Creating Leaders | SeibCo, LLC

Can you make six-figures in sales?

July 29, 2015 by Jeannette Seibly

Yes, if it’s the right career for you.

According to a Glassdoor Blog, some of the highest paying jobs are in sales!

Sales people are the backbone of any company — they are instrumental in making or breaking the success of any product and service the company provides. However, before you fly onto the job boards to find a job in sales, conduct a critical analysis of your thinking style, core behaviors and occupational interests by using a qualified career fitness assessment*. Know upfront, and objectively, whether or not you have what it takes to sell and the type of company that will help you succeed. Remember, many sales people fail to achieve 6-figure incomes due to poor job fit and the unwillingness to develop the discipline required.

How do you find the right job for you in sales?

Step 1: Determine if sales is the right career path for you. Are you able to “sell” by “closing a sale” on a consistent basis? Do you possess similar traits that highly successful sales people have? This can only be ascertained by using a qualified career fitness assessment* and looking at your past sales metrics.

Step 2: Find the right type of sales position. There is a BIG difference between handling incoming orders vs. finding sales opportunities through cold calling and networking contacts. Don’t forget to investigate customer service, marketing and account executive/manager type jobs that may provide better job fit and are normally paid hourly or salary plus commission. Be sure you have the required interests in the product or services, willingness to learn the company systems, excellent people skills and discipline to consistently network. Success in these jobs requires lots of patience, follow-up and follow-through when answering questions, educating customers, and resolving system/product/service issues.

Step 3. Armed with your career fit information, research the industry, company’s culture, and types of products/services offered. Clarity, based upon feedback from your career fit assessment*, will let you know if you have the level of competitiveness, tact and team attitude required. Also, determine if the pay structure (e.g., straight commission vs. base + commission; and, type of bonuses and other perks) works for you. If you are risk-adverse, be sure the base is bigger than the potential commission.

Step 4. Know the company’s hiring practices. Beware that many companies do a poor job of hiring anyone, particularly in sales. Too often hiring managers rely on the candidates’ ability to sell themselves, tell them what they want to hear, and look the part! Being offered the job does not guarantee a six-figure income. You may or may not fit the culture or job requirements.

To increase the probability of succeeding if you are hired, spend time networking for insider information (not found on the Internet) before the interview and conduct your due diligence during the interview(s) by preparing good questions. (For help, read Chapter 12 in the book, It’s Time to Brag! Career Edition, http://Time2Brag.com) Remember to ask about training programs and on-going coaching to help you develop your skills in lead generation, relationship building, prospecting, and closing techniques. If the job is offered, be willing to say, “No, thank you.” if it doesn’t appear to be a good career fit for you. Be honest – taking the job and losing it makes it harder to find the next one.

Ask yourself the most important question.

Do I want a job and career where I will be happy and satisfied? If the answer is yes, studies have shown that you are more likely to be happier and more satisfied when your job responsibilities fit you. The truth is, many times sales people job hop, or are laid off because they were unable to meet monthly or quarterly quotas, or due to territory or company restructuring. Finding the right career (whether or not in sales) will provide greater financial rewards in the long-run. There are no short-cuts to getting rich quickly. Expect to put in the time, learn the company, industry, product/service, and develop long-term relationships regardless of the job.

*The solution to determining career fitness.

The Pathway Planner^TM uses the same assessment information (based upon the world’s largest validation and reliability studies) that thousands of companies use to hire. (Contact http://SeibCo.com/contact.) This educational and career planning tool helps people discover what career possibilities best suit them at any age (16++). The key, like anything, is taking action and learn about different career paths that may fit. SeibCo provides the how-to-do-it in the book, It’s Time to Brag! Career Edition, (Time2Brag.com). This book also includes networking and interviewing advice for success.

To get career fit, contact SeibCo today: http://SeibCo.com/contact

To purchase the book, “It’s Time to Brag! Career Edition” go to: http://Time2Brag.com

For companies wishing to improve their hiring processes, go to: http://SeibCo.com/contact

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning and internationally recognized business advisor. For the past 23 years, she has helped thousands of people work smarter, enjoy financial freedom, and realize their dreams now. She has an uncanny ability to help her clients identify roadblocks, and help them focus to quickly produce unprecedented results. Each client brings their own unique challenges, and her gift is helping each one create their success in their own unique way. Along the way, with her commitment, she helped create three millionaires.

