QBR’s – Rest In Peace
QBP’s – Viva la Difference
For decades we have all been doing minor variations on the same theme. Quarterly Business Review. We did them as sale individuals, we did them as groups, teams, and business units. We all spent hundreds of hours preparing text material, spreadsheets, charts, graphs, and cute little cartoons. We morphed from simple paper to transparencies (remember overhead projectors), and on to Harvard Graphics and inevitably the now-infamous POWERPOINT. We would prepare literally hundreds of “slides” that told all the story we wanted to tell about all the wonderful things that we had accomplished, in great detail, in the quarter/year that had just passed. We could hold court and verbosely “pontificate” on the greatness of what had been accomplished. Even if, in fact, we had not actually grown revenue in that same period. Our stories of days gone by were well detailed. Tons of information!
I won’t judge the past, as that is not of value. We all did this and it just WAS!
What I offer up is a proposal for your consideration. A new way of thinking for a changed time!
Let’s put the massive rearview mirror starring in the past. Let’s look forward. I can hear it all now, “but all that information that we shared was important”. Maybe it was. And just maybe that’s not enough NOW! Let’s shift into a higher gear, play a bigger game, and work to move all things FORWARD as our sole/primary focus. Revenue growth is the primary responsibility of any “sales team”. We own that purpose for the rest of our entire corporate team.
I propose the shift to a Quarterly Business PREVIEW. Information is good, even old information… IF it creates ACTION that moves our business forward, AND we can quantify the IMPACT of that action in growing our revenue. Otherwise, let’s spend our PREVIEW time looking at the specific actions that we are going to take as a team, quantifying the impact that they will have and creating detailed execution plans.
If you ARE in the REVIEW mode then you are looking at what was DONE, and finding insight into what has to be done NEXT. Information leading to actions!
This shift is darned near sacrilegious to many of us that are addicted to DATA. Wonderful DATA. In fact, within the halls of my own company we often hear the words “in GOD we trust, all others bring data”! My proposal to shift this is….
In God we trust, all others bring ACTION PLANS!
And the pragmatic side of me concedes…. We are not going to be able to rid ourselves of our data addiction. So, let’s leave a bit in just to pacify our data scientist’s side. I propose that we take a big lead forward, yet not go total cold turkey….let’s make a shift to 75% PREVIEW and 25% review of all of our wonderful PowerPoint charts and graphs. AND hopefully when we do that even the 25% side of the house will still have ACTION PLAN outcomes that manage to escape from the data jail. (We need a bit of time in each PREVIEW session to look at the last planned actions from the last PREVIEW and see what we can learn from their outcomes.)
Long-winded explanation to this ask… And this week I propose that you tackle converting ONE of your many business review report card sessions over to a PREVIEW, 2-way discussion where you put commitments on the table for things that YOU are going to DO that will grow revenue for your team and that you quantify the IMPACT that those actions will have. Get your crystal ball out, polish it up nicely, and give it your best gaze. Remember these are YOUR actions, YOUR plan, and YOU are responsible for the outcome!
Time to PREVIEW!
OK, Let’s ROLL!
Mitch
Continuing on from the last couple of weeks, we find that our four travelers have made it to the land of OZ and come face to face with the Wizard in all of his diminutive self. Seems that the man behind the curtain has built a pretty fierce façade. A lot of wisdom came from the journey that the 4 friends took and the Wizard himself added to the thinking at the end. Life is all about facing your fears! And to the courage he simply stated the obvious…” true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid”. And even the bravest people get scared. As the Wizard told a story… Dorothy said “weren’t your frightened?” (Wizard…) “Frightened? Child, you’re talking to a man who’s laughed in the face of death, sneered at doom, and chuckled at catastrophe… I was petrified.”
