Speaker Spotlight - Mike Wagner
CEO, White Rabbit Group
Mike Wagner's business acumen has been developed through more than thirty years of experience with a number of organizations in a variety of industries. Over those years, it became clear that businesses with bottom line success have some very basic things in common: leaders focused around a vision and support from engaged employees.
Mike wears many "hats" for White Rabbit Group including speaker, facilitator, and business development lead. He has experience in a broad range of industries including web development, sales management, and consultative sales.
Here are the slides and a summary of his presentation from the 2012 Annual Conference:
o The change in today's agricultural marketplace means old sales formulas no longer work like they once did. Define the "mystery" you must solve in your marketplace!
o Your sales team is a reflection of your company's brand. Make sure their attitude and their aptitude are aligned. Coach the coachable, cut the one's who are not.
o The number 1 sales skill in today's market is the ability to "discover" customer needs. Insist your team learn how to lead customer interviews!
o You cannot coach a sales team without "game film." Debrief your team, travel with them, insist that everyone becomes a learner.
Coaching Your Sales Team presentation
Here are the 5 Change lessons from his exercise:
1. All change is uncomfortable. You are NOT changing if it doesn't feel awkward.
2. All change feels like loss. Even positive change means we are "losing" the way things were...remember people will need to "mourn" this loss.
3. All people are not at the same level of change readiness. Some respond to change more readily than others. Help those who struggle with the new ways.
4. Change requires resourcefulness of us in the face of fewer resources. When change comes we must create and innovate with what we have.
5. Change is a journey that must be managed. Remember everyone will want to go back to the way things were. Don't let them!