The Cranky Middle Manager Show #311 Serial Innovators Claudio Feser
New Webinar Workshop: How to Conduct Great Web Demos and Sales Calls
Posted on 28. Sep, 2009 by Wayne in General
Conducting Great Web Demos and Sales Presentations Part 1 October 19th, 12:30 PM Central Time. Part 2 TBA ( October 21st depending on registration)
How confident are you that your sales team or demonstrators are converting demo opportunities into sales?
Are they selling value to the customer or just presenting features?
The reality might cost you big money.
Join us for this 2-part webinar workshop. In part 1, Participants will learn to:
- Understand what makes an effective online demo or sales presentation from the customer’s point of view
- Plan the demo to move the sale forward
- Open the demo so that it’s customer-focused
- Use a consistent format to present “Key Value Points”
- Pick up presentation tips to be more influential and effective
- Use planning tools and checklists to make your demos more consistent and effective
At Greatwebmeetings.com we believe training without proof you’ve learned is wasted money, so in Part 2 (48 hours after Session 1), participants will present a demo using these new skills to others in their group. Your registration fee consists of both sessions.
All participants receive a pre-program PDF packet of worksheets and analysis tools to use in planning their events.
About the presenter:
Wayne Turmel is the president of Greatwebmeetings.com and a recognized expert in the field of presenting and selling online. His books include “6 Weeks to a Great Webinar” and “Selling Power’s Trainer Tips” and his client include GE Global Marketing and The American Red Cross.
For questions about group rates and this program, click here for more details
The Cranky Middle Manager Show # 209 Leap with Rick Smith
Posted on 27. Sep, 2009 by Wayne in Podcast
Today Wayne Turmel talks to Rick Smith, Author of The Leap- How 3 Simple Changes Can Propel Your Career From Good to Great”. We also shamelessly plug some upcoming webinars, salute King David’s career plan and take a new assessment tool. Just another typical Cranky Middle Manager Show.
Rick Smith, author of The Leap joins us.
Don’t forget our upcoming webinar workshop: How to Create and Manage Remote Teams
September 30, North American version click here for info and to register
October 1, Asia/Pacific version click here for info and to register
New Webinar Workshop: How to Conduct Great Web Demos and Sales Calls Click here to register and get more information.
Show Notes
0:00 Welcome to the show. Today we dedicate this episode to King David of Judah and later of Israel Shepherd to King might seem a bit of a career leap but if you plan it right, anything is possible.
4:19 The quote of the week is from Ella Wheeler Wilcox who said that nothing can hinder the firm resolve of a determined soul. With poetry like hers, she should know.
4:50 Welcome Rick Smith to the show. Before we talk about our careers, we should define the difference between a job and a career. The job is the list of activities, the career is the longer journey. Clear now? Some of us set out to be managers, some have managership thrust upon them. Rick is one of them so he can relate.
8:54 So often the logical path might lead somewhere you don’t want to go, but you can “leap” to something else. Rick gives us his own story. Volunteer for things they’d never consider you for is a good start.
12:15 A good example of someone who embodies this is Silvia Lagnado who started Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty.
16:28 So what are the three myths that hold people back?
- I have to fix myself… that I have to change inside. What you really have to do is become more of who you really are
- You don’t need to go it alone…. Big selfless ideas attract a supportive team that will help you
- You don’t need to take dramatic risks…..
18:03 Rick talks about finding your “Primary Color”… it’s kind of a fun assessment tool You can take that test here. For the record I”m a ‘Purple Mountain Majesty” (Far left top corner) Big on curiosity and leadership, not so much with the execution.
24:40 Why is Curiosity such an important part of making “The Leap”?
Rick’s Resources
Tim Ferris’ Four Hour Workweek Blog
Penelope Trunk’s Brazen Careerist Blog
Leapbuilder.com for all Rick’s stuff
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #208 Just Listen- Marc Goulston
Posted on 20. Sep, 2009 by Wayne in General, Podcast
Today Wayne Turmel gets a return visit from Dr Mark Goulston about the importance of listening skills and how to develop them. Also, a shameless plug for a webinar workshop and a quote from Igor Stravinski. Why do Americans always giggle when they hear the name Igor?
Mark Goulston makes a return visit to the show
Don’t forget to support the show with your copy of 125 Quotes for Whacking Weasels.