My ask of you this week is simply, tomorrow, do the one thing that you are the most afraid to do with respect to thanking someone for something that they have done for you. Should not really be that scary… maybe! Make it a BIG thank you! The final thought from the walk to OZ is from the King of the Winged Monkeys (yes they scared the heck out of me)… It is the final consideration before waking up…Good always wins over evil. The King of the Winged Monkeys: “We dare not harm this little girl,” he said to them, “for she is protected by the Power of Good, and this is greater than the Power of Evil.”
OK, Let’s Roll!
Mitch
Continuing on our journey to OZ from last week we find ourselves in the company of another wonderful character… the Scarecrow. Along the trip to see the great OZ the scarecrow and Dorothy have lots of time to sing, dance, and talk. One of the conversations goes like this….
Scarecrow: “I haven't got a brain... only straw.”
Dorothy: “How can you talk if you haven't got a brain?”
Scarecrow: “I don't know... But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking... don't they?”
Dorothy: “Yes, I guess you're right.”
A lot of talking about our “stuff” with folks that we want to have as clients. Without any realization that they ABSOLUTELY do not care about our stuff at all. How could that possibly be? Our stuff is so great. Our stuff is world-class. Our stuff…. Talking without using our brain, just spitting out all of the product features and wonderful “benefits” that we could deliver if ONLY the client had a brain and chose us to supply their stuff.
Well, lets get very real. Today more than ever, the desire by people to change from using their known good stuff, is at its lowest ever. Change brings fear of failure and possible personal repercussions. Why should they shift from what they have been doing for so long that has been working to something unknown and unproven. Not going to happen…. Unless you can prove a possible outcome that is of more value to them than their current situation and has NO risk. That last part is really tough.
During the journey, the travelers reach many roadblocks and it is the Scarecrow that figures out how to overcome them. When the team reaches OZ the Wizard finally gives the Scarecrow a "brain" (which is just some pins and needles mixed with bran) the Scarecrow gains the confidence he needs to feel good about himself. But the smart thoughts? Those he's had all along. Just like with Dorothy, the Scarecrow's journey as a character is not about change or growth. As he traveled, the Scarecrow didn't gain something new. He just had the opportunity to use intelligence he already possessed—and, of course, to discover that he possessed it.
So my thought for your consideration this week is the following…. Let’s use our inquisitive BRAIN. And…..
Go out and ASK a client… “what would it take for you to shift from what you are doing today (using XYZ product or service, or working with supplier X, or…you get creative and build the baseline inquiry about “what would it take for you to shift”…. From… not to you… from something else) This is about understanding what they are afraid of, where is the fear, what would worry them. Only once you understand what the challenge is, can you help them solve it. One of their biggest fears should be stated as the challenge of creating change involving others in their own world. Change management is the 800-pound gorilla in the room. And your task is to scare it away. Have fun!
OK, Let’s Roll!
Mitch
[et_pb_section fb_built="1" fullwidth="on" _builder_version="4.4.1" background_enable_image="off" custom_margin="||||false|false"][et_pb_fullwidth_post_title categories="off" comments="off" featured_image="off" _builder_version="4.4.4" title_font="Abel|700|||||||" title_text_color="#000000" title_font_size="35px" title_line_height="1.3em" custom_padding="||15px||false|false"][/et_pb_fullwidth_post_title][et_pb_fullwidth_image src="https://mitchlittle.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/heart_featured.jpg" alt="If I only had a heart!" title_text="If I only had a heart!" admin_label="If I only had a heart!" _builder_version="4.6.3" custom_margin="0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false" custom_padding="0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false"][/et_pb_fullwidth_image][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built="1" _builder_version="4.4.1" custom_margin="0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false" custom_padding="0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false"][et_pb_row _builder_version="4.4.1" custom_margin="0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false" custom_padding="0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.4.1"][et_pb_text admin_label="If I only had a heart!" _builder_version="4.6.3" text_font="Source Sans Pro||||||||" custom_margin="45px|||||" hover_enabled="0" sticky_enabled="0"]
In the movie, The Wizard of OZ (and I know that I can not assume you all have seen it, but I did grow up with it and the scary flying monkeys) there is a very special Tin Man. In the journey to Oz, the Tin Man is in search of a heart that had been taken from him by the Wicked Witch of the East. In song and dance along the way, Tin Man repeats the phrase… “if I only had a heart”. Many quotes about having a heart are in this movie… here is one…
This statement made to the Tin Man by the Wizard is one of the all-time best Oz quotes, simply because it's so true. As most of us can attest, the love of our friends and family is all that really matters in life.