Does the quality of your presentations elicit the best?

July 28, 2015 by Jeannette Seibly

It’s critical for leaders (and those aspiring to be leaders) to learn the skills required to conduct high quality presentations and facilitate well-run meetings. It not only reflects on you professionally, it also builds a positive reputation for your company, department and team. Developing the right skills helps you attract clients and team members that want to work with you, receive promotions and pay increases, and build new career opportunities. One of the most important indicators of professional success (regardless of your occupation) is your ability to speak, listen and share the spotlight in a way that elicits the best from others.

Practice the right things, the right way.

Developing excellent skills takes consistent practice of the right things, the right way. For example, continuing to practice the piano playing the wrong notes, will not improve your ability to play the right notes when it counts – at a recital or in a competition. While learning presentation and facilitation styles may not seem important when you are young or in your current profession, consider taking the time now so you don’t miss golden opportunities to accelerate your leadership growth.

4 Key Behaviors that Make a Difference

Practice is required for all endeavors, and developing excellent presentation and facilitation skills is required in many jobs. When preparing for a presentation, write down an outline of the key points and practice in front of a mirror. Ask for feedback from others, before and after the program. Winging it usually means you don’t understand the importance of engaging an audience — remember you may not get a second chance to cause a favorable impression, win the contract or resolve a company issue.

Discipline is created by following a structure that works and by scheduling repetitive practice, on a consistent basis. Attending Toastmasters is one example. It provides the opportunity to learn and practice the right skills – it also teaches proper etiquette for managing the stage, room, podium, handouts, seating, mic, etc. Developing a style that works for you and engages everyone in your audience is the ultimate goal.

Coach-ability is very important. Thinking you know-it-all (so you don’t have to practice or listen to others’ suggestions) will quickly impede your progress. Welcome the feedback from others and consider it valuable. Hire a coach, attend a workshop, and ask your boss or co-worker to critique you –you’ll be surprised by the progress you make by being coachable.

Learn from your mistakes. Shake it off when you make a mistake, apologize if needed and move on. Most people won’t even know you made a mistake – however, there will be some mistakes that are not as easily overlooked (e.g., using a four-letter word, gossiping, etc.). After your presentation or meeting, take time to identify two areas of improvement with your coach. Don’t forget to solicit feedback from the organizer of the event, by asking “What worked?” and “What didn’t work or could have been better?” When conducting training programs, written evaluations can be helpful to ensure the main points and concerns were addressed. Remember, one bad review doesn’t mean you did a bad job! However, pay attention when you have had several similar comments.

Again, as a leader, it’s up to you to elicit the best from your audiences — employees, industry professionals and others. It requires disciplined practice, coach-ability and learning from your mistakes in order to conduct well-received presentations and facilitate well-run meetings.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2015

Jeannette Seibly is a business advisor who creates million-dollar results for business owners and executives of $5MM to $30MM enterprises. Along the way, she has guided the creation of three millionaires. http://SeibCo.com

Learn how-to sell yourself, your products and services, It’s Time to Brag! (http://Time2Brag.com)

What do I really want to do for a job?

July 8, 2015 by Jeannette Seibly

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?’

‘That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,’ said the Cat.

‘I don’t much care where -‘ said Alice.

‘Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,’ said the Cat.

‘- so long as I get SOMEWHERE,’ Alice added as an explanation.

‘Oh, you’re sure to do that,’ said the Cat, ‘if you only walk long enough.”

― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Many remember this story from the book, Alice in Wonderland. Unfortunately, even when people “walk long enough,” looking for the right job – they still don’t find careers that make them happy, productive and successful. Why? We base our career or job choices on lack of information or misinformation and fail to do what we need to do to get somewhere we want to go.

