74%
If you are leading a virtual team, counting on a remote team for results, or participating as a member of a global team, we have good news and bad news.The good news is that you are now in the majority. A recent survey conducted by Chief Learning Officer Magazine found that at least 74% of those surveyed work in a virtual team environment or manage a global cross-functional team.
The bad news is that these teams face more obstacles than "normal" teams. With virtual and global cross-functional teams now the norm and not the exception, you would think that people would be better at leading and participating in them. Not so.
Our clients tell us that when their teams are dispersed geographically, they continue to face six common challenges related to being remote:
1. Communication issues
2. Time zone obstacles
3. Travel budget restrictions
4. Subtle cultural differences
5. Isolated team members
6. Limited "face time"
In addition to the typical challenges faced by teams in the areas of goals, roles, interactions, and processes, virtual and global teams face additional pressures that must be addressed in order for the team to succeed.
For example: How do you ensure that these teams communicate effectively and efficiently? How can you create a "virtual water cooler" so that information and best practices impact all team members? How do you integrate cultural influences and differing perspectives in a way that makes sense?
Based upon working with hundreds of virtual and remote teams, here are 10 simple tips to ensure that your virtual and global teams are on track and avoid the pitfalls that inhibited the success of those that have gone before you.
Get the 10 virtual and global team tips for success...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
November 28, 2011
Global, Remote & Virtual Teams - What Works
No longer just "nice to have."
With most companies placing increasing dependence upon virtual and global teams to execute their strategies, it is imperative that leaders and managers have the critical skills required to work effectively with diverse colleagues, teams, and clients around the world.
To be successful with global teams, managers must learn how to gain top performance with remote team members of different cultures. This includes gaining insight to culture's effect on planning, taking initiative, teamwork and change.
To get results from remote and virtual teams, managers must be able to communicate critical information clearly, use new technology to improve efficiency, avoid typical pitfalls of remote teams, build trust on the telephone, handle global challenges, avoid cultural misunderstandings and accomplish time-driven goals at a distance.
If you would like to learn what our repeat clients like Cisco, IBM, HP, SAP, Apple, Pfizer, Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, Accenture, Novartis, Charles Schwab, Synopsys, Network Appliance, LexisNexis, Hewitt Associates, Oracle, Seagate, Juniper Networks, Hitachi, Farmers Insurance, and Wipro do to succeed with their widely dispersed and diverse teams, then these solutions are for you.
Learn more about:
Virtual, Remote and Cross-Cultural Teams
Partnering with India, China, Korea, the Philippines, India, Israel and Latin America
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
With most companies placing increasing dependence upon virtual and global teams to execute their strategies, it is imperative that leaders and managers have the critical skills required to work effectively with diverse colleagues, teams, and clients around the world.
To be successful with global teams, managers must learn how to gain top performance with remote team members of different cultures. This includes gaining insight to culture's effect on planning, taking initiative, teamwork and change.
To get results from remote and virtual teams, managers must be able to communicate critical information clearly, use new technology to improve efficiency, avoid typical pitfalls of remote teams, build trust on the telephone, handle global challenges, avoid cultural misunderstandings and accomplish time-driven goals at a distance.
If you would like to learn what our repeat clients like Cisco, IBM, HP, SAP, Apple, Pfizer, Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, Accenture, Novartis, Charles Schwab, Synopsys, Network Appliance, LexisNexis, Hewitt Associates, Oracle, Seagate, Juniper Networks, Hitachi, Farmers Insurance, and Wipro do to succeed with their widely dispersed and diverse teams, then these solutions are for you.
Learn more about:
Virtual, Remote and Cross-Cultural Teams
Partnering with India, China, Korea, the Philippines, India, Israel and Latin America
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
October 27, 2011
The Top 5 Things That Training Companies Do NOT Want You to Know
Who is looking out for you?
Training companies, like all other for-profit businesses, are usually trying to make money.
In doing so, many also try to help their clients succeed.
Something interesting happens, however, when there is a conflict between making money and helping clients succeed. Not all firms handle this dilemma equally. Their approach greatly impacts the value that they can provide to you, your boss, and your business.
Having worked with hundreds of training companies over the last 15+ years, we have learned some very surprising facts about how training companies are run and what they are truly trying to achieve.
Our experience has taught us that most training company recommendations and advice should be taken with a grain of salt. When it comes to training, Dilbert cartoons seem to be on target more often than they are not.
Read about the Top 5 things that training companies do NOT want you to know...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
Training companies, like all other for-profit businesses, are usually trying to make money.
In doing so, many also try to help their clients succeed.
Something interesting happens, however, when there is a conflict between making money and helping clients succeed. Not all firms handle this dilemma equally. Their approach greatly impacts the value that they can provide to you, your boss, and your business.
