When Stalin started his reign of terror - his atrocities included the great purge, assassinations and of course sending millions to the gulags - he did not want to be open about this. He wanted the people to admire and look up to him as the savior of Russia. So the massive propaganda machine went to work creating a different identity, a cult of personality for the citizens to admire.

Statues of him were mass produced, movies were made where an actor played Stalin and huge posters were placed all over the Soviet Union. However the statues portrayed Stalin as broad shouldered and well proportioned, the movie actor used to play Stalin was 6 foot 2 and in the posters he was very handsome. The reality - he was a short, fat, ugly and had no shoulders. He wanted to be what he portrayed and even came to believe it himself, but that did not make it true.

How do your sales people view themselves. How do you view them and how do you view yourself? Is it reality or is it simply a "cult of personality" that you or they have created. They want to be a rock star sales person, they want the benefits and they want to be treated like they are. But are they really?

The sales people with the most potential are those that are humble and willing to keep learning. The minute someone starts thinking " I don't need this" or "I don't need to change" progress is stunted and they have developed a false assessment of themselves. Managers cannot afford to defend, protect or soften the reality, they need to be honest and help the sales people grow. They cannot listen to excuses and they need to set the example by making sure they are on a personal development program themselves.

A few weeks ago a good friend of mine slipped on the ice and hurt her hand. She assumed it was just a sprain but after the pain did not subside she went to the E.R and the doctor there looked at the swelling and told her she had probably pulled a tendon and that it should heal. It didn't so she went to her regular doctor - his diagnosis was that the fall had aggravated her existing carpel tunnel syndrome, ice it, cortisone it and it should get better. It didn't.

A few days ago she went to a specialist who put her through an MRI. The results showed there was a fracture that the other doctors had missed and now she is in a cast. Interesting how experienced doctors were not able to diagnose a simple problem. They based their diagnosis on past experience, outward symptoms and what the patient said. It took an in depth scan - thanks to an MRI - to correctly diagnose the issue. She would have never healed properly without fixing the fracture. interestingly she was also surprised that it was broken, she didn't think it was that bad and was hoping it would eventually heal, even though she was in severe pain for weeks she kept "hoping" things would get better!

Sometimes the CEO's and VP's of sales we encounter are like those initial doctors. They try and diagnose the problems with their sales people based on their experience and what their sales people tell them - not on the facts. It takes and MRI like evaluation of the sales force to really discover what is going on under the surface. The symptoms alone do not always tell the story.

Additionally, even when armed with those findings there is a huge difference between managing sales people, building a sales force and establishing metrics and fixing them. As a high performing sales manager I had been successful at all of those - but it took years to learn how to train and fix sales people. The first step in fixing anything is to understand what is broken and for so long I didn't know what that was - I would address a behavior, mandate an activity and coach my reps through their struggles without knowing why those struggles exist.

That said just as all doctors cannot diagnose an injury and really fix the problem not everyone with sales experience or success is capable of diagnosing and thereby fixing even the simplest "fracture" in their sales organization.

In the late 60's a new law required cigarette manufacturers to label packages of cigarettes as harmful to your health.  Some people had already quit smoking when they first heard about the potential danger years earlier, others started to quit when the warning appeared on the label.  And then there were those who did nothing and sued the tobacco companies years later when they ended up with cancer.

In the year 79AD, when the volcano Vesuvius started to puff smoke, some folks packed up and left Pompeii. Others waited until there were some tremors. Both of these groups survived but for the thousands that waited for the volcanic ash to start falling - well it was too late and they all ended up dead.

These lessons teach us something quite interesting - people take action at different points and for different triggers.   What might be compelling to one person will not necessarily get through to another.   It also teaches us that those requiring huge or exorbitant amounts of evidence or multiple compelling reasons before taking action often run the risk of getting hurt or taking action too late.

In sales we emphasize the importance of uncovering compelling reasons for the individual client and allowing those reasons to motivate the person to action - no pushy close - the person simply takes action because it is the right thing to do! If you are a sales person or if you manage sales people you can appreciate how important those reasons are and how difficult they can sometimes be to uncover. Unfortunately there are people that will not act even with compelling reasons - why? Fear, Insecurity, Self Doubt, Incapable of Trust, Overly Cynical, Pride and many more. No doubt some of the same reasons why people waited to leave Pompeii!

So always be prepared to move on - even if you have established compelling reason.