Example: A young woman graduated from college with a degree in architecture. She declared that as her major because a copy of Architectural Digest was on the table, next to her chair, in the counselor’s office. She graduated and quickly found work. She loved the paycheck and hated the job! After many unfortunate attempts to find a job she enjoyed, she called me, her coach. By working together and using the appropriate tools, very quickly, she found out she wanted to be a math teacher. She had resisted this career path since her dad had suggested she pursue being a math teacher! (Parents are not always right – but, they are not always wrong either!) She did the work to get a teaching certificate and has been an exceptional math teacher because she loves what she does!

The reality is 63 to 79 percent of employees are in jobs that don’t fit them! They feel trapped and their productivity, job satisfaction and upward career mobility are limited. The truth? We don’t develop the practice or discipline to use the current job as a stepping stone. Instead, we hate what we do and fail to learn the basics required to succeed in any profession.

Your career path does matter! Find work and job options that interest you. Studies show that if you have the interests, core behaviors and thinking styles that fit, you are much more likely to succeed!

The solution: the Pathway Planner^TM uses the same assessment information (based upon the world’s largest validation and reliability studies) that thousands of companies use to hire with predictive success. (For further information, contact http://SeibCo.com/contact)

This educational and career planning tool helps you discover what career possibilities best suit you at any age (ages 16+). The key (like anything) is to get into action! Read through your results and learn about different career paths that may work for you. Next, investigate the realities of those types of occupations by networking. As opportunities in those professions open up for you, prepare for a job-winning interview.

SeibCo provides the how-to-do-it in the book, It’s Time to Brag! Career Edition, (Time2Brag.com). To get started, contact SeibCo today: http://SeibCo.com/contact

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning and internationally recognized business advisor. For the past 23 years, she has helped thousands of people work smarter, enjoy financial freedom, and realize their dreams now. She has an uncanny ability to help her clients identify roadblocks, and help them focus to quickly produce unprecedented results. Each client brings their own unique challenges, and her gift is helping each one create their success in their own unique way. Along the way, with her commitment, she helped create three millionaires.

Successful Leaders Share the Spotlight

July 7, 2015 by Jeannette Seibly

Every generation of leaders likes to believe they invented the newest and most effective way to manage people, build profitable companies, and “build a better mousetrap.” The reality? We don’t do it alone. The achievements of our businesses, inventions, and other ideas are an outcome of effectively working with and through others to achieve the intended results.

True leaders are humble and take great care of their teams. They set aside their egos, hubris, and other personality impediments to pave the pathway forward to open new doors and achieve their intended results. If they’ve made a lot of money, they share it appropriately. If they created a lot of press, they generously brag about others’ contributions. (http://TimeToBrag.com)

Why are these traits important?

When you understand that your success stands on the shoulders of your mentors, Board of Directors, business advisors, bosses, and team members, you become humble knowing you didn’t go it alone. This awareness makes it easier for others to want to work with you and share their knowledge and experiences, since it’s not all about you.
It’s never solely your idea or creativity that makes the system or product work. Sharing the credit works wonders for current and future undertakings. Asking the right questions, listening and building upon ideas, and making available (or creating) the required resources are key traits of leaders. They ensure others stick with you during the design, launch, and refinement processes of your projects. Also, they are less likely to bolt when things may not go well.
Documentation of your process, including charts and graphs, helps others visually understand the progress. They can then see potential glitches and possible solutions, and not rely on any overly optimistic feelings of triumph you might have. Documentation also provides a foundation for you, and them, to build on for the next venture.

Remember, share the spotlight. That will help you build on previous successes and learn from past failures to create the next victory.

©Jeannette L. Seibly, 2013-2015

Need to transform your leadership practices? Contact me before it’s too late! http://SeibCo.com/contact

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning and internationally recognized business advisor. For the past 23 years, she has helped thousands of people work smarter, enjoy financial freedom, and realize their dreams now. She has an uncanny ability to help her clients identify roadblocks, and help them focus to quickly produce unprecedented results. Each client brings their own unique challenges, and her gift is helping each one create their success in their own unique way. Along the way, with her commitment, she helped create three millionaires.

8 Requirements to Be a Successful Professional!

June 23, 2015 by Jeannette Seibly

As you advance in your career, or climb up the corporate ladder, it’s important to learn to be open to new ideas and people. Unfortunately, we love to judge others, often too quickly and negatively. As a result, we lose our effectiveness and close the doors to new opportunities.