Having worked with hundreds of training companies over the last 15+ years, we have learned some very surprising facts about how training companies are run and what they are truly trying to achieve.
Our experience has taught us that most training company recommendations and advice should be taken with a grain of salt. When it comes to training, Dilbert cartoons seem to be on target more often than they are not.
Read about the Top 5 things that training companies do NOT want you to know...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
Budget Time: 3 Steps to Building a Smarter Training Budget
Faster and More Frequent
The stock market used to make big news by moving 50 points in a session. These days it seems like 200+ point swings are occurring with more regularity.
This volatility is causing havoc with many of our clients who feel uncertain about the "right" way to invest in their company's future. For example:
• Companies have jobs to fill, but they are having trouble finding the "right people."
• Leaders have initiatives to start, but worry about the "right approach."
• Salesforces have opportunities, but buyers are waiting until the "right time."
Steve Jobs said that "perfect is the enemy of good enough." Our most successful clients know that you need to consistently take steps to get better - not necessarily perfect.
To keep up with the pace of today's change (seems as though this is said every decade), action is required to put yourself in a position to be in the game and learn from any mistakes faster than your competition.
The same can be said of budgeting. If you are like most of our clients, your training budgets will receive more scrutiny this year.
Perfect (in terms of giving your employees everything that they want) is probably not an option. But you need to do something. How do you get it "right?"
Learn more about the 3 Steps to Building a Smarter Training Budget - One that Gets Approved by Executives...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
The stock market used to make big news by moving 50 points in a session. These days it seems like 200+ point swings are occurring with more regularity.
This volatility is causing havoc with many of our clients who feel uncertain about the "right" way to invest in their company's future. For example:
• Companies have jobs to fill, but they are having trouble finding the "right people."
• Leaders have initiatives to start, but worry about the "right approach."
• Salesforces have opportunities, but buyers are waiting until the "right time."
Steve Jobs said that "perfect is the enemy of good enough." Our most successful clients know that you need to consistently take steps to get better - not necessarily perfect.
To keep up with the pace of today's change (seems as though this is said every decade), action is required to put yourself in a position to be in the game and learn from any mistakes faster than your competition.
The same can be said of budgeting. If you are like most of our clients, your training budgets will receive more scrutiny this year.
Perfect (in terms of giving your employees everything that they want) is probably not an option. But you need to do something. How do you get it "right?"
Learn more about the 3 Steps to Building a Smarter Training Budget - One that Gets Approved by Executives...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
September 30, 2011
Performance Pressure: How Much Should a Leader Push Their People to Succeed?
Are you striking the right balance?
As leaders, we are expected to create the environment that produces the most from the people within our organizations.
If we (or our culture) push too much or too little, we may not meet our goals. How do we strike the right balance?
Like the Story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, some performance pressure is too much, some is too little, and some is "just right."
Based upon 16+ years of high performance research with elite institutions such as Harvard, the U.S. Special Forces, Cisco, Accenture, MIT, NASA, Juilliard, and the Olympic Games, we know that performance pressure is a necessary component to building high performance environments.
We also know, however, that performance pressure must be carefully monitored and balanced by other factors. If you create too much or too little performance pressure it will not matter if you have the "right people."
Read more about the 3 performance pressure indicators that every leader should know...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
As leaders, we are expected to create the environment that produces the most from the people within our organizations.
If we (or our culture) push too much or too little, we may not meet our goals. How do we strike the right balance?
Like the Story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, some performance pressure is too much, some is too little, and some is "just right."
Based upon 16+ years of high performance research with elite institutions such as Harvard, the U.S. Special Forces, Cisco, Accenture, MIT, NASA, Juilliard, and the Olympic Games, we know that performance pressure is a necessary component to building high performance environments.
We also know, however, that performance pressure must be carefully monitored and balanced by other factors. If you create too much or too little performance pressure it will not matter if you have the "right people."
Read more about the 3 performance pressure indicators that every leader should know...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
Leadership: Creating a High Performance Environment
70.
That is the number of "moves" available to a leader at any given time that can significantly impact the performance of their team.
With so many options, it is not surprising that some leaders succeed while others fail?
Based on over 16 years of high performance research with elite institutions such as Harvard, the U.S. Special Forces, Cisco, Accenture, MIT, NASA, and Juilliard, we have identified a process to help leaders to identify the top two leadership actions that will have the greatest impact on performance.
Successful leaders know how to create a performance environment by effectively navigating:
That is the number of "moves" available to a leader at any given time that can significantly impact the performance of their team.
With so many options, it is not surprising that some leaders succeed while others fail?
