hat role they play in business, are always masters of the question. Managers need to do less telling and more listening. Salespeople need to do less pitching and more listening.

One of my clients this year made four significant promotions, and one person felt passed over. He was a master of the question. Instead of asking the question, “Why didn’t I get that promotion?” He asked, “What areas do I need to improve upon to be ready for the next time an opportunity comes along?” He got information and didn’t offer rebuttal. He simply put his head down and acted on that information, and six months later was given that opportunity he sought.

Success is predicated on asking the right questions and recognizing the honest answers when you hear them. If you are going to ask prospects and customers, “What areas do we need to improve upon to be ready for the next opportunity?” Listen. Take notes. If you can recognize the answer, they are telling you how to succeed. Learn to master the questions that open up employees, customers and prospects. Listen with the intent to understand, and they will tell

Success in today’s business world is predicated less on the systems within an organization and more on the people in the organization dedicated to making it happen. Once upon a time, not so long ago, organizations could carry the middling performer as long as the superstars were performing at high levels. With downsizing and globalization, every person must carry his weight and deliver consistently and with BIG success. For some employees, the talent is there and they can simply dig in a bit and reach that level. For others not so fortunate to possess that level of skill, they need to retool and take six important steps to becoming more competitive and responsible for delivering success.

Step 1: Know when to start and when to quit.

AOL is still trying to sell dial-up Internet services, which is like Ford attempting to convince the today’s drivers they want a Model T. AOL services no longer fit the needs of customers, and they are losing customers by the millions. The worst part is they are now getting a reputation for not letting customers terminate services. On the Internet you can hear recordings of one such nightmare transaction (which has already been downloaded by hundreds of thousands of people).

If a customer wants to end a relationship with you, which is of greater concern: the fact you lost this customer, or the reason why you lost this customer? Your concern needs to be focused on the why, because if the why isn’t corrected, there will be a greater customer exodus happening in short order. Sometimes you need to know when your product or service has been bested, and instead of spending valuable resources on trying to convince customers to stay, it may be time to stop your current methods and start a new approach.

Step 2: There is no education like adversity.

Hurricane Katrina was one of the greatest natural disasters the United States has ever experienced, yet it was also one of the most educational experiences of how unprepared we were for such a thing. Unfortunately, most of our government representatives were more focused on blaming and their own CYA than on what the experience can teach us, which only means we are doomed to a repeat of the same situation in time.

Are you blame-focused or solution-focused when adversity hits your organization? Say that someone in your organization totally dropped the ball and a profit “disaster” occurs as a result. Are you going to act like our government did last year and have that employee fall on his sword so you have someone on which to firmly place the blame? Or are you going to analyze the situation and track the steps leading up to that error, so you can rewrite your protocol, follow-up steps and communication choices? Adversity is our greatest teacher if we stop to learn and then take action on this new knowledge.

Step 3: Your ability to succeed is in proportion to your ability to sell.

There are four people with whom you need to be an expert salesperson: the customer (obviously), your boss, your co-workers and most importantly -- yourself. If you are unable to completely sell yourself on the ideas that your products and services have a positive impact on your customer, that you are capable of doing your job with unlimited success, and that you absolutely love what you do, then selling to the other three entities is immaterial.

I’ve seen athletic teams lose a game before even leaving the locker room because they sold themselves on that idea. I’ve seen salesmen purely go through the motions on a call because they sold themselves on the idea the prospect wasn’t buying today. Wow, why try? The internal sales talk is the most important sales conversation you will ever have! The greatest successes in business have occurred because the driving force, the person most committed, was totally sold on the idea and refused to lose. That doesn’t mean failures didn’t happen along the way; it means the setbacks were fuel and knowledge for pushing further. Sales success is not a numbers game; it is a mental game of seeing yourself as a success -- and believing it. Although hard to believe, some people have convinced themselves they couldn’t ever reach the top. They are afraid of success and run from it when it happens. Just ask Dave Chappell. I did -- on an airplane -- he was not amused nor interested in talking.

Step 4: Ask and you shall receive.

Highly successful people, no matter what role they play in business, are always masters of the question. Managers need to do less telling and more listening. Salespeople need to do less pitching and more listening.

One of my clients this year made four significant promotions, and one person felt passed over. He was a master of the question. Instead of asking the question, “Why didn’t I get that promotion?” He asked, “What areas do I need to improve upon to be ready for the next time an opportunity comes along?” He got information and didn’t offer rebuttal. He simply put his head down and acted on that information, and six months later was given that opportunity he sought.

Success is predicated on asking the right questions and recognizing the honest answers when you hear them. If you are going to ask prospects and customers, “What areas do we need to improve upon to be ready for the next opportunity?” Listen. Take notes. If you can recognize the answer, they are telling you how to succeed. Learn to master the questions that open up employees, customers and prospects. Listen with the intent to understand, and they will tell y

recordings of one such nightmare transaction (which has already been downloaded by hundreds of thousands of people).

