. When people are afraid that something bad will happen to them because of their decision to speak up, in most cases, they won’t do it. And can we really blame them? This is, seemingly, leadership’s failure to foster the type of culture that encourages and rewards people for speaking up.

Managing emotions at the workplace can be a nightmare for leaders. When problems arise and tensions are at an all-time high, emotional outbursts cannot be avoided. It is essential that leaders and managers be aware of and able to deal with different emotions and the underlying reasons behind them. By understanding and acknowledging the role emotions play in the workplace, you can create a positive environment for your team and help them to excel at what they do.

Have you ever had to work or interact with someone who just sucked all your energy? Maybe you can't put your finger on exactly why, but just being in the same room as this person made you feel tired, irked, or uninspired? I think most of us would answer yes to this question (with a specific example or two leaping instantly to mind), and that apparently includes scientists, too.

According to data from Objective Management Group (OMG), which has assessed more than 2.4 million salespeople, 95% of the very best salespeople emphasize listening over talking, but more than half of the worst salespeople take the opposite approach, emphasizing talking over listening. While the primary skill to prioritize listening is asking good, timely questions, only 28% of all salespeople ask enough questions. Even worse, that drops to just 4% of the worst salespeople.

When I have an unreasonable customer, I have no problem encouraging them to do business elsewhere (again, after making reasonable attempts to satisfy them). The investment of time and emotional resources are often not worth trying to satisfy such a person. Better to lose one out of 50 customers--especially if that customer is taking 10 times the time and effort to deal with.

You hear about disruptions in industry, in tech, in art. Something or someone who comes along and makes the world abruptly shift, seemingly overnight. Well, there are disruptions in sales calls, too. Questions, actions, and behaviors that have the power to change the conversation and how the client sees you.