Based on over 16 years of high performance research with elite institutions such as Harvard, the U.S. Special Forces, Cisco, Accenture, MIT, NASA, and Juilliard, we have identified a process to help leaders to identify the top two leadership actions that will have the greatest impact on performance.
Successful leaders know how to create a performance environment by effectively navigating:
- Directional Components: strategy, achievement, and failure
- Status Components: company, team, and individual performance exposure levels
- Motivational Components: rewards, consequences, and engagement.
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
August 30, 2011
Influencer = Catalyst: A Critical Organizational Role
What does it take to influence change?
Can this leadership skill be learned?
Most influential leaders share three key characteristics:
Can this leadership skill be learned?
Most influential leaders share three key characteristics:
- A Compelling Point of View
- Authenticity
- Catalytic Mindset
Compelling Points of View, for example, are built on ideas, values, and emotional energy that convince others. Noel Tiche, noted American management consultant, says, "The essence of leading is not commanding, but teaching. It is opening people's eyes and minds. It is teaching them new ways to see the world and pointing them to new goals. It is giving them the motivation and discipline to achieve those goals."
A compelling point of view allows leaders to evoke interest, attention, or admiration in a powerfully irresistible way.
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
Influence: How to Build Relationships and Get Results
"I want to be a hypnotist when I grow up so that others do what I want."
A classic quote from our friend's 5 year old.
While as a father and a CEO, I wish that I had the same hypnotic powers, we need to rely on influence and political savvy skills to get stuff done.
The dictionary defines influence as:
"the action or process of producing effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of another or others."
Today's organizations run on influence. Influence enables you to build the relationships you need to get the results that you want inside or outside the formal power structure.
Formal power structures are quickly changing or even disappearing, being replaced by newer, "flatter" and more flexible systems of governance. Matrixed environments create multiple reporting structures with often fuzzy political, power, and managerial boundaries.
Regardless of your positional power, you need to be skillful and flexible in the way you influence others.
Learn more about improving your influence skills...
Learn about improving your political savvy skills...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
A classic quote from our friend's 5 year old.
While as a father and a CEO, I wish that I had the same hypnotic powers, we need to rely on influence and political savvy skills to get stuff done.
The dictionary defines influence as:
"the action or process of producing effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of another or others."
Today's organizations run on influence. Influence enables you to build the relationships you need to get the results that you want inside or outside the formal power structure.
Formal power structures are quickly changing or even disappearing, being replaced by newer, "flatter" and more flexible systems of governance. Matrixed environments create multiple reporting structures with often fuzzy political, power, and managerial boundaries.
Regardless of your positional power, you need to be skillful and flexible in the way you influence others.
Learn more about improving your influence skills...
Learn about improving your political savvy skills...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
July 29, 2011
Sales Compensation, Design, and Planning Best Practices
Is your sales compensation plan getting you the results that you need?
Years ago a Fortune 1000 Technology client decided to award the President's parking spot to the top sales rep each month to motivate performance. Parking was a real hassle for employees (#1 on a recent employee satisfaction survey). The sales compensation team was excited about the low cost of the reward compared to the anticipated revenue and employee satisfaction jump.
Guess what? The President's spot was as far away from the sales team's office as possible. It became a running joke instead of an incentive. Not surprisingly in hindsight, the parking spot did not drive additional revenue or engagement. When it comes to sales compensation, experts know that effectiveness does not come easy.
"Messing" with people's paychecks is a big deal. Unintended consequences are common with poorly designed and implemented sales plans.
While most sales compensation plans have good intentions, we have seen more sales teams rebel against new plans that would actually pay them more money than we can remember.
Additionally, sales leaders looking to increase revenue face an increasing challenge in recruiting and retaining qualified sales people. While the unemployment rate may be high, finding top sales talent continues to be a struggle for many.
Total sales compensation programs that reflect the strategic goals of the employer and the varying needs of its sales force are an integral part of hitting sales targets.
Learn more about sales compensation, design, and planning...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
Years ago a Fortune 1000 Technology client decided to award the President's parking spot to the top sales rep each month to motivate performance. Parking was a real hassle for employees (#1 on a recent employee satisfaction survey). The sales compensation team was excited about the low cost of the reward compared to the anticipated revenue and employee satisfaction jump.
Guess what? The President's spot was as far away from the sales team's office as possible. It became a running joke instead of an incentive. Not surprisingly in hindsight, the parking spot did not drive additional revenue or engagement. When it comes to sales compensation, experts know that effectiveness does not come easy.
"Messing" with people's paychecks is a big deal. Unintended consequences are common with poorly designed and implemented sales plans.
While most sales compensation plans have good intentions, we have seen more sales teams rebel against new plans that would actually pay them more money than we can remember.