If a customer wants to end a relationship with you, which is of greater concern: the fact you lost this customer, or the reason why you lost this customer? Your concern needs to be focused on the why, because if the why isn’t corrected, there will be a greater customer exodus happening in short order. Sometimes you need to know when your product or service has been bested, and instead of spending valuable resources on trying to convince customers to stay, it may be time to stop your current methods and start a new approach.

Step 2: There is no education like adversity.

Hurricane Katrina was one of the greatest natural disasters the United States has ever experienced, yet it was also one of the most educational experiences of how unprepared we were for such a thing. Unfortunately, most of our government representatives were more focused on blaming and their own CYA than on what the experience can teach us, which only means we are doomed to a repeat of the same situation in time.

Are you blame-focused or solution-focused when adversity hits your organization? Say that someone in your organization totally dropped the ball and a profit “disaster” occurs as a result. Are you going to act like our government did last year and have that employee fall on his sword so you have someone on which to firmly place the blame? Or are you going to analyze the situation and track the steps leading up to that error, so you can rewrite your protocol, follow-up steps and communication choices? Adversity is our greatest teacher if we stop to learn and then take action on this new knowledge.

Step 3: Your ability to succeed is in proportion to your ability to sell.

There are four people with whom you need to be an expert salesperson: the customer (obviously), your boss, your co-workers and most importantly -- yourself. If you are unable to completely sell yourself on the ideas that your products and services have a positive impact on your customer, that you are capable of doing your job with unlimited success, and that you absolutely love what you do, then selling to the other three entities is immaterial.

I’ve seen athletic teams lose a game before even leaving the locker room because they sold themselves on that idea. I’ve seen salesmen purely go through the motions on a call because they sold themselves on the idea the prospect wasn’t buying today. Wow, why try? The internal sales talk is the most important sales conversation you will ever have! The greatest successes in business have occurred because the driving force, the person most committed, was totally sold on the idea and refused to lose. That doesn’t mean failures didn’t happen along the way; it means the setbacks were fuel and knowledge for pushing further. Sales success is not a numbers game; it is a mental game of seeing yourself as a success -- and believing it. Although hard to believe, some people have convinced themselves they couldn’t ever reach the top. They are afraid of success and run from it when it happens. Just ask Dave Chappell. I did -- on an airplane -- he was not amused nor interested in talking.

Step 4: Ask and you shall receive.

Highly successful people, no matter what role they play in business, are always masters of the question. Managers need to do less telling and more listening. Salespeople need to do less pitching and more listening.

One of my clients this year made four significant promotions, and one person felt passed over. He was a master of the question. Instead of asking the question, “Why didn’t I get that promotion?” He asked, “What areas do I need to improve upon to be ready for the next time an opportunity comes along?” He got information and didn’t offer rebuttal. He simply put his head down and acted on that information, and six months later was given that opportunity he sought.

Success is predicated on asking the right questions and recognizing the honest answers when you hear them. If you are going to ask prospects and customers, “What areas do we need to improve upon to be ready for the next opportunity?” Listen. Take notes. If you can recognize the answer, they are telling you how to succeed. Learn to master the questions that open up employees, customers and prospects. Listen with the intent to understand, and they will tell

in time.

Are you blame-focused or solution-focused when adversity hits your organization? Say that someone in your organization totally dropped the ball and a profit “disaster” occurs as a result. Are you going to act like our government did last year and have that employee fall on his sword so you have someone on which to firmly place the blame? Or are you going to analyze the situation and track the steps leading up to that error, so you can rewrite your protocol, follow-up steps and communication choices? Adversity is our greatest teacher if we stop to learn and then take action on this new knowledge.

Step 3: Your ability to succeed is in proportion to your ability to sell.

There are four people with whom you need to be an expert salesperson: the customer (obviously), your boss, your co-workers and most importantly -- yourself. If you are unable to completely sell yourself on the ideas that your products and services have a positive impact on your customer, that you are capable of doing your job with unlimited success, and that you absolutely love what you do, then selling to the other three entities is immaterial.

I’ve seen athletic teams lose a game before even leaving the locker room because they sold themselves on that idea. I’ve seen salesmen purely go through the motions on a call because they sold themselves on the idea the prospect wasn’t buying today. Wow, why try? The internal sales talk is the most important sales conversation you will ever have! The greatest successes in business have occurred because the driving force, the person most committed, was totally sold on the idea and refused to lose. That doesn’t mean failures didn’t happen along the way; it means the setbacks were fuel and knowledge for pushing further. Sales success is not a numbers game; it is a mental game of seeing yourself as a success -- and believing it. Although hard to believe, some people have convinced themselves they couldn’t ever reach the top. They are afraid of success and run from it when it happens. Just ask Dave Chappell. I did -- on an airplane -- he was not amused nor interested in talking.

Step 4: Ask and you shall receive.

Highly successful people, no matter what role they play in business, are always masters of the question. Managers need to do less telling and more listening. Salespeople need to do less pitching and more listening.

One of my clients this year made four significant promotions, and one person felt passed over. He was a master of the question. Instead of asking the question, “Why didn’t I get that promotion?” He asked, “What areas do I need to improve upon to be ready for the next time an opportunity comes along?” He got information and didn’t offer rebuttal. He simply put his head down and acted on that information, and six months later was given that opportunity he sought.