Success is an inside job and requires improving your people skills. Developing these skills takes time, practice and discipline, and will enable you to work with and through others to achieve your goals, develop an amazing team, become competitive, and improve your company’s bottom line.

8 Key Requirements:

Do what you say you’ll do on time and as promised. Apologize when you “drop the ball.” Then, adjust your attitude and systems to ensure you’re not continually “dropping the ball.”
Develop the discipline to do the right things the right way. Remember, your decisions will impact today’s situation — and tomorrow’s too.
Get to know what is of interest and/or concern to your customers, internal and external. (This includes your boss and Board of Directors!)
Learn to listen to new ideas and new ways of achieving results.Great ideas can “erupt” from anyone, at any time – if you’re open to hearing them!
Respect everyone on the team regardless of his/her opinions and/or personality. Stop negatively judging others because of how they speak, how they present their ideas or how they disagree with you. Everyone can be a contribution to your success, if you’re open to learning from them and value their input.
Acknowledge others for their time, efforts and contributions. Make it a practice to say “Please” & “Thank You.” (A disappearing courtesy that needs to be revived.)
Keep confidences. (Hint: Sharing secrets and gossiping are two of the fastest ways to sabotage your career.)
Forgiveness. Take the time to forgive others, and, more importantly, yourself. Learn from your mistakes and theirs too! Success is an on-going process, not a one-time event.

Successful people have learned these 8 key requirements, and use them to advance professionally.

Need to transform your management practices? Contact me before it’s too late! http://SeibCo.com/contact

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning and internationally recognized business advisor. For the past 23 years, she has helped thousands of people work smarter, enjoy financial freedom, and realize their dreams now. She has an uncanny ability to help her clients identify roadblocks, and help them focus to quickly produce unprecedented results. Each client brings their own unique challenges, and her gift is helping each one create their success in their own unique way. Along the way, with her commitment, she helped create three millionaires.

[contact-form][contact-field label=’Name’ type=’name’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Email’ type=’email’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Website’ type=’url’/][contact-field label=’Message’ type=’textarea’/][/contact-form]

Three Styles that Will Ensure You’re Doomed as an Executive!

June 9, 2015 by Jeannette Seibly

Growing a business requires developing your people! Without them, you are doomed to fail as an executive! To be successful and effective, you must be able to elicit the best in others and focus on what’s important.

Three styles that will doom your effectiveness:

Failure to motivate. While you cannot motivate others that are unwilling to move forward in their careers, you still have the responsibility to offer them opportunities. Laser-like coaching can make a positive impact. Remember, you’re responsible for each team member’s success. When you believe in each person — even when they don’t believe in him- or herself — unprecedented results can occur.
Assess blame. While you are busy finding fault with others, they are busy doing the same! Taking responsibility trumps blame every time! Hold yourself and others accountable for results, as a team. Remember, straight talk, not what you believe others want to hear, is the key to moving forward together.
Micromanage the team. When you become a cog in the wheel of progress, mischief happens. The wheel breaks down. Focus on the results and trust your people to get their jobs done well. Spot check by asking the right questions to ensure systems are being followed and updated when necessary. While it’s important to keep your eyes on the goal, having a well-trained team that takes focus action is also critical for success.

By developing your ability to effectively manage and motivate others, you and your employees will flourish and thrive.

©Jeannette L. Seibly, 2015

Need to transform your management practices? Contact me before it’s too late! http://SeibCo.com/contact

Jeannette Seibly is an internationally recognized business advisor. For the past 23 years, she has helped thousands of people work smarter, enjoy financial freedom, and realize their dreams now. She has an uncanny ability to help her clients identify roadblocks, and help them focus to quickly produce unprecedented results. Each client brings their own unique challenges, and her gift is helping each one create their success in their own unique way. Along the way, with her commitment, she helped create three millionaires.

Build a Strong Business by Working Smarter

June 2, 2015 by Jeannette Seibly

As a business owner or executive, you can be very busy juggling the demands of day-to-day business operations, customer needs, and family and community commitments. However, you also need to focus on building a strong business by working smarter. That will create opportunities for more fun, more money and more freedom!

