I like this quote: "An organization’s ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly, is the ultimate competitive advantage." - Jack Welch
I dug out the quote after listening to our client, Harold Johnson from Multi-Chem, talk about how they are executing their strategic account plans.
We just finished a session on strategic account management for a client. Once again we were reminded about the power of strategic planning.
In this session, we helped account managers develop a long-term plan for the mutual benefit of their selected customers, including setting goals. We asked them to think about goal-setting from three levels:
The account managers recorded their three goals. They discovered a collective 5X increase in value between their clear goals and their extraordinary goals. A 5X increase in their view of opportunity spurred a different set of thinking and dedication to creative strategies, plans, and actions.
Developing and working toward an extraordinary goal is a powerful motivator. Salespeople work better and smarter for outcomes they would not otherwise imagine.
We all need to know that the other party is listening to us--especially clients!
The guys that wrote the book, The Trusted Advisor, have a chapter dedicated to listening. They talk about three ways to demonstrate supportive and active listening. I thought they were worth sharing.
The authors go on to say that this kind of active listening draws out the speaker even more and lets him/her tell the whole story.