What am I reading? I get asked that question all the time. Here are the books I've read this past month, with a bit of commentary on each.
Growing Great Sales Teams, by Colleen Stanley
A little book with a big punch. As a former VP of Sales, author Colleen Stanley shares practical, but high impact strategies you can use to first get your sales team back on track and then excel.
What I appreciate most about this book is that it's based on the "lessons from the cornfield" where work needed to get done, crops need to be harvested and excuses weren't acceptable. In short, it's fun to read.
(Colleen is speaking on EQ + IQ = Sales Results at my upcoming Sales SheBang conference for women in sales being held September 23-24 in Minneapolis.)
Good in a Room, by Stephanie Palmer
At
first I wasn't sure I was going to like this book, but by the end I was
a big fan. The author wasn't a salesperson. However, as the former
Director of Creative Affairs at MGM, she evaluated sales pitches on a
regular basis and became fascinated by what worked and what didn't.
Good in a Room offers a fresh perspective on sales, completely devoid of any of the traditional "sales speak" preached by gurus of the past. Lots of unique insights from a good observer. Worth getting.
Topgrading for Sales, by Bradford Smart & Greg Alexander
If you need to hire salespeople, this book is a must read. As the authors so clearly point out, the cost of bad hiring can easily be over $1/2 million when you add in hiring costs, compensation, severance, disruption, & opportunity costs.
In Topgrading, you'll learn a proven hiring/interview process that helps you clearly define what skills are needed, sorts the "A" players from the fakers - and, as a result, totally transform your business. Plus, it comes with a complete toolkit with ready-to-use forms that can easily be modified for virtually any sales position.
The Adventures of Johnny Bunko, by Daniel Pink
Pink's first two books are among my favorites: Free Agent Nation and A Whole New Mind. But when this one came out, I personally wasn't interested in the topic: a career guide for thriving in the world of work.
However, I had to get a copy because it's the first business book in the U.S. that's written in manga, the Japanese comic book format. So what do I think? A bit light on content, but fun to read. Reminded me of being a kid again. Plus, it made me realize how much fluff is in some books - just to make them impressive.
In Praise of Slowness, by Carl Honore
In our crazy, hyper-competitive business world, it seems like doing things faster is the only way to keep up. Personally, I think people have reached the breaking point. By this, I mean corporate decision makers AND salespeople.
That's why I'm studying slowness. I think that by "challenging the cult of speed," we can positively impact sales. If you have any insights on this, please share them with me.
What have you been reading lately?
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