Follow these 5 key practices:

1) Handle challenges as they occur. Putting them off and hoping they’ll go away rarely works. You will actually create more work the longer you wait. Remember, a mole hill will turn into a mountain if not handled in a timely and appropriate manner.

2) Listen well the first time. Most of us are poor listeners. Not listening will create more work when we don’t deliver on what clients want, internally and externally. Although it may take more time, when you slow down and truly listen, it will make life easier and reduce your workload.

3) Hire right the first time. You and your team will need to work harder if you have the wrong person in the job. Use a strategic process and qualified assessment tools. While they may seem expensive, they are not. A bad hire can cost the company 2.5% of the annual gross wage for that person (and may not include numerous intangible costs). Unfortunately, many small businesses have had to close their doors simply because they did not know how to hire right. (http://BizSavvyHire.com)

4) Follow-up and Follow-through. After networking, take 10 minutes and send everyone you met a “thank you” email or card. If you promised material or a call, do it now! Waiting may lose you customers, both current and future.

5) Honor expectations. A couple of examples that business owners need to honor: a) Arrive 5 minutes early for all meetings — if you’re late, you’ll need to work harder to get people to trust you. b) Manage your business with good financial data — use Generally Accepted Accounting Practices. Failure to do so may result in a time-consuming IRS audit. What else can you think of?

Working smarter does not mean working harder. Follow the above 5 practices and you will grow your business and enjoy the rewards.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2015

Need to transform your management practices? Contact me before it’s too late! http://SeibCo.com/contact

Improve Your Results

April 27, 2015 by Jeannette Seibly

It’s more important than ever to stay on-course in your business or career, particularly when things don’t seem to be happening as fast you would like. While modifications may be required, making changes without clarity is not a wise course of action. Remember the fable of the tortoise and the hare? While the hare was faster, he wasn’t able to sustain his activities. The tortoise kept going. Steady and straight. He won!

3 keys to improve your results:

Know Thyself. You can build faster and stronger results using your strengths (remember, every weakness has a strength and every strength has a weakness). Although, many people like to think they know themselves — it’s hard to see yourself from others’ perspectives. To get a true picture of yourself, use your coach, a highly qualified assessment tool and a qualified 360-feedback assessment. These tools will provide clarity on how you interact with others and your effectiveness in managing projects. (Note: Highly qualified assessments require quantifiably higher validity, accuracy and reliability than most products in the market.)

Set Compelling Goals. Many business professionals make pie-in-the-sky goals or set goals too small – neither of these will get you the results you want. Not only are your results unlikely to happen, they create unnecessary stress for you and your employees. Also, it can create needless financial expenditures and loss of energy.

Make goals realistic, do-able and quantifiable. Work with your business advisor to ensure you’re on the right track, moving forward strategically and tactically, while measuring the right key indicators.

Create Focused Action. This is the key to success. Too often we set goals and forget to set up structures to fulfill these goals. Beware, busy work does not equal focused action! Work with your executive coach to ensure you’re working smarter and taking the necessary focused steps each day. Putting everything off will not help you attract new clients or the results you desire.

I specialize in straight talk with immediate results. With proactive and extensive “people” management experience, I have been particularly successful in coaching and training business owners, their executives and managers, to achieve unprecedented results by working with and through others. Get my copy of “We all fail! How can we use failure to create greater success?” http://ow.ly/Kp34R

Would you allow 2 miles or 2 minutes to get in the way of achieving your results?

April 21, 2015 by Jeannette Seibly

Unfortunately, many of us do. We are afraid to ask for help or clarification on a project, or get a reality check on an idea. We won’t ask for directions on how to get to a meeting. We don’t plan or prepare for meetings, rationalizing we are too busy. After a networking meeting, we don’t take two minutes to connect via email or LinkedIn. These lost opportunities cost companies millions!

A true story! When someone was late for a meeting due to lack of planning on where the restaurant was located, they simply gave up. They didn’t use technology (411 (directory assistant), GPS, or MapQuest). The restaurant was only 2 miles away!

Question: Would you work with someone who gave up so easily? What opportunities were lost?

Answer: We’ll never know!