Additionally, sales leaders looking to increase revenue face an increasing challenge in recruiting and retaining qualified sales people. While the unemployment rate may be high, finding top sales talent continues to be a struggle for many.
Total sales compensation programs that reflect the strategic goals of the employer and the varying needs of its sales force are an integral part of hitting sales targets.
Learn more about sales compensation, design, and planning...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
Thawing the Salary Freeze: Is it time to do something about your top talent's compensation?
At what point do you have to do something?
At a recent conference that question was posed to us.
Actually the individual asked, "When you have had your salaries frozen for awhile, how long can you leave them frozen before you reach the point that you have to do something?"
Many organizations have instituted salary freezes during the recent downturn. Some have instituted freezes for one, two, or in this case three years. Depending on the source you reference, during the worst part of the recession as many as 40% of organizations instituted a salary freeze.
Because salary freezes were so widespread, it was easy to feel secure in thinking that everyone was experiencing a freeze situation. After all, misery loves company.
However, it is easy to forget that if 40% of companies instituted a salary freeze, then 60% didn't. And the duration of every freeze was not the same from organization to organization. Depending on your specific sector and the types of skills and talent you require in your organization, you could find yourself in a very uncompetitive situation.
While it is true that a multitude of factors (especially management practices) contribute to employee engagement and retention, don't be fooled into a false sense of security when it comes to compensation.
Read about the 5 key compensation considerations for coming out of the freeze...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
At a recent conference that question was posed to us.
Actually the individual asked, "When you have had your salaries frozen for awhile, how long can you leave them frozen before you reach the point that you have to do something?"
Many organizations have instituted salary freezes during the recent downturn. Some have instituted freezes for one, two, or in this case three years. Depending on the source you reference, during the worst part of the recession as many as 40% of organizations instituted a salary freeze.
Because salary freezes were so widespread, it was easy to feel secure in thinking that everyone was experiencing a freeze situation. After all, misery loves company.
However, it is easy to forget that if 40% of companies instituted a salary freeze, then 60% didn't. And the duration of every freeze was not the same from organization to organization. Depending on your specific sector and the types of skills and talent you require in your organization, you could find yourself in a very uncompetitive situation.
While it is true that a multitude of factors (especially management practices) contribute to employee engagement and retention, don't be fooled into a false sense of security when it comes to compensation.
Read about the 5 key compensation considerations for coming out of the freeze...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
June 30, 2011
Accelerate Growth: 4 Key Steps to Identify and Target Your Ideal Clients
3x's Faster.
High Growth firms are almost 3x's as likely to be specific and detailed about identifying and working with ideal target clients than their slower growing peers.
Additionally, customers who "fit" better than others consistently produce higher revenue, profits, and satisfaction. This is the consequence of shorter sales cycles, less problems, more rewarding relationships, better results, and more referrals.
While many sales leaders and sales professionals do not want to leave "money on the table" and feel compelled to chase every opportunity to foster growth, a recent study by Hinge Marketing confirms that narrowing the focus of both your services and clients improves, rather than hinders, growth.
Consider the following:
Differentiation: High Growth firms were almost three times more likely to have strong differentiators in the eyes of their customers.
Offerings: High Growth firms were 62% more likely to be highly specialized in terms of service offerings.
Clients: High Growth firms were almost three times as likely to be highly specific and detailed about identifying and working with ideal target clients.
If you are unclear about your ideal customers and what differentiates you (in their eyes) from your competition, then here are four key steps to consider - steps that average performing sales organizations often skip.
Remember, it is all about the customer, not about you or your stuff.
Read about the 4 Key Steps to Accelerating Sales Growth...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
High Growth firms are almost 3x's as likely to be specific and detailed about identifying and working with ideal target clients than their slower growing peers.
Additionally, customers who "fit" better than others consistently produce higher revenue, profits, and satisfaction. This is the consequence of shorter sales cycles, less problems, more rewarding relationships, better results, and more referrals.
While many sales leaders and sales professionals do not want to leave "money on the table" and feel compelled to chase every opportunity to foster growth, a recent study by Hinge Marketing confirms that narrowing the focus of both your services and clients improves, rather than hinders, growth.
Consider the following:
Differentiation: High Growth firms were almost three times more likely to have strong differentiators in the eyes of their customers.
Offerings: High Growth firms were 62% more likely to be highly specialized in terms of service offerings.
Clients: High Growth firms were almost three times as likely to be highly specific and detailed about identifying and working with ideal target clients.
If you are unclear about your ideal customers and what differentiates you (in their eyes) from your competition, then here are four key steps to consider - steps that average performing sales organizations often skip.
