“Deep listening is miraculous for both listener and speaker. When someone receives us with open-hearted, non-judging, intensely interested listening, our spirits expand.” ~Sue Patton Thoele

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1. Be Present & Stay Focused. Stop thinking about what you are going to say next and focus on what the speaker is telling you. Be curious and ask follow up questions to learn more about what they are telling you.

2. Pause Before You Respond. Take 2 full breaths before responding. It will ensure the speaker is finished and give them space to share more. It will also help you control the amount of talking you are doing.

3. Refocus If Your Mind Wanders. If you start thinking about your next meeting, travel plans, or what you have planned for the evening, bring yourself back to the moment. (more…)

“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” – Dr Wayne Dyer

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It is easy to get down on yourself in the world of sales if you have had a bad month, quarter, or even a down year. But if you hold onto those negative thoughts about your sales performance, it will not help you to achieve your sales goals.

As simplistic as this may sound, if you are a negative person, sales will always feel like a struggle. As a positive person, sales becomes much more enjoyable and can be very fulfilling. You will also produce far greater results with a positive mind-set in sales.

Being a positive person has been a significant part of my own success and below are some of the key practices I have followed to be a positive person in the world of sales: (more…)

“Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go.” ~Oscar Wilde

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The majority of us have at some time in our career worked for a manager who we did not connect with, or who should really not be managing or leading sales people. However, we can’t always control who our bosses are, so here are 4 tips to survive working for a difficult sales manager.

Tip 1: Appreciate What They Do Well
Even if you detest your boss, you’re going to have to find a way to deal with the situation if you want to remain on the sales team. One of the best ways to do this is to tolerate his or her weaknesses and focus on the good qualities they possess, even if there are very few. Focus on how they can help you. (more…)

“Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do.” -Benjamin Franklin

“He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help.” – Abraham Lincoln

“One mustn’t criticize other people on grounds where he can’t stand perpendicular himself” -Mark Twain

Post written by Jeremy Ulmer. Follow me on or .

Criticism from your sales manager (or from anyone) is not easy to handle, however, learning to deal with it can be a valuable skill. Here are some ideas to practice and keep in mind next time you receive criticism.

Take A Deep Breath & Pause Before You React

If your first reaction is to lash back at your sales manager or to become defensive, take a moment before speaking. It is natural to feel a little angry or to be on-guard. However, if you can teach yourself to take a moment before simply reacting, it will give a chance for logic to sink in and not just raw emotions. There is certainly nothing wrong with emotions, but when people are upset, they are more likely to say things they will regret later on. (more…)

The Emotional Intelligence model introduced by Daniel Goleman focuses on EI/EQ from a wide range of competencies and skills.  Below is an outline of the 4 key areas:

1. Self-awareness — the ability to read one’s emotions and recognize their impact while using gut feelings to guide decisions.
2. Self-management — involves controlling one’s emotions and impulses and adapting to changing circumstances.
3. Social awareness — the ability to sense, understand, and react to others’ emotions while comprehending social networks. (more…)