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BOLD GROWTH: FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LEADERS
Lessons from a Millennial Leader
When it comes to strong and innovative leadership, the Columbus Region has it in spades. One of the best venues for learning from our top leaders, I’ve found, is the Columbus Chamber’s “CEO Insights” series. Over the last year or so, I’ve attended a few of these quarterly events. And no matter the speaker, they never disappoint. The events are held in an intimate theater setting at Dawson, and it feels like a personal conversation with the guest of honor. Last week, CEO Insights featured Dan Creekmur, President of Columbia Gas of Ohio. This event gave me a peek into what drives him and has helped him become so successful. A few of the key leadership lessons I took away include: Be ready to do something completely new and different on your leadership path. Move between business units, disciplines, and experiences to make you a well-rounded leader and ready for the next level. Age really doesn’t matter....
Making a Leadership Impact
Our Founder and President, Amy Franko, has been travelling the country and inspiring people to become leaders of impact and influence. In her popular keynote address, Amy encourages others to look forward and consciously design our ripple effect of impact and influence. She also shares practical ways to apply this knowledge they continue on their leadership journeys. "No matter your title, your generation, or your background, leadership is a choice, and a way of operating in the world that sets you apart," Amy says. "When you connect with your inner leader, it allows you to show up in a more courageous and impactful way." Thanks to BDO and EXPRESS for hosting Amy recently. To learn more about Amy's keynote, Becoming a Leader of Impact and Influence, visit her speaking page or watch her videos.
One Word…
in·ten·tion·al inˈten(t)SH(ə)n(ə)l/ adjective done on purpose; deliberate. By Amy Franko I grew up loving words, and I know that they have power. I’ve learned (and continue to learn) that the most powerful words are the ones I use with myself. I can’t remember where I first came across this exercise, but for the past several years I’ve been doing what I call the “One Word.” Each January, I decide on the one word that I want to inspire and guide me for the year. For 2016, my word was “elevate.” As I reflect back, I’m proud to say that it was indeed a year of advancement. For the Impact Instruction Group business, we elevated our brand, with a new focus, new logo and new website. In elevating my passions and skills to the forefront of the business, I found a renewed sense of excitement and purpose. I also moved forward as a keynote speaker, speaking before my largest audience to date of over 600 people. To...
Tips for Traveling the Sales Enablement Highway
They say the road to success is always under construction. In the world of sales, that’s definitely the case. How can we keep driving forward? Sales enablement and effectiveness are the engine of a sales organization, and when executed well, they create an environment of productivity and success. Though they are often described interchangeably and do crossover, sales enablement and effectiveness could have different applications depending on the organization. Let’s start by laying a foundation of understanding of these terms. Below are definitions of what it means to create an environment of enablement and effectiveness: Enable: To make able, to make ready; to equip; to give competence, means, or ability; to empower Effect: The state of being operational; operation or execution; accomplishment or fulfillment I think of enablement as my highway, helping me get to the desired destination. Enablement is a...
Bridge the Gap Between Today’s B2B Seller and Customer
By Amy Franko I’m often asked what has made the greatest impact on my career and entrepreneurial trajectory. The answer is this: the ability to sell, to cultivate and close business. A passion for selling has always driven me. I began my selling career with IBM, and I’ve since parlayed that experience into other opportunities, both corporate and entrepreneurial. Of course, much has changed in the sales landscape in recent years. We are seeing shifts in our customers’ habits, processes, and expectations. In turn, we must change the way we approach selling. It affects roles across the organization: field sales, inside sales, pre- and post-sales, marketing, and sales leadership. In the current climate, our organizations’ success will be dependent on our ability to evolve. This article shares some of my observations on today’s B2B sales environment, a profile of the modern seller, and how the learning...
17 Inspiring Leadership Quotes to Kickstart 2017
It’s the start of a fresh, New Year. If you’re like many of us, you’ve maybe made a resolution or two that focuses on self improvement. I for one am always seeking to grow my leadership skills. That’s a year-long resolution that not only creates a positive impact for me, but also for my team, clients, fellow board members, and others that I serve. To inspire continual leadership growth and development, it’s helpful to learn from great leaders of the past and present. In this post I share a few of my favorite quotes to spark your leadership flame. The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves. Ray Kroc Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower. Steve Jobs If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve...
What Makes Winners in Sales? Preparation.
The will to win must be great, but the will to prepare to win must be greater. Pat Summitt I never met Pat Summitt, but I feel in many ways she impacted my life, my career, and my leadership aspirations. So many of the opportunities I enjoy today are because of courageous trailblazers like Pat. I loved her style, her fearlessness, and the way she won. But more than that, I admired her absolute willingness to prepare to win. No shortcuts. She knew that what made winners was preparation. The “win” is so often the end goal, right? Winning is the high-fiving glory after all of the hard work to get there. This is especially true in the sales profession. When we see a high-performing sales professional or leader who’s successful, it’s so easy to chalk it up to being an overnight success, getting a lucky break, or having the best territory. To be fair, sometimes that is the case. But more often than not,...
Real Talk: Amy Talks Sales, Leadership in New Podcast
What do you get when you combine two dynamic sales leaders? One inspiring podcast! Impact Instruction Group's Founder and President Amy Franko participated in the "Conversations with Phil" podcast to talk sales and leadership. Produced by Phil Gerbyshak, the regular podcasts share tips for helping to make organizations great. Phil is a is a speaker and a trainer, who delivers programs on the power of technology, social selling and connection. You can listen to the podcast on Phil's site.
For Lead Generation, the Magic is in the Follow Up
When you launch a lead generation campaign, do you have plans in place for follow up? I recently received a marketing piece from a local company that does wardrobe consulting. The piece sat in a stack of mail that was about two weeks old, and when I went through the stack it completely caught my attention. The package was a pretty envelope with my name and address handwritten. Inside were a well-designed brochure, a business card, and a hand-written note. The note came from a wardrobe consultant, congratulating me on an award I recently won. She offered me a consultation, and help selecting an outfit for the awards event. This approach obviously took time, creativity, and a personal touch. I was instantly interested and excited! I called her back at the number on her business card, got her voicemail, and left a message. I knew I was a bit late in responding, but with close to two weeks before the...
Think Like a CXO to Break Through to the C-suite
By Amy Franko When you think of the individuals with offices in the C-suite, what traits come to mind? For many, a list would include forward-thinking. Strategic. Competent. Action-oriented. Risk-taker. Relationship builder. As we in sales seek to reach decision makers in the C-suite, it’s critical that we keep these traits in mind. To gain access to the top, we must think like an executive, address challenges and provide solutions. In this article, my colleague Jen E Miller helps us determine the right decision makers and map a path to the C-suite. She also provides us with takeaways we can implement for immediate results. Somewhere, a CXO is seeking a solution you can provide. Read Jen’s blog now, and learn how you can sell to the C-suite like a pro.
Our Strategic Selling signature sales training program is now available online. This online sales learning program is ideal for professional services and B2B sales. Get started with 2 free lessons.