Remember, it is all about the customer, not about you or your stuff.
Read about the 4 Key Steps to Accelerating Sales Growth...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
Are You Chasing the Wrong Sales Pipeline Strategy?
40 times more likely.
A high-quality prospect is more than 40 times more likely to buy than a cold-called prospect.
Furthermore, sales people who actively seek and exploit referrals earn 4 to 5 times more than salespeople who don't.
While it seems like common sense to focus on more qualified client opportunities, surprisingly fewer than 30% of salespeople ask for referrals - the #1 source for good business.
There are many reasons that sales people seem to spend more time chasing low probability deals and RFP's instead of driving referrals.
The most common mistake is that sales people do not know how to effectively ask for a referral. Strange, but true. When we work with sales organizations, typically no more than 20% of the sales force can display the skills required to earn a referral. They think they can, but time and time again, they prove that they are missing some key ingredients.
This ineffective approach combined with a reluctance to ask until everything is "right," an unclear value proposition, fuzzy target client profiles, and minimal accountability to a referral process doom most sales organizations. The result - bad forecasting and pipelines with low closure rates.
When done right, our clients report that referrals allow them to close more than 50% of their pipeline and get meetings at the level that counts.
If you sell professional services, a referral strategy should be at the top of your business development list.
Learn more about closing a higher percent of your pipeline...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
A high-quality prospect is more than 40 times more likely to buy than a cold-called prospect.
Furthermore, sales people who actively seek and exploit referrals earn 4 to 5 times more than salespeople who don't.
While it seems like common sense to focus on more qualified client opportunities, surprisingly fewer than 30% of salespeople ask for referrals - the #1 source for good business.
There are many reasons that sales people seem to spend more time chasing low probability deals and RFP's instead of driving referrals.
The most common mistake is that sales people do not know how to effectively ask for a referral. Strange, but true. When we work with sales organizations, typically no more than 20% of the sales force can display the skills required to earn a referral. They think they can, but time and time again, they prove that they are missing some key ingredients.
This ineffective approach combined with a reluctance to ask until everything is "right," an unclear value proposition, fuzzy target client profiles, and minimal accountability to a referral process doom most sales organizations. The result - bad forecasting and pipelines with low closure rates.
When done right, our clients report that referrals allow them to close more than 50% of their pipeline and get meetings at the level that counts.
If you sell professional services, a referral strategy should be at the top of your business development list.
Learn more about closing a higher percent of your pipeline...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
May 31, 2011
Benchmarking: Is Your Learning Solution Set Up to Succeed?
Over 50% of training initiatives fail to meet business expectations.Accordingly, it is not surprising that in tough times, learning is often one of the first areas to be questioned or cut.
While it seems like common sense to ensure that learning investments are set up to succeed, we continue to be surprised that billions are spent each year on corporate training without any assurance that the money is being spent wisely.
To combat the challenges, some mistakenly change all training to elearning because of a travel freeze or to reduce costs. While elearning can certainly be an effective medium, we recommended only doing training that (1) makes business sense and (2) is set up to succeed - regardless of the approach. Smart organizations make sure that they address a critical few best practice areas before launching any training initiative.
Starting off on the right foot provides the foundation to save time, money, and reputations. Is your next training initiative set up to succeed?
Get the Complimentary Online Training Benchmark...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
While it seems like common sense to ensure that learning investments are set up to succeed, we continue to be surprised that billions are spent each year on corporate training without any assurance that the money is being spent wisely.
To combat the challenges, some mistakenly change all training to elearning because of a travel freeze or to reduce costs. While elearning can certainly be an effective medium, we recommended only doing training that (1) makes business sense and (2) is set up to succeed - regardless of the approach. Smart organizations make sure that they address a critical few best practice areas before launching any training initiative.
Starting off on the right foot provides the foundation to save time, money, and reputations. Is your next training initiative set up to succeed?
Get the Complimentary Online Training Benchmark...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
3 Steps to a Smarter Training Initiative
We believe that now is the perfect time for the training and development function to raise the bar.
Consider these paradoxes:
While we know that training events have their place in terms of career development, employee engagement, and team building, we have yet to find a client who believes that training "by itself" will drive tangible change or business results.
With most organizations facing continued pressure to reduce costs, increase sales revenue, and increase productivity, now is the time for Training and Development to raise the bar.
Building smarter training initiatives is about ensuring that training investments get meaningful results that are relevant to the business. Here are the three steps that we have found to be most effective.
Read about the 3 Key Steps to a Smarter Training Initiative...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
Consider these paradoxes:
- Over $100b is spent on corporate training events each year, yet 3 out of 4 CEO's do not believe that training is impacting their business.
