Sales reward and recognition programs are an effective way to motivate a sales rep above and beyond his/her compensation package. Our Pillar Partner and good friend, Amy Trueblood, of Awards Network shares some of the tips on how a sales incentive program can be simple while still making an impact on your organization.  Amy outlines the key steps in designing a sales incentive program that your team will understand and that will motivate the right behavior!

In part one of this three part series on coaching training, we talked about why you can't manage your way to growth.  In part two we shared the new Sales Performance Equation(TM) for excellence. Today we will define, in detail, the various elements of the Sales Performance Equation and explain the importance of each in your role as a sales coach. 

In part one of this three part series we explained that a sales coach is a  strategic position that has a three-fold purpose: to manage processes and output, to create a collaborative leadership environment, and to navigate between order and complexity to ensure maximum growth. In our new Sales Performance Equation(TM), we examine the key components of sales coaching. As with any model established through the EcSELL Institute, the end result must always be increased performance.

Throughout history, leadership approaches have reflected the advancement of different industries as well as societal changes.  As new economies develop, management approaches evolve to drive new types of workers.  Research continues to shape our understanding of what motivates people to perform at a higher level. Scientific discoveries about how people think and feel teaches us how to tap into their need to achieve. Simply stated, as the world changes, so does the way in which we manage, lead and coach people. This is the first of a three part series written by Bill Eckstrom, President of EcSELL Institute and Sarah Wirth, VP Member Services of EcSELL Institute.

Always fun to reflect on some of the most famous quotes on leadership from people who have made an impact in our world. Use these as inspiration to motivate yourself and energize your career!

"Any committee is only as good as the most knowledgeable, determined and vigorous person on it. There must be somebody who provides the flame." - Lady Bird Johnson, American first lady (1912-2006)

Here's a look at the 10 most irritating workplace characters of problem employees--along with some advice on how to get them back on track. Enjoy these highlights from the article originally published in Inc.  10 Difficult Employees (and How to Handle Them)     

Don’t underestimate low-level employees
Just as King didn’t hesitate to quote philosophers in his written pieces, great business leaders should not underestimate even the lowest level employees in their organizations. “I was worried about the references, but he assured me that wisdom is present in people even in the most humble circumstances,” remembers Robert Ellis Smith, the person who work with Martin Luter King, Jr. on this article published in 1965 . “He taught me never to underestimate anyone below me, that they have wisdom, life experience and are introspective.”

We would like to welcome our newest member to the EcSELL Institute Community, RedEye, A Stratsys Company. RedEye by Stratasys provides rapid prototyping and (also known as rapid manufacturing) services to a wide variety of industries.  With a global network of more than 100 systems, RedEye builds functional parts with production-grade thermoplastic materials. 

Collaborative Leadership is more important than ever. When first introduced to the thought "There Is no I in Team, But There Is TEAM in Sales" it seemed foreign. Sales was about the individual, the producer who could eat what they kill. It was about the rep who knew how to work and serve an existing account, one who had an amazing talent to identify and solve problems. The great sales producer simply got more annual spend from customers. Where and how did “team” fit?  This post is written by founder and president of the EcSELL Institute, Bill Eckstrom.

Your job as a sales manager is to get things done. A study done by academics Heike Bruch and the late Sumantra Ghoshal  from London, investigated what they called "decisive purposeful action." Most companies, far from being hives of busy, effective executives, could instead be seen as "a few isolated islands of action amid an ocean of inaction," the researchers found. Does this ring any bells? Here are the highlights from their study.