For years I've described myself, slightly imprecisely, as a consultant. The work has been varied (strategy, transformation, leadership advisory), but what I’ve been paid for is roughly the same: I think alongside leaders about hard problems, and I help them choose well.

In this article, I'll discuss a number of areas where - I believe - there is potential to improve communication. Whether it's via emails, talking directly with people (groups or individually), or on the phone, good communication pays off. We arrive at mutually agreed conclusions more quickly, and...

All of us in sales need a pipeline. It is our lifeline, our oxygen supply, if you will. Weak pipelines are the first warning signs that business is going badly, and that things need to change. Quickly. So, how can we identify a weak pipeline? Do warning signs exist? The short answer is: yes,...

‘Hi, I’m just checking in on you since the last time we spoke…’. All too often, this is how some salespeople shoot themselves in the foot. But, wait, I hear you think… What’s wrong with checking in on a prospect? Let’s take a look. Your call is an interruption. It’s always an interruption unless...

Everyone in sales knows the feeling: being denied access to a decision-maker. Someone – a gatekeeper, a Blocker – is doing everything in their power to stop you. How can we get beyond this? How can we access key decision-makers and progress our sales opportunities? Blockers – apparently – love...

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…”. This is how Charles Dickens opened A Tale of Two Cities, in 1859. With the recent economic downturn, this seems just as relevant as ever. Businesses are reopening their doors, yet still...