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The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

Kate Rehling

Kate Rehling

Recent Posts by Kate Rehling:

Valued and Recognized: The Key to a Motivated Sales Team

Valued and Recognized

It takes a unique set of talents to be successful in B2B sales. People who are naturally self-motivated and have a strong desire to win consistently outperform the rest.

But here’s the catchthese same people are those who crave recognition for their performance the most.

Recognition isn’t just “nice to have;” but a crucial element in boosting employee motivation and job satisfaction. Consistent recognition can be the key to unlocking each of your team members’ full potential.

Topics: motivation

Red Flag or Green Light? Deciphering the Signals Your Candidate Sends

Red Flag or Green Light Deciphering the Signals Your Candidate Sends

Navigating through the selection process to find the next strong addition to your team can feel like navigating through an obstacle course.

The direction that seems like a safe bet may be mired with hidden traps. The direction that makes your internal “red flags” go up could be just as dangerous, though. How do you know what the right decision is?

Let’s walk through some common “red flags” and “green lights” hiring managers experience with candidates. They may not always be what they appear to be.

Topics: hiring salespeople

Is the HiPPO Stifling Your Team’s Creativity?

Is the HiPPO Stifling Your Team’s Creativity

In species terms, a hippo is the world’s third largest mammal, but in business terms, a hippo refers to the Highest Paid Person’s Opinion.

Have you ever been in a meeting where people ask for opinions, but no one speaks up until the HiPPO in the room speaks? Or maybe you’ve been the HiPPO in the room, and everyone’s simply always agreed with everything you’ve said. When the HiPPO dominates the conversation, other team members' ideas and perspectives can be overshadowed.

Topics: leadership

5 Important Lessons Every Hiring Manager Needs to Learn

5 Important Lessons Every Hiring Manager Needs to Learn

Have you ever hired someone who seemed perfect on paper, but ended up being a terrible fit for your team? What about someone who blew you away during the interview process, but then turned out to be a totally different person once you brought them on board?

If we each had a crystal ball to gaze into, the hiring process would be so much easier. Instead, hiring the wrong person is oftentimes a tough learning experience.

Here are five important lessons every hiring manager needs to learn. Keep reading to avoid learning them the hard way!

Topics: recruitment

Finding the Right Fit: A Sales Manager’s Approach to Cultural Alignment in Recruitment

Finding the Right Fit

Picture your sales team working together like a well-oiled machine. They collaborate effectively, support each other without question, celebrate every success with enthusiasm, and, of course, they close a lot of deals.

Now, imagine adding a new member to this tight-knit group who has top talent, skills, and experience on paper but clashes with the team. He doesn’t collaborate well, wants all of the recognition for himself, and blames mistakes on others. Suddenly, the harmony is disrupted, and chaos threatens to unravel the team you’ve worked hard to build. But he looked like a great fit on paper, right?

Finding the right fit goes beyond skills and experience —it's about cultural alignment. In today's fiercely competitive business landscape, cultural alignment in recruitment has become more than just a buzzword; it's a strategic necessity.

Topics: hiring salespeople hiring for culture fit

Your Employer Brand Matters: A Sales Manager’s Perspective on Recruitment Marketing

Your Employer Brand Matters

It can be tough to find top talent! Not only do you have to find that talented person, you also have to convince them to come on board with your organization. Why should they choose you over the other competitors?

As a sales manager, you have the task of finding the best candidates who can drive revenue and help your business grow. Your employer brand can make a big difference. A strong employer brand not only helps you stand out from the competition but also attracts the right candidates who align with your company's vision and goals.

Topics: branding recruitment

Transforming Words into Profits: Harnessing the Power of Storytelling to Motivate Your Sales Team

Harnessing the Power of Storytelling to Motivate Your Sales Team

Think back to the last time you were truly moved by a story you heard. Maybe it was a heartwarming tale that tugged on your emotions. It could have been a story about overcoming impossible adversity. Maybe it was even a tragic tale of loss and redemption. Whatever the case may be, stories have a unique power to evoke emotion and connect us with others.

Most ideas are presented using data. While data has the potential to persuade people, stories have the power to move people.

Storytelling isn’t just limited to books and movies. It is a powerful and underutilized tool that can help you achieve your business goals. Whether you're trying to motivate your team, connect with prospects and customers, or win the close, try tapping into the power of storytelling.

Topics: leadership

5 Ways to Grow Your Sales Leadership Talents

5 Ways to Grow Your Sales Leadership Talents

We consistently talk about the importance of growing and developing others. It’s a vital part of any leadership role. But as a leader, while you’re busy helping others grow their talents, are you still nurturing yours?

When you focus on growing a talent, you can improve performance by up to ten times. Don’t just help your team take advantage of their potential. Take advantage of your potential as well.

Here are five things you can do right now to nurture and grow your sales leadership talents.

Topics: 360 coaching

6 Things You Can Do to Better Coach Your Sales Team

6 Things You Can Do to Better Coach Your Sales Team

It’s common knowledge that professional athletes who reach peak performance no longer need coaching, right?

Wrong.

Even top-performing athletes still have coaches because there’s always room for improvement. Coaches observe what athletes can’t see – athletes are too busy playing!

The same can be said for your sales team. Coaching helps your team members by boosting their confidence, improving their performance, and helping them see things they’re unable to see – they’re too busy selling!

But coaching isn’t always easy. If it were, we wouldn’t have Jim Mora’s famous “playoffs” rant or the iconic moment when Lou Piniella yanked up first base and heaved into right field. Coaching takes time, patience, and consistent dedication. Sometimes, you may even feel like you're running out of ideas to coach your team effectively.

If that happens, don't worry. We've got you covered. Here are six things you can start doing right now to better coach your sales team and help them reach their full potential.

Topics: 360 coaching

Your Employees are Burned Out – Here’s How You Can Save Them

Your Employees are Burned Out

The dreaded condition - burnout. It creeps through your office like a slow fog. It’s easy to miss at first, but once burnout sets in, it’s nearly impossible to navigate forward. A recent study by Gallup found that 70% of employees either sometimes or often feel burned out at work.

Burnout isn’t just “needing a break” from work. It’s a state of chronic job stress that results in overall frustration, exhaustion, and defeat.

One burned-out employee leads to another. And worse – burnout can lead to turnover…which can lead to additional burnout in your remaining employees. As a manager, it’s up to you to recognize the signs of burnout and ensure you have practices in place to prevent it from taking over.

Topics: employee burnout