We know most New Year’s Resolutions lapse, collapse, and gather dust.  They would fail my grandmother’s white glove test for thoroughness. What if you could be different? Part of the failure behind most resolutions is that they lack a plan to hold yourself or your team accountable. Meeting goals, such as increasing sales, requires consistent monitoring. You need to watch both leading and lagging indicators and correct the course as needed. If you don’t consistently monitor your progress, a lag or lapse becomes the new normal like the dust bunnies behind the couch. So, what is an aspiring sales manager to do? True confession: I am NOT a fan of the old saw “Beatings will continue until morale improves.” You cannot achieve long-term results or employee longevity with that approach. However, a completely hands-off method will also guarantee that you miss your goals. People need to know you are cheering for them, removing obstacles, adding needed support, and, most importantly, inspect...

‘Tis the season—the big holidays are in the rear-view mirror, and the new year is just over the horizon.  Everyone from the TV weatherman to your mother-in-law is spewing some New Year’s resolutions.  Ironically, the experts tell us the following: 1.      88% of people who set New Year’s resolutions fail them within the first two weeks  (Source: “New Year’s resolutions: Why do we give up on them so quickly?”) 2.      20% of those making resolutions will actively keep themselves accountable when sticking to their goals, but it’s unclear what percentage of these individuals ultimately succeed (Source: “New Year’s Resolutions Statistics and Trends [2024]”) 3.      9% of people who make New Year’s resolutions are successful in keeping them , while 41% of Americans who make resolutions indicate a significant failure rate (Source: “Studies Show  91 Percent  of Us Won’t Achieve Our New Year’s Resol...