- 79% of organizations report acute skill gaps vis-Ã -vis their strategy, yet 80% of skills and knowledge are not transferred back to the job from isolated training events.
While we know that training events have their place in terms of career development, employee engagement, and team building, we have yet to find a client who believes that training "by itself" will drive tangible change or business results.
With most organizations facing continued pressure to reduce costs, increase sales revenue, and increase productivity, now is the time for Training and Development to raise the bar.
Building smarter training initiatives is about ensuring that training investments get meaningful results that are relevant to the business. Here are the three steps that we have found to be most effective.
Read about the 3 Key Steps to a Smarter Training Initiative...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
April 30, 2011
Top 5 Warning Signs that Your Performance Environment May Be In Trouble
84%.
That is the percent of people from our recent Q2 poll that do not know what specific actions would have the biggest impact on the organizational performance of their company.
If you have direct reports, then you should sit up and take notice.
Think about it.
What percent of your success is dependent upon the success of others? If you are like most savvy leaders today, you will answer 70%+.
So if your success is so highly tied to the success of others, why are you not putting more emphasis on making sure that you are creating a high performance environment? Why do some teams succeed while others fail? One reason is clear. With over 70 possible key management actions available to significantly change performance, people don't know where to start.
Fortunately, based upon over 16 years of research on high achieving individuals (like Nelson Mandela, Japanese Samurai Masters, and Nobel Peace Laureates) and high performance environments (like the US Special Forces, NASA, and the Olympics), some key trends have emerged.
If your success is dependent upon the success of others, then you should make sure that you avoid the top 5 warning signs of an underperforming environment.
Read more about the Top 5 Warning Signs...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a global training and consulting firm that focuses on achieving measurable business results with a select group of clients. Since our inception, LSA Global has successfully partnered with over 500 clients to deliver over 10,000 learning solutions. Our proven approach is backed by 45 client case studies, 143 research papers, 108 client testimonials, and 600+ assessment and measurement projects.Over 85% of our business comes from repeat clients and our customer satisfaction rating is 97.5%. Our clients tell us that we are different. Our clients tell us that we save them both time and money.
That is the percent of people from our recent Q2 poll that do not know what specific actions would have the biggest impact on the organizational performance of their company.
If you have direct reports, then you should sit up and take notice.
Think about it.
What percent of your success is dependent upon the success of others? If you are like most savvy leaders today, you will answer 70%+.
So if your success is so highly tied to the success of others, why are you not putting more emphasis on making sure that you are creating a high performance environment? Why do some teams succeed while others fail? One reason is clear. With over 70 possible key management actions available to significantly change performance, people don't know where to start.
Fortunately, based upon over 16 years of research on high achieving individuals (like Nelson Mandela, Japanese Samurai Masters, and Nobel Peace Laureates) and high performance environments (like the US Special Forces, NASA, and the Olympics), some key trends have emerged.
If your success is dependent upon the success of others, then you should make sure that you avoid the top 5 warning signs of an underperforming environment.
Read more about the Top 5 Warning Signs...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a global training and consulting firm that focuses on achieving measurable business results with a select group of clients. Since our inception, LSA Global has successfully partnered with over 500 clients to deliver over 10,000 learning solutions. Our proven approach is backed by 45 client case studies, 143 research papers, 108 client testimonials, and 600+ assessment and measurement projects.Over 85% of our business comes from repeat clients and our customer satisfaction rating is 97.5%. Our clients tell us that we are different. Our clients tell us that we save them both time and money.
Does Your HR Function Have a "Seat at the Executive Table?"
No.
That is what more than 50% of our clients tell us when we ask if their HR Function has a true seat at the executive table.
For decades, Human Resources has had difficulty playing at the same level as their peers "running the business." Not coincidentally, this struggle coincides with HR's inability (both perceived and actual) to have a measurable and visible impact on revenue, costs, or productivity. And, according to our clients, the pressure on HR to step-up is only increasing.
What should HR do to become a player?
Many suggest improving business and financial acumen. Others look toward developing consulting skills to build deeper business partnerships. Both steps can and do add value; but there's an additional skill set lacking in most HR organizations: the ability to answer one key question.
It is a question that cannot be answered solely from business acumen, consulting skills, or engagement survey results. And surprisingly, most HR professionals not only do not ask it, but cannot answer it.
Read about the critical question and how to answer it...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
That is what more than 50% of our clients tell us when we ask if their HR Function has a true seat at the executive table.
For decades, Human Resources has had difficulty playing at the same level as their peers "running the business." Not coincidentally, this struggle coincides with HR's inability (both perceived and actual) to have a measurable and visible impact on revenue, costs, or productivity. And, according to our clients, the pressure on HR to step-up is only increasing.