Success is predicated on asking the right questions and recognizing the honest answers when you hear them. If you are going to ask prospects and customers, “What areas do we need to improve upon to be ready for the next opportunity?” Listen. Take notes. If you can recognize the answer, they are telling you how to succeed. Learn to master the questions that open up employees, customers and prospects. Listen with the intent to understand, and they will tell

he other three entities is immaterial.

I’ve seen athletic teams lose a game before even leaving the locker room because they sold themselves on that idea. I’ve seen salesmen purely go through the motions on a call because they sold themselves on the idea the prospect wasn’t buying today. Wow, why try? The internal sales talk is the most important sales conversation you will ever have! The greatest successes in business have occurred because the driving force, the person most committed, was totally sold on the idea and refused to lose. That doesn’t mean failures didn’t happen along the way; it means the setbacks were fuel and knowledge for pushing further. Sales success is not a numbers game; it is a mental game of seeing yourself as a success -- and believing it. Although hard to believe, some people have convinced themselves they couldn’t ever reach the top. They are afraid of success and run from it when it happens. Just ask Dave Chappell. I did -- on an airplane -- he was not amused nor interested in talking.

Step 4: Ask and you shall receive.

Highly successful people, no matter what role they play in business, are always masters of the question. Managers need to do less telling and more listening. Salespeople need to do less pitching and more listening.

One of my clients this year made four significant promotions, and one person felt passed over. He was a master of the question. Instead of asking the question, “Why didn’t I get that promotion?” He asked, “What areas do I need to improve upon to be ready for the next time an opportunity comes along?” He got information and didn’t offer rebuttal. He simply put his head down and acted on that information, and six months later was given that opportunity he sought.

Success is predicated on asking the right questions and recognizing the honest answers when you hear them. If you are going to ask prospects and customers, “What areas do we need to improve upon to be ready for the next opportunity?” Listen. Take notes. If you can recognize the answer, they are telling you how to succeed. Learn to master the questions that open up employees, customers and prospects. Listen with the intent to understand, and they will tell

hat role they play in business, are always masters of the question. Managers need to do less telling and more listening. Salespeople need to do less pitching and more listening.

One of my clients this year made four significant promotions, and one person felt passed over. He was a master of the question. Instead of asking the question, “Why didn’t I get that promotion?” He asked, “What areas do I need to improve upon to be ready for the next time an opportunity comes along?” He got information and didn’t offer rebuttal. He simply put his head down and acted on that information, and six months later was given that opportunity he sought.

Success is predicated on asking the right questions and recognizing the honest answers when you hear them. If you are going to ask prospects and customers, “What areas do we need to improve upon to be ready for the next opportunity?” Listen. Take notes. If you can recognize the answer, they are telling you how to succeed. Learn to master the questions that open up employees, customers and prospects. Listen with the intent to understand, and they will tell you how to succeed and receive.

Step 5: Invest in yourself.

Nod if you feel the company should only ask for 45 to 55 hours a week from you. Nod if the company should pay for all of your training and educational materials. Nod if you think your job is more demanding and competitive than ever before. Before you get a crick in your neck from all that nodding I want you to consider this: Is my success more important to me or the company? I would imagine most people would say to themselves, so what are you doing to invest your time and money in your success? The company is paying for your time, knowledge, benefits, perks and training, because your success is important to them, so what are you doing on top of that to go for BIG success?

Everyone who is significantly successful knows success is an inside job and invests in themselves to get that success. What magazines do you receive at home? Which of them are helping you be better in your occupation? Magazines are so incredibly cheap, knowledge-filled, and abundant. A cheap investment in a couple of subscriptions that deal directly with what you do in your job can be an investment with a great return. What books do you read? We have a tendency to get so busy in our lives we fail to read other than for pleasure and escape. Invest in four business books this year and increase your knowledge.

Invest in yourself, whether it is to learn a new language, gain managerial perspectives, or join a group of business leaders for information sharing and networking. The return on your investment will be BIG!

Step 6: Go BIG or stay home!

As a foolish 17-year-old, I used to get off my short-order cook job around 2 a.m. on a Saturday morning. A group of us would race cars. The road was a four-lane road with a 1.5 mile downhill straight shot, except for a severe turn about 500 feet from the bottom. Whoever reached the bottom of the hill won. Of course, the turning point of the race was how you handled the brakes going through the sharp turn, trying not to end in Mr. Turner’s house.

Every week the same guy won; he later became a race car driver. He’d always tell us the same thing -- You gotta go big or stay home! The fact he wasn’t afraid in that turn like the rest of us gave him the victory. His boldness and courage won. I’ve heard it said, in today’s business, playing it safe is the riskiest thing you can do right now, and taking risks is the safest way to achieve success. Being bold and courageous are needed now more than ever to achieve BIG success.

Begin taking these steps and you will be stepping toward that success you’ve been looking for. It’s the journey that’s the joy. Knowing you can do it is the driving force. The success is just the reward.