And so what you say… well here is my ask of you for this week… In this current time, I see a lot of folks with a lot of stress and anxiety. You can see it acted out in the manner with which they interface with others around them. We are quick to move to anger and curt responses that are out of character. We are judgmental when we really have no position to judge at all, not our role in life anyhow. You know it, you see it, it’s real, and it is under our control to alter it... Each one of us can make a difference and it can snowball. One person at a time. Start now. As you read this, take a moment to look around and see someone that you can make a difference for. Have a heart. Take a heartfelt action to pay it forward, deliver a smile, embrace someone needing a hug. Step into it and open up your heart!
Here is a radical thought. Do this with your client. Virtual or in person, it can still be done. You can use your heart to connect with another person that may not be even expecting it. Care greatly, Understand deeply, Serve endlessly, with Purpose (CUSP). Its not just a four-letter word, it’s showing the world that YOU HAVE A HEART! Your personal and professional connections and relationships will be forever stronger if you let your HEART show!
Ok, Let’s Roll!
Mitch
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color="rgba(12,113,195,0.48)" divider_position="center" _builder_version="4.4.2"][/et_pb_divider][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row disabled_on="off|off|off" _builder_version="4.4.7"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.4.2"][et_pb_blog fullwidth="off" posts_number="3" include_categories="all" show_thumbnail="off" excerpt_length="150" show_categories="off" show_pagination="off" _builder_version="4.4.7"][/et_pb_blog][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
For most of our B2B sales lives, we have been thrown new products with a list of features and benefits over the wall and the client engagement teams have had to translate all of that “stuff” into conversations that matter to our clients. Not always an easy matter when the great “new” product looks amazing like the good “old” products or services that we have been working with for years. That, however, is quite ok. This is where the client-facing teams shine and where they do their best work. This is the art of conversations, that matter to our clients. And to be quite specific this is the absolute art of 2-WAY conversations, not just show up and broadcast, but create and conduct a truly meaningful dialog with clients.
Michael Hvisdos (www.inquizo.com) has been working with our team for several years as we dig into the science and impact of curiosity. Michael and his partner Janet are absolute guru’s when it comes to this… Check them out. In my attempt to keep brief here I will just tell you that Michael ingrained in our thinking many years ago the value of absolute thinking of having great 2-WAY conversations. The big difference between thought and action. With 2-WAY conversations as a baseline, we must clearly accept the age-old adage of “seek first to understand before being understood”. The challenge is the first part. We have lots of practice in the latter part. So here is my request for you for this week.
Understand that you cannot change someone else’s mind. No argument will have you changing their mind. Only they can change their mind. It must be of their own free will. On occasion, you might verbally bludgeon them into submission (think teenage discussion here), but that will not be the same thing. To get someone to see your perspective if it is different than theirs, you must first acknowledge their perspective as being viable (and mean it). Only when you stop the wall building of having right/wrong conversations can you actually reach out and help others gain perspectives beyond their current ones. Stop trying to be right, you only end up making other wrong. Learn the power of AND, and avoid the OR.
My request for you this week is actually just for one day. If you can take if further, bless you. For just one day this week, I ask that you take the entire day and…
NOT DISAGREE WITH ANYONE ABOUT ANYTHING (both personally and professionally)
That does not mean you have to accept what they say, just understand their statements and beliefs. Acknowledge the fact that you understand. Open up the door to having really great 2-WAY conversations that matter to you both.
This is a tough action. Teams small and large have accepted this challenge and we have worked through the outcomes with greatness at the end. Enjoy!
OK, Let’s Roll!
- Mitch
