Take No Prisoners is a free weekly memo from Scott Wintrip that explores how Radical Accountability prospers companies and changes lives. Instead of taking people hostage with outdated, heavy-handed, and ineffective methods of management, measurement, and motivation, Radical Accountability focuses on creating an unwavering responsibility for getting what matters most done.

Back to basics is one of the worst strategies ever conceived. Having to engage in such a…

Since buyers like to buy and don’t like to be on the receiving end of a sales pitch, this may indicate the need for a 12-step program, but not for customers. Rather, it would be for all salespeople who, intentionally or not, behave in ways that prompt buyers to recoil as though they were dealing with an addict on a binge.

If there were such a program, let’s call it Sales Anonymous, I suspect the 12 steps would read something like…

1. We admitted we were powerless over…

Next time someone someone tells you he already knows all about what you’re saying, say the following:

That’s great! How much are you doing that?

Chances are there is a gap between what someone says they know and what they’re doing with that knowledge.

The divide between knowing and doing is plaguing companies across the globe. The dangerous assumption that just because someone knows something automatically means she’s doing it keeps her from…

Take No Prisoners is a free weekly memo from Scott Wintrip that explores how Radical Accountability prospers companies and changes lives. Instead of taking people hostage with outdated, heavy-handed, and ineffective methods of management, measurement, and motivation, Radical Accountability focuses on creating an unwavering responsibility for getting what matters most done.

Baggage claim at the airport is a losing experience for some people as they wait, without…

Slick lines, canned responses, and a voice that sounds just like the typical salesperson—a common combination for too many salespeople today. Even those who avoid this Wolf of Wall Street persona still tend to talk too much, listen too little, and dominate versus facilitate conversations with buyers. Is it any wonder that almost everyone, including salespeople themselves, dislike being on the receiving end of a sales pitch?

The definition of a schmuck is:

An obnoxious or…

Tough love and brutal honesty are, quite honestly, terrible ideas. Love is never, ever tough and telling someone the truth doesn’t have to be harsh.

We can tell anyone what needs to be said with clarity, composure, and compassion. So, today and each day hereafter, I encourage you to be direct AND kind. You can say almost anything to anyone if you say what you mean with saying it mean.

Take No Prisoners is a free weekly memo from Scott Wintrip that explores how Radical Accountability prospers companies and changes lives. Instead of taking people hostage with outdated, heavy-handed, and ineffective methods of management, measurement, and motivation, Radical Accountability focuses on creating an unwavering responsibility for getting what matters most done.

Those who claim attitude is everything are most likely struggling with attitudinal challenges…

If you want something different, you must do something different. Even if you want things to stay the same, change is still required. Everything evolves, including the economic climate, needs of colleagues and constituents, the competitive landscape, and the momentum caused by constantly shifting trends. The status quo, if that is truly a desirable state, requires…

“If I could just go a day without having to solve problems, that would be a good day,” a CEO I advise recently shared.

Having heard him say this before, I responded, “The problems aren’t the issue. How you’re viewing them is the real problem.”

This led to a conversation on Making Shift Happen.

We all have a choice of how we view the world around us. Unfortunately, repetitively thinking the same thoughts creates a belief system that stays with us until we…

Next time anyone claims they are being brutally honest, ask yourself, is brutality of any kind really necessary?

These occurrences often start with an exchange of emails or texts. One person thrusts with nasty words, then the other one parries with sarcasm. Before long, it’s common that the following words appear:

“I’m not…

While some people may like the idea of death by chocolate, most would probably agree that killing the success of a business with ineffectual approaches is a really bad idea. Unfortunately, that’s what’s happening in many companies across the globe.

While the use of Repetitive Practices in their businesses may not close the doors, they are hampering…

On a discussion forum this week, advice was sought for dealing with a reluctant buyer who was viewing the salesperson’s attempts to sell as competition to her own efforts. This all too common attitude by some buyers is exactly why they need your help.

Unfortunately, advice on this topic often perpetuates the subservient mentality of many who sell. This “you have to prove yourself approach” is the beginning of a losing battle for the hearts and minds of those who’ve already decided…

Like the overly complicated tax code in the US, many compensation plans for sales roles are filled with convoluted rewards, confusing tiers and thresholds, and loopholes that undermine the system.

Thankfully, it doesn’t take an act of Congress to undo a complex plan or one that’s not garnering the…

Hundreds of leaders in the staffing and recruiting industry heard panelists and speakers talk about “innovative” ideas last week at the Executive Forum in San Diego.

In a number of instances, what was said was no different than putting lipstick on a pig and saying she’s a contender for Miss Universe. The reality is that many so called innovations are nothing more than…

Take No Prisoners is a free weekly memo from Scott Wintrip that explores how Radical Accountability prospers companies and changes lives. Instead of taking people hostage with outdated, heavy-handed, and ineffective methods of management, measurement, and motivation, Radical Accountability focuses on creating an unwavering responsibility for getting what matters most done.

When’s the last time a customer thanked you for making a mistake? If the answer is never or…

It was an honor and pleasure to be your keynote speaker at TempNet.

I promised more potential Points of Gravity for enhancing your gravitational field in the market. Here those are:

1. College and trade school recruiting
2. Providing outplacement services
3. Contacts from trade association websites
4. Speaking at events attended by…

Healthy bodies gain their strength and stamina through a balanced intake of nutrients, exercise, and sleep. Nutritionists have raised our awareness of physical health by focusing our attention on what we ingest and do each day, often in the context of Minimum Daily Requirements. MDR’s make the achievement of healthy living easier by allowing us to manage this one day at a time.

The corporate body also requires a balanced intake of nutrients in order…

There are lots of bumpers out there plastered with the following words:

S#@! Happens

Here are three translations of what this really means:

Shift Happens

I’ve yet to meet the individual who couldn’t benefit from a shift in thinking. This could be believing you can do something that you’ve told yourself you can’t, seeing the positives in a negative situation, or finding possibilities when there appear to be none.

How do you start? It’s much…

Like a bear taking a long Winter’s nap, it’s common that a deal goes into its own version of hibernation. At first the buyer seems ready to buy, creating hope for the salesperson. Then, a shift in priorities puts the sale on hold for weeks, months, or even years. Even the very best, most experienced salespeople can’t avert this from happening at least some of the time.

Managing the sales process once a deal goes into hibernation is one of those advanced sales skills whose mastery…

Five security lines and only one of them open to the long queue of passengers. TSA staff standing around laughing and joking. It’s no joke that that this was the scene at Airside C at Tampa International Airport this morning.

Congratulations to the Transportation Security Administration and their team in Tampa. Your status of Radical Accountability Zero has been well earned.

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This segment features companies, organizations, industries, and even individuals who exemplify…