Get in focused action. Stop rationalizing why you don’t want to or shouldn’t have to! These excuses take the same amount of energy and time as getting into action! The question to ask yourself: What is the best use of my time? Now write down a brief outline of what needs to be done and take the first step.

Ask for advice. You look competent when you ask others for their opinions. It shows you wish to solve an issue, move forward to complete a stopped project, or get where you are going. The key is to take the recommendations and follow-through – these few minutes will set you apart from your competition.

Ask the right questions up front. Working smarter means asking for clarification (e.g., timeframe, budget, important information) at the beginning of a project or a plan to resolve any challenges. It takes less than two minutes to ask, and saves mega-time, money and frustration.

A critical question to ask: What needs to happen for this project to be completed on time and within budget while achieving the necessary goals and outcomes? Yes, the response may take 20 minutes. (Hint: 20 minutes now vs. 20+ hours later)

Plan ahead for 100% success. Plan for breakdowns and pitfalls. They are a reality. When they do happen, do not allow them to stop you. That is what speed dial and social media connections are for — ask your network for input, be responsible for any confidential issues. Meet with your business advisor or coach (or retain one) to clarify what the true issue is. (Hint: If the issue persists, you haven’t gotten to the source of the problem and taken the right actions required to resolve it. Keep digging.)

Taking the two minutes or driving the two miles will make you unstoppable, and have you create unprecedented results!

It can be lonely at the top! An experienced business advisor, always accessible and at a nearby desk can make a positive and powerful difference for you, and your employees. My goal is to be your in-house advisor, your ally and sounding board as you navigate the complex world of your business! (Contact: JLSeibly@SeibCo.com OR 303-917-2993)

Transform your failures into greater success. Get my copy of “We all fail! How can we use failure to create greater success?” http://ow.ly/Kp34R

Comment Form:

Valuable Advice for Accelerating Leadership Success!

April 8, 2015 by Jeannette Seibly

“The mark of a true leader is working with and through others to achieve goals.”

True leaders in this global market must understand the importance of being competitive and collaborative! Accelerating results requires leaders manage people and projects to meet intended goals with a competitive edge. Also required is an ability to learn lessons from their successes and failures, while working collaboratively with and through others to achieve required results. While it may seem time-consuming to work with others to achieve the company’s goals, being the lone ranger will limit the success of the company, project, and, your career!

How do you develop these valuable skills? It requires being involved–it goes beyond reading books, attending workshops and watching videos. It requires you participating, hiring a coach and being in focused action. Today’s effective leaders have others wanting to work with and for them to learn from their amazing experiences and results.

Set and achieve intended goals.

With your team, it’s important to develop a strategic plan with focused action steps to support it. Alignment of others that will be impacted by the plan is also critical. Develop a structure to review what is expected, the timetable and actions to be taken. Beware of busy-ness that often hinders the process from moving forward. Remember, some of your team will be uncertain about the where, what, when, why and how to do the necessary work. Your coaching, or hiring a coach, provides accountability and develops trust when handled in an effective manner.

“Communication can resolve issues; but first we must have the conversation!”

Communicate powerfully.

Don’t be afraid to have those difficult conversations when you’re stuck. Effective leaders are bold. Healthy disagreements can actually clear the air and provide quantum leaps towards the end result. As the leader, learn how to state your point so that others can hear you. Staying in the conversation when it gets tough allows you to build on others’ comments in a positive manner. These skills will make a huge difference in moving forward and having others feel valued.

Facilitate meetings that have value.

Conducting an effective meeting is critical. When leaders have poor facilitation skills, it can lead to their downfall. Learn how to manage the logistical and human sides of meetings efficiently and effectively, either one-on-one or in a group. Remember, to include off-site groups in a way they will feel part of the team.

Develop others.

First — appreciate their contributions. Second — trust your team members to do their jobs and don’t micromanage how they are doing them. Third — manage their progress and check in to ensure efforts are focused on intended results. These are keys to success.

Celebrate!

Celebrating your successes is important. So, is celebrating failures (yes, that seems strange) – however, failures are our learning lessons. Too often we only celebrate what has worked and miss out on the opportunity to learn the important lessons. As an effective leader, it’s up to you to bring forth these valuable distinctions.