We had an interesting discussion today in our office related to how we could better help one of our clients.  For a long time we have emphasized the fact that we are not a "sales training" company - we have a much broader focus that involves looking at every aspect of a sales organization.  Sometimes, usually in fact, that involves training sales people to overcome weaknesses and implement better skills and techniques.  BUT - that is not always a step that happens immediately or as early in the process as some clients might like.

Many times we need to start by fixing the sales leadership team.  Other times we need to improve the processes or systems that are in place.  Sometimes new people need brought on and other times the dead wood needs to be removed.  Of course, there are some people that will push or promote training without building the right foundation, but any good effects would be short lived at best.

Don't be tempted to, as the old adage goes, put the cart before the horse, when it comes to developing sales people.  Like so many things the order is as important as the content.  If you are looking for historical lessons then reflect on the poor foundation that was laid and the lack of planning that has plagued buildings like the leaning tower of Pisa.  You simply cannot rush or hurry through the laying of a foundation.

This past week we had the chance to help a growing company start building out it's sales force. Up till now they had none, they had grown organically yet they realized that with the right person they would be able to accelerate that growth.

But they had no experience hiring sales people and as a somewhat smaller company the risk associated with hiring the wrong person was magnified. So we implemented our STAR recruiting program for them to guarantee that a  top performer is identified and eliminate that risk. We create the right ad, we screen the candidates using our assessment, we grill them on the phone interview and narrow it down to the final few for an in person interview. We had completed the first phases and the CEO joined us this week for the in person interview. When we sat down and talked after the last candidate left the CEO had a dilemma. It is a dilemma we hear quite often when we help recruit - " I can't decide because they are all so good!".

The next thing that happened is he started to think about the impact on his business if he was able to hire two. He could double his revenue in 2010. When was the last time you had that type of hiring dilemma? Sales people are notoriously difficult to find and identify and hire but time and again we are able to do that. Sounds like the kind of dilemma everyone would like to have.

On another note this economy provides some excellent timing as far as getting real talent. If you are debating or thinking about getting some "feet on the street" then it is probably something you should prioritize if you want to exploit that in your favor.

One of our key people - Mike Thornton shared a picture with us earlier this week of his brother. His brother is currently serving in Iraq and the picture he had sent was of him at the bottom of a Ziggurat. Iraq is full of rubble and ruins but very little remains of what was once a great empire.

Babylon had hanging gardens - a Ziggurat with trees, plants and water feature. It had bridges and causeways and a huge wall that had gates decorated with blue tiles. But today almost nothing remains - other than a few piles of rubble and a few ruins.

So no matter how great you were yesterday or what you did in the 80's or 90's and how fast you were growing in 07 - none of that matters. Many businesses have just a pile of rubble left as a result of these recent conditions. Nothing even worth rebuilding. Are you building a sales legacy that can last? That means lasting through good and bad. Are you building something that is in a constant state of improvement and growth? are you building something that will stay ahead of the competition? Babylon was a beautiful city but it is gone. They were conquered, cities abandoned and forgotten.

Perhaps you are wondering " is my sales organization strong enough? Are my people growing?" If you are then let me know because we can help you find out.

Alexander the Great awoke before the sun rose and watched the light hit what was going to be the battlefield that day. He was of course outnumbered and this first major battle against Darius would either become a defining moment or the end of his career - Guagamela!

Watching the Battle field at dawn uncovered every nuance of the terrain - he saw valleys and hills and understood his position better and that of his enemy. He realized that what looked like a simple approach was difficult and what looked difficult was not so bad. This understanding , this knowledge was to provide a distinct advantage on the day to come.

His opponent also arose early, not as early as Alexander , but Darius used his time to bathe and dress and then took a quick look at a sketch of the battlefield with his Generals - notice the difference?

Quite often we hear that it is too early to evaluate the sales force. We hear that the "timing isn't good right now". Sometimes there are changes or initiatives going on and that is why a CEO might say he wants to wait. The irony is that the very reasons that are often offered are the exact things we feel make the timing perfect: Here are some examples of the perfect time to start looking at a sales team.

• I am in the middle of strategic planning for 2010.
• I have a lot going on (therefore no time)
• I just fired my Vp of Sales.
• I just Hired a Vp of Sales.
• I want my new Vp to get a handle on things first.
• We are in a real downturn.
• We are booming.
• I want to get all my people aligned first.

