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Chris Dickhans

Thoughts by Chris Dickhans

I love to use catch phrases that "stick" and are meaningful for the team in building collaboration, alignment and a shared understanding.  The highest compliment I can get is when I hear these catch phrases used by the team in their everyday discussions.  Here are a few for you to enjoy.

Be Brief, Be Brilliant, Be Memorable, Be Gone
If Everything is a Priority, There are No Priorities
Fall On Your Sword
Don't Run To Your Death
A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats
Laugh All The Way to The Bank
One Team, One Mission
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                                           Chris'isms

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1 Team, 1 Mission

  • This later became the theme for a successful Quarterly Business Review  (QBR) with space ships and a successful Sales Kickoff (SKO) with race cars.​

Be Brief, Be Brilliant, Be Memorable, Be Gone​

  • This reinforces the need to shorten sales presentations to align with how long  people actively consume  information. It is also to ensure the message is memorable.  The worst thing that can happen to a sales executive is to hear "all the vendors looked quite similar".

Let's Laugh All the Way to the Bank

  • We all have to put in those dreaded late hours or weekend work to get deals closed.  This is always a reminder for everyone to remember that we get paid great money to do what we do and we should celebrate by looking at our bank accounts.  

If Everything is a Priority, There Are No Priorities

  • At a time when everything seems to feel like a priority, it is important to ask your leadership to help make decisions on priorities.  This phrase helps my team hold me accountable for helping them prioritize our sometimes crazy work life.  

Don't Run to Your Death​

  • Plan.  Plan.  Plan.  Don't hope to be lucky in the sales process.  If you follow a proven methodology, your win rate goes up exponentially.   If you are just reacting to prospects requests, you will trip over yourself and run to your death.  #careerdeath

Fall on Your Sword

  • A great way to allow your team to discuss touchy subjects or sensitive situations.  Give them common language to address disappointment or annoyance.  An example might be an account executive that needs to discuss their complete disagreement on a territory change.  Allowing the use of common phrase, I will fall on my sword, means it is a career game changer so that he/she can explain why they are upset versus voting with their feet (departure).  The key to resolving any issue is to be able to communicate both ways.

Not Our Customers, Company's Customers

  • Change is hard in sales, or any position for that matter.  In sales when territories are changed or opportunities get split, it is always a great reminder that customers belong to the company and not an account executive; and ultimately, a rising tide lifts all boats.  #teamculture

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Building a Productive Team

  • Be clear on expectations.  Explain what success looks like.  Outline where he/she missed the target and discuss how to course correct. 

  • Always be specific about any praise or it may sound like disingenuous noise. 

  • This builds trust and a high performance team.

 

Mind Your P's & Q's;  Don't Forget Body Language​

  • Nonverbal communication speaks volumes.  Don't let it overpower your positive message.  This has an broad, negative impact on the delivery of your message or presentation.

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