What should HR do to become a player?
Many suggest improving business and financial acumen. Others look toward developing consulting skills to build deeper business partnerships. Both steps can and do add value; but there's an additional skill set lacking in most HR organizations: the ability to answer one key question.
It is a question that cannot be answered solely from business acumen, consulting skills, or engagement survey results. And surprisingly, most HR professionals not only do not ask it, but cannot answer it.
Read about the critical question and how to answer it...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
March 20, 2011
7 Leadership Development Best Practices: A Fast Track to Executive Bench Strength
97%.
That is the number of organizations in a recent study that cited significant leadership skill gaps.
In the same survey, as many as 70% of those companies confessed that they are doing nothing to close those gaps. Why?
We believe that there are two fundamental causes for these findings reported by research firms for the past decade.
1. Current Leadership Development Programs Not Adding Measurable Value: Those companies which have leadership development programs are not producing leaders who meet the specific needs of their organization.
2. Skeptical of the Value: Those without leadership action learning programs are reluctant to start down the traditional but ineffective leadership development path.
The traditional leadership development approach involving interviews, training needs assessments, competency models, instructional design, blended learning, and complex training measurement systems is too slow and too ill-equipped to create executives capable of addressing their company's critical challenges.
Most companies just don't have the luxury of 1 - 2 years to develop and roll-out a leadership program - let alone one with little promise for the application of new skills learned or for an observable, measurable impact on the business.
As recent winners of the 2010 Bersin Leadership Development Excellence Award, we know that there is a better way.
Read more about the 7 Leadership Development Best Practices...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
That is the number of organizations in a recent study that cited significant leadership skill gaps.
In the same survey, as many as 70% of those companies confessed that they are doing nothing to close those gaps. Why?
We believe that there are two fundamental causes for these findings reported by research firms for the past decade.
1. Current Leadership Development Programs Not Adding Measurable Value: Those companies which have leadership development programs are not producing leaders who meet the specific needs of their organization.
2. Skeptical of the Value: Those without leadership action learning programs are reluctant to start down the traditional but ineffective leadership development path.
The traditional leadership development approach involving interviews, training needs assessments, competency models, instructional design, blended learning, and complex training measurement systems is too slow and too ill-equipped to create executives capable of addressing their company's critical challenges.
Most companies just don't have the luxury of 1 - 2 years to develop and roll-out a leadership program - let alone one with little promise for the application of new skills learned or for an observable, measurable impact on the business.
As recent winners of the 2010 Bersin Leadership Development Excellence Award, we know that there is a better way.
Read more about the 7 Leadership Development Best Practices...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
Executive Development: Improving Strategic Execution
Done right, Executive Development should have a greater company-wide impact than any other learning initiative.
In addition to improving the capabilities of your top executives, the outcomes of any world-class executive development program should include tangible business results in:
Because each situation and leadership team is unique, we have found that "one size" does not fit all when it comes to effectively developing executives. We also know that "off-the-shelf" executive development is typically a waste of both time and money in terms of changing leadership behavior or improving leadership results.
Last year, LSA's Leadership Development Program directly drove $13m to our client's bottom-line in only 12 months. What impact is your leadership program having on your business?
Read more about Leadership Development Options that Create Measurable Business Results...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
In addition to improving the capabilities of your top executives, the outcomes of any world-class executive development program should include tangible business results in:
- Increased revenue
- Decreased costs and/or
- Increased productivity
Because each situation and leadership team is unique, we have found that "one size" does not fit all when it comes to effectively developing executives. We also know that "off-the-shelf" executive development is typically a waste of both time and money in terms of changing leadership behavior or improving leadership results.
Last year, LSA's Leadership Development Program directly drove $13m to our client's bottom-line in only 12 months. What impact is your leadership program having on your business?
Read more about Leadership Development Options that Create Measurable Business Results...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
February 28, 2011
3 Steps to Connect Customer Loyalty to Increased Revenue
Does customer service really drive revenue?
When I have a bad customer experience, I typically form a bad impression of that company that impacts my buying behavior. Is that true across the board?
Studies consistently affirm that the quality of front-line service our customers experience links directly to how loyal they are to our brand, our products, and ultimately to the amount of revenue and profit generated from those customer relationships.
Recent metrics on the difference in customer loyalty between companies in the top quartile of customer experience (when measured against industry averages) and the companies in the lowest quartile showed:
So, while customers may not always tell you directly what they think or how they feel about the service we provide, it's our job, as Customer Service Professionals, to ensure that their experience with us and with our organization is a highly positive one. We need to listen to what they say and what they are not saying as both have bottom-line impact.
