Workflows Slowing You Down? AI Says “Not Anymore.”

The Hidden Toll of Manual Sales Workflows

Sales reps today spend nearly a quarter of their week on non-selling activities like logging calls, updating contact records, and chasing follow-ups — tasks that AI can automate. According to Seismic, only 39% of a rep’s time goes toward prospect engagement, while the rest is consumed by admin work and content creation Seismic. A HubSpot “State of Sales” report found that 40% of reps actively avoid using their CRM because of tedious data entry, causing forecasting errors and lost opportunities LinkedIn.

AI-Powered CRM: Automating Data Entry and Follow-Ups

Modern platforms like HubSpot Smart CRM automatically capture emails, calls, and meeting notes, enriching each record with firmographic and engagement data—no manual entry required . Teams using AI-driven CRM features report up to a 40% reduction in data-logging time and a 15% boost in deal velocity . Likewise, Salesforce Einstein Automate deploys AI-infused bots and flows to route leads, update fields, and trigger follow-up tasks without any code .

Workflow Automation: Sequences & Smart Reminders

Beyond data capture, AI orchestrates complex workflows. With HubSpot Sales Automation, you can spin up sequences that rotate new leads, create follow-up tasks, and send personalized emails—each action triggered by prospect behavior . Gartner predicts that by 2026, 20% of organizations will flatten their structures by automating tasks like performance monitoring and scheduling, freeing teams to focus on strategic work .

Real-World Impact: Case Studies & Stats

A leading medtech firm integrated AI workflows and cut administrative effort by 50%, shortening its sales cycle by 25% and boosting revenue per rep by 18%. Meanwhile, Salesforce’s Agentforce initiative now autonomously resolves over 66% of customer inquiries—setting a new benchmark for operational efficiency .

Getting Started: 5 Steps to AI Automation

1. Audit Your Sales Activities
   Identify time sinks (calls, emails, data entry). Forrester’s research shows AI-driven insights can free sellers to work the best opportunities Forrester.

2. Select the Right Platform
   Compare options like HubSpot Smart CRM and Salesforce Einstein Automate for seamless integration and compliance.

3. Design Your Workflows
   Map out lead rotation, follow-ups, and alerts—then build them with low-code workflow builders.

4. Train & Launch
   Provide hands-on onboarding and ongoing support to drive adoption.

5. Measure & Iterate
   Track CRM usage, admin time, and sales cycle length—then optimize quarterly to maximize ROI Forrester.

AI automation isn’t optional—it’s transformational. By offloading drudge work to AI, your reps get back to what matters most: building relationships and closing deals. Ready to flip the script on your workflows? Contact RTB Limited to schedule your free discovery call and see how AI can supercharge your sales engine.

Sales Isnt Guesswork Anymore - AI powered Precision

🎯 Sales Isn’t Guesswork Anymore—It’s AI-Powered Precision

In today’s competitive meddevice market, guessing which leads will convert is no longer an option. Sales cycles are long, buyers are more informed, and every missed opportunity can translate into tens of thousands of dollars in lost revenue. Enter predictive lead scoring—an AI-driven approach that’s shaving weeks off the sales cycle and empowering reps to focus on the prospects most likely to buy.

What Is Predictive Lead Scoring?

Predictive lead scoring uses machine learning models to analyze historical sales and customer engagement data—emails opened, website behavior, past purchases, even call transcripts—to assign each prospect a “score” that reflects their likelihood to close. Rather than relying on gut instinct or static rules (like “company size > 500 employees”), AI uncovers hidden patterns across thousands of data points, ensuring you target high-value opportunities first.

• Data-driven: AI models continuously learn from new CRM entries and activity logs.

• Dynamic: Scores update in real time as prospects engage with your content.

• Customizable: Tailor scoring criteria to medtech-specific signals, such as device usage patterns or regulatory touchpoints.

For an in-depth look at how predictive lead scoring works in practice, check out HubSpot’s guide to Predictive Lead Scoring.

Why Medtech Reps Can’t Afford to Wait

1. Long Decision Cycles
   When selling capital equipment or implantable devices, purchase timelines can stretch 6–12 months. Prioritizing the wrong leads means wasted conversations and missed Q-end goals.

2. Tougher, Savvier Buyers
   Hospital administrators and KOLs do their homework. They compare features, analyze clinical data, and demand ROI justification. AI helps you anticipate their questions before you step into the room.

3. Resource Constraints
   Small-to-mid-sized medtech firms often operate with lean teams. Predictive scoring ensures every rep spends time on “must-win” accounts, not chasing stale or unqualified leads.

A recent case study from Gartner predicts AI-powered sales organizations will see productivity gains of 20–25% by 2026—translating to millions in additional revenue for top performers (Gartner Research).

Key Benefits of AI-Powered Precision

• Accelerated Sales Cycles
  One mid-sized medtech company cut its average cycle time by 40% after integrating Salesforce Einstein’s predictive scoring into its CRM (Salesforce Einstein).

• Higher Conversion Rates
  Focusing on top-scoring leads increased conversion by 15% quarter-over-quarter, according to an independent analysis by Forrester.

• Improved Forecast Accuracy
  Sales leaders gain real-time visibility into pipeline health, helping them allocate resources where they’ll have the greatest impact.

• Scalable Personalization
  AI not only ranks leads—it recommends the ideal next touchpoint (whitepaper, webinar invite, clinical trial data), ensuring reps deliver the right message at the right time.

Choosing the Right Tools

Not all AI scoring platforms are created equal. When evaluating vendors, look for:

1. Integration with Your CRM
   Seamless data flow with platforms like HubSpot CRM or Salesforce.

2. Healthcare-Grade Security & Compliance
   Ensure HIPAA and FDA requirements are met, especially when handling patient or trial data.

3. Explainable AI Models
   The ability to understand which attributes drive each lead score builds trust with sales teams.

4. Vendor Support & Training
   Choose a partner who offers onboarding, ongoing optimization, and best-practice guidance.

5 Steps to Implement Predictive Lead Scoring

1. Audit Your Sales Process
   Map out where leads enter your funnel, and identify gaps—manual data entry, inconsistent follow-up, or ignored marketing inquiries.

2. Clean & Enrich Your Data
   Use tools like Clearbit or ZoomInfo to fill in firmographic details and ensure accuracy.

3. Select & Configure Your AI Tool
   Work with your IT and compliance teams to integrate predictive scoring within your CRM.

4. Train Your Team
   Host workshops on interpreting scores, prioritizing outreach, and refining follow-up sequences.

5. Monitor, Measure & Optimize
   Track key metrics—cycle length, conversion rates, average deal size—and tweak scoring models every quarter.

For turnkey implementation support, learn how RTB Limited’s AI-Sales Precision Service can accelerate your journey.

The Future Is Clear: Precision > Guesswork

Meddevice sales teams that embrace AI-powered lead scoring gain a decisive edge. By shifting from intuition to insight, reps spend time only on the highest-value opportunities, closing deals faster and more predictably. If your team is still relying on spreadsheets and manual prioritization, now is the time to upgrade.

➡️