My black lab, Kingsley, is like many of his breed in that he has Squirrel Moments. He’ll be doing one thing, and then a squirrel runs across the top of the fence. Seeing this out of the corner of his eye, Kingsley runs for all he is worth, convinced that this he’ll actually catch the critter. But, alas, the squirrel is always faster and craftier, and Kingsley is left to glare and bark his fiercest of barks. Once the squirrel is out of sight, Kingsley rarely returns to what he was doing…

In an attempt at emasculation, people say things like:

• “Man up!”
• “Quit being such a girl.”
• “Why don’t you go put your big girl/boy panties on?”
• “Suck it up, buttercup.”

While some stereotypes have roots in reality, these are by no means a permanent condition, even when based on a kernel of truth. Women have proven they are highly capable at handling “traditionally male” roles that require assertiveness, tenacity, and fearlessly bucking…

“You know what we need? A 12-step group for non-stop talkers. We’re going to call it ‘On and On Anon.” – comedian Paula Poundstone

Like a hypnotist having his way with a member of the audience, I watched Carlos, a thirty-something salesman from Kansas, woo a buyer into saying “yes” in a matter of minutes. But he didn’t stop there. Carlos kept talking, and in the next five minutes talked the buyer right out of buying. He went from something being just a possibility to…

Heavy-handed techniques, complex closes and feature-benefit laden pitches have dominated sales for years. These methods are exhausting to do and even more taxing on the receiving end for buyers. It’s little wonder that virtually no one likes to be on the receiving end of a sales pitch.

I wrote Sales Yoga to help solve this problem once and for all. Sales Yoga is a “collaborative approach to meeting the shared needs of a buyer and seller.”

When done right, the…

Nothing is more frustrating than when buyers start losing interest, stop paying attention, or appear to be ignoring you completely. Many people wonder, why does this happen?

Like the artwork on the walls of your home or office, most people eventually stop noticing the details that surround them. That is why saavy manufacturers, such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi, periodically repackage their products to ensure they keep our interest.

Your prospects and clients will stop paying…

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.

Great ideas that become some of the greatest mistakes or failures are often a result of…

Consultative selling, as a conceptual practice, has been around for more than a decade. However, is this what buyers really want? Do they merely want someone to consult with them, behave like a consultant, or even take a consultative approach with them? Last time I checked, consultants are still often accused of telling people what to do; most buyers aren’t interested in being told what to do.

This is why consultative selling is on the way out and Collaborative…

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.

On any given day, each of us is bombarded by dozens, if not hundreds, of emails,…

Many things, including a well known four-letter word, roll down hill: attitudes, actions emulated by subordinates, and beliefs, to name a few. Of these, beliefs are the most powerful and do the most help or cause the most harm. What you believe becomes what you receive.

Salespeople who are doubtful about the value of what they sell have customers who more vehemently push back, demanding concessions and price reductions. They become those dreaded people who want to pay the least but…

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…

…are more precious than most people realize.

If you sell, you have only that amount of time to capture a buyer’s attention. What you do with it will determine if he or she gives you another nine seconds, and then another and then another. You are always nine seconds away from a conversation continuing or ending.

If you lead, nine seconds determine if employees stay engaged or disconnect. Will you use those precious moments to invite motivation or incite apathy? What you ask or…

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…

Thanks to those who attended the panel I moderated at Staffing World last week in Orlando. I promised 20 more potential Points of Gravity for enhancing your company’s gravitational field in the market. Here those are:

1. College and trade school recruiting
2. Providing outplacement services
3. Contacts from trade association…

“Act now, this offer won’t last”

“Limited time only”

“You get what you pay for”

“Quantities are limited”

Slick lines like these are met with derision, as they should be. Effective marketing is credible, concise, and compelling by making clear the value the client will receive. As the marketing evangelists for their companies, salespeople must avoid suave approaches, canned responses, and feature-benefit laden speeches that only serve to put off customers instead…

Having to tell my son, Ben, his dog had to be euthanized this past Tuesday is now on my top ten list of life’s crappy moments. Seeing him cry as he said goodbye to Max, yep, that’s on the list as well. That same day, a girl with whom he was starting a relationship suddenly ended their friendship by text. As Ben put it, “this day can’t get any worse.”

As a Dad, I want to shield Ben from these hurts in life. But I can’t, which really pisses me off at times! So I did the next best…

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.

Black, white, gay, or straight, every individual is capable of being responsible.…

A while back I was asked by Donald, a CEO I advise, for my top best practice on increasing revenues generated by his sales team. I told him what I tell all my clients: the most effective way to sell more is by doing less selling. I could tell by his expression this was not the answer he expected, and he confirmed this when he asked me to explain.

His staffing and RPO company, like many organizations, was engaging buyers in a selling experience. They used a number of the traditional…