Read more about the 3 steps to drive revenue through customer service performance...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
When I have a bad customer experience, I typically form a bad impression of that company that impacts my buying behavior. Is that true across the board?
Studies consistently affirm that the quality of front-line service our customers experience links directly to how loyal they are to our brand, our products, and ultimately to the amount of revenue and profit generated from those customer relationships.
Recent metrics on the difference in customer loyalty between companies in the top quartile of customer experience (when measured against industry averages) and the companies in the lowest quartile showed:
- 14.4% more customers willing to buy a follow-on product
- 15.8% more customers reluctant to switch
- 16.6% more customers likely to recommend
So, while customers may not always tell you directly what they think or how they feel about the service we provide, it's our job, as Customer Service Professionals, to ensure that their experience with us and with our organization is a highly positive one. We need to listen to what they say and what they are not saying as both have bottom-line impact.
Read more about the 3 steps to drive revenue through customer service performance...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
Relationship Service Skills - Living the Brand Promise
In our recent quarterly poll, 36% of respondents stated that "ensuring customer satisfaction" was keeping them up at night.
Based upon the direct link between service and revenue outlined in the below article, this should be no surprise to customer service professionals.
From a business perspective, this means that customers' perceptions of your service levels are important. That does not necessarily mean, however, that everyone wants to be treated the same way.
One person's definition of great customer service may vary significantly from someone else's definition. This creates a challenge for the customer service leadership teams and front-line service professionals.
How do you deliver great service on a consistent basis when each customer and/or colleague has a different set of expectations?
Read more about what it takes to raise your customer service levels...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
Based upon the direct link between service and revenue outlined in the below article, this should be no surprise to customer service professionals.
From a business perspective, this means that customers' perceptions of your service levels are important. That does not necessarily mean, however, that everyone wants to be treated the same way.
One person's definition of great customer service may vary significantly from someone else's definition. This creates a challenge for the customer service leadership teams and front-line service professionals.
How do you deliver great service on a consistent basis when each customer and/or colleague has a different set of expectations?
Read more about what it takes to raise your customer service levels...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
January 24, 2011
Create a High Performance Sales Environment
Have you ever wondered why the "rainmaker" you hired ended up creating a drought?
How often have you seen your peak performers fail to sustain their revenue stream?
Are your sales managers placing the right amount of "sales pressure" on your teams to get the best short- and long-term sales results?
Often, as Sales Leaders, we think that we have made all of the right investments.
We find that the answer is usually centered around the specific corporate sales environment that sales teams operate within.
We know that salespeople adapt or change when their environment changes. We have also found that the right sales environment is often the best first step for impacting high sales performance.
Based on our research, sales leaders often make the mistake of investing in sales coaching, training, tools, and technology before creating a high performance sales environment that will drive performance to a higher level.
Our job as sales leaders is to create the circumstances that allow others to thrive.
Read more about how to create a high performance sales culture...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
How often have you seen your peak performers fail to sustain their revenue stream?
Are your sales managers placing the right amount of "sales pressure" on your teams to get the best short- and long-term sales results?
Often, as Sales Leaders, we think that we have made all of the right investments.
- We pay for screening tools to select the right sales talent.
- We invest heavily in the latest and greatest (usually re-packaged and re-branded) sales methodologies, training, processes, and techniques.
- We observe. We give feedback. We coach.
We find that the answer is usually centered around the specific corporate sales environment that sales teams operate within.
We know that salespeople adapt or change when their environment changes. We have also found that the right sales environment is often the best first step for impacting high sales performance.
Based on our research, sales leaders often make the mistake of investing in sales coaching, training, tools, and technology before creating a high performance sales environment that will drive performance to a higher level.
Our job as sales leaders is to create the circumstances that allow others to thrive.
Read more about how to create a high performance sales culture...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
Benchmark Your Sales Practices
According to a recent McKinsey study, a primary supplier perceived as having a high-performing sales force can boost its share of a customer's business by 8 to 15 percentage points.
What would that do for your business?
Does your salesforce have what it takes to:
Get Your Free Online Sales Performance Analysis Now...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
What would that do for your business?
Does your salesforce have what it takes to:
- Achieve aggressive sales and margin growth goals?
- Transition from selling products to selling solutions?
- Sell value versus price?
- Generate new qualified client opportunities?
- Call and sell higher, to "C Suite" executives?
- Sell "bigger deals?"
- Manage sales territories and key accounts?
- Win "Finalist" Presentations / Competitions?
- Succeed in "High Stakes" Sales Communications?
- Test, interview, on-board, and coach sales reps?
- Negotiate win-win relationships and contracts?
- Instill common sales methodologies, sales practices, and processes?
Get Your Free Online Sales Performance Analysis Now...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
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