Several years ago, the Gallup Organization completed a four-decade research project into what makes people successful and happy in the workplace. The massive research suggests that the biggest factor in one's success is regularly using one's strengths.
Two members of Gallup's team wrote Discover Your Sales Strengths, an analysis of Gallup's research aimed specifically at the sales professional. If you haven't read this book, you must. Included in the price of the book is the online assessment, the Clifton Strengthsfinder, which I highly recommend. Gallup's research, and Marcus Buckingham (a leader in the so-called Strengths Movement), have convinced me that all of us can best position ourselves for career success by utilizing our strengths everyday.
Businesses also need to know what they're good at. Organizational strengths can be leveraged into business success. Where businesses have challenges is when they can't effectively differentiate between their strengths and weaknesses, and therefore try to be all things to all customers. This is a recipe for disaster.
Does your business have well-defined markets based upon strengths? Does your company understand what product areas it should not be involved in? Does your company stay within its target product and service offerings (the ones that you're good at delivering)?
Chris Whyatt shares a Dilbert cartoon that illustrates how silly it is to step outside of a business's strengths.
Please share your comments by clicking on "comments" below.
Two members of Gallup's team wrote Discover Your Sales Strengths, an analysis of Gallup's research aimed specifically at the sales professional. If you haven't read this book, you must. Included in the price of the book is the online assessment, the Clifton Strengthsfinder, which I highly recommend. Gallup's research, and Marcus Buckingham (a leader in the so-called Strengths Movement), have convinced me that all of us can best position ourselves for career success by utilizing our strengths everyday.
Businesses also need to know what they're good at. Organizational strengths can be leveraged into business success. Where businesses have challenges is when they can't effectively differentiate between their strengths and weaknesses, and therefore try to be all things to all customers. This is a recipe for disaster.
Does your business have well-defined markets based upon strengths? Does your company understand what product areas it should not be involved in? Does your company stay within its target product and service offerings (the ones that you're good at delivering)?
Chris Whyatt shares a Dilbert cartoon that illustrates how silly it is to step outside of a business's strengths.
Please share your comments by clicking on "comments" below.
Skip Anderson is the Founder and President of Selling to Consumers, a B2C sales training and consulting company. Subscribe to the free Selling to Consumers Sales Tips Newsletter.
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