Show Notes
0:00 Welcome to your oasis of sanity, The Cranky Middle Manager Show. No dedication this week, just an offer for you to attend our How to Create and Manage Remote Teams webinar workshop. Register early to save money.
Click here to learn about our Sept 30th North America/UK edition
Click here for the October 1st India/Asia/Australia edition
3:20 The quote of the week is from Igor Stravinski... do you listen or hear? One of them is no big deal.
3:55 Welcome to Marc Goulston, author of Just Listen- The Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone. Listening skills is one of those things everyone talks about and we seldom master. It’s really about putting your agenda aside. “The purest form of listening is to listen without memory or desire”. Dang I like that one.
8:38 These skills work on large and small scales, including the FBI hostage negotiators he trains. He shows us a great way to check for understanding, even if I sometimes feel a bit patronized.
13:39 It’s hard to put aside our own agendas when listening but the impact is huge. He gives us a great way to position an order so that people don’t immediately push back. Science shows us you can’t argue someone into changing their mind… it’s that darned mirror neuron receptor deficit. Check out this article in the Huffington Post. He tells a great story at that point.
20:30 The ability to clearly analyze the situation and respond appropriately in the moment takes courage. You can do what you need to do, though. People don’t like being lumped with people exhibiting the same behavior. Maybe it’s not that they’re lazy or stupid, they might need training or just more hours in a day.
23:56 How do you re-start a relationship with someone who doesn’t think you’re a good listener? How do you let someone know you’re really trying to change your ways? It helps if you have an event that shakes you up. He brings up Marshall Goldsmith and What Got You Here Won’t Get You There. (You can hear that interview here)
Marc’s Resources
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #207 Project Management Across Distances- Deasun O Conchuir
Posted on 13. Sep, 2009 by Wayne in General, Podcast
Today we talk about Managing Projects across the miles with author and expert Deasun O Conchuir. Continuing the Gaelic state of mind we salute the beleaguered project manager of Hadrian’s Wall and you can avoid some of those problems by taking our How to Create and Manage Remote Teams webinar workshop.
Deasun O Conchuir talks to us about managing across distances.
If that’s important to you, check out our How to Create and Manage Remote Teams webinar workshops.
For the September 30th workshop for North America, click here
For the October 1 workshop for India/Asia/Australia click here
Show Notes
0:00 Welcome our guest Deasun O Conchuir of Scatterwork. Since he’s our first Gaelic speaking guest, it seemed an opportune time to dedicate the show to the poor schmuck who had to fight the Scots on behalf of Rome, Aulus Platorius Nepos. His fate as project manager awaits us all if we don’t take care of the details and keep our teams together.
3:18 The quote of the week is from GK Chesterton. How would you define your pet project. Are you constructing or creating?
4:15 Welcome Deasun O Conchuir. Project management is one of the 4 Disciplines of Highly Effective, Leadership Exhibiting, Project Nailing Managers. Managing projects across distance involves language, culture, context and lots of other stuff it’s hard to do. Lots of practical examples today.
6:55 Why does it matter if you can meet face to face since we’re all professionals and such is life? It has to do with brain chemistry as much as anything else. Brain chemistry and project management, you don’t get that connection just anywhere. That’s what this show does best.
9:20 Avoiding chitchat and personal time seems like a good idea but it leads to bad assumptions and miscommunication.
12:30 Sometimes you have to take the time to make concepts clear to a remote team. Roles may differ from place to place even if you don’t know it. Lots of cross cultural examples.Yes, there’s a thin line between stereotype and observation, hopefully we’re on the right side of it.
16:00 When do you check assumptions and when can you assume everything is okay. You want to avoid Wile E Coyote moments. I assume everything is okay unless told differently. Apparently I’m wrong.
Cultural norms create all kinds of unintentional problems.
23:27 Communicating with your own team members is easier than getting them to communicate with each other. Recognition and sharing “wins” is really important.
What’s also important is making sure you share everyone’s objectives so they know who does what with which and to whom. Good specification is important and small teams.
27:00 What tools does Deasun like? Sharepoint is a good one when they use it well, but bits and pieces of different tools work well. Facebook is a simple way to help people get to know each other, IM works and it doesnt’ have to be but it’s quick. Also, Basecamp is a cool tool.
Other Resources