Do you get the point. The evaluation process adds light to this terrain and helps you make the right decision not the wrong one. It is never too early, the earlier you start the more nuance you get to see (like Alexander) So in our world these "reasons" become just excuses that are used to disguise the real reasons for not doing something. Fear, Pride, Overwhelmed or incapable.

I would welcome comments from the other side as to why someone would put off an action that traditionally has demonstrated at least a 15:1 return on investment. Please enlighten me? Why and When does acting like Darius win over the behavior of Alexander?

Sir Horatio Nelson is known for delivering a number of naval defeats to Napoleons forces. Often outnumbered Nelson was always resourceful and innovative - he would simply find a way to get it done! He was extremely courageous and patriotic, he lost his arm and his eye and finally his life fighting for his country. That is a really brief introduction to who he was, but why am I bringing him up?

In spite of these strengths there were a number of interesting flaws that plagued his illustrious career. First of all he suffered from sea sickness his entire life. Imagine that, a sailor that spent his entire career at sea battled with sea sickness.

His personal life was a little bit of a mess. He was involved in a few scandalous affairs and socially speaking he offended quite a few people that he probably shouldn't have.

So it goes with sales people - often they can have a pretty dominant weakness and still succeed if their desire and commitment is strong enough. At times a sales performer will have social or personal issues but once again if they have the skills and desire to succeed in sales they often do. The lesson is this - too often we select sales people based on the wrong criteria - imagine it is 1804 and you need to pick an admiral to fight off a combined French and Spanish fleet. Nelson shows up, one eye, one arm and lets you know he often gets sea sick. What are you going to do? Would you Hire Him?

Don't forget the Athenians! Three times a day Persian King Darius would have a servant whisper those words to him. He was in control of a huge empire, there were many conflicts going on but he wanted to guarantee that that when the timing was right he remembered to take vengeance on the Greeks. Of course he tried to later and failed. Darius was a little crazy but none of that matters - what matters here is the lesson in affirmations.

Eventually we will do what we have been listening to, positive or negative, stupid or wise.

So right now your sales people are hearing things over and over again, what is that affirming for them? As a sales person what are you doing to counteract that? As a manager what are you offering as a positive affirmation to your people? More importantly what does your example show?

For example if your sales people are consistently hearing that the economy is soft and the timing is bad to spend money that is one thing - but if your actions re-enforce that by you also cutting back and not spending money. especially on tools to strengthen your sales team....well you have just validated the negative affirmation!

So be careful and make sure the affirmations and actions are leading you to success not failure.

During World War I the allies found themselves in one of the most notorious stalemates in history. Two opposing armies locked in trench warfare - fighting furiously over literal inches of ground. The root cause of this problem first came to light 50 years earlier in the civil war - the technology of firearms and cannons had surpassed the techniques employed by the infantry. One might have expected the military to have learned and developed new methods over those years however they did not.

Two men had a solution during World War I that would solve the problem and break the gridlock. We call it the tank today. Although their design was available at the beginning of the war it took years for the allies to even try the strange weapon and when they finally did it worked amazingly well. They added more, the gridlock was broken and the war was over.

So the confusing part is this. When William Tritton and Walter Wilson were trying to sell their tank to the allied commanders the timing was perfect. The need was there. There was plenty of pain. The product was a perfect solution to the problem. They were able to demonstrate it's effectiveness. The tank fit in nicely with the overall vision and mission i.e. winning the war. So what was the problem? Why not move forward and save millions of lives?

Interestingly we sometimes see the same issues today. We present a solution, we offer a reference, the timing is right, there is compelling reason to do something is there and an effective solution offered but people don't act. Sometimes people are not capable, qualified or committed enough to make the right decision. The military leadership in World War I was far removed from the front. They were fond of their old antiquated methods. They were not about to listen to two engineers. They were not agents of change - they were resistors of change.

However the real reason was identified by Winston Churchill years later. He of course suffered his own military debacle in the Dardanelles Campaign. He put the blame on a lack of humility. Don't allow a lack of humility stop you from doing what is right for your business. There are areas where we all need help - failing to recognize those is foolish. Yet I consistently speak with  CEO's who will say they need help on the sales front, but the sales leadership will say no we don't and get offended. We talk with CEO's who trust a VP to head not only sales but marketing and business development as well - and they don't need help?

So if you are struggling with finding a new years resolution here is one for you - just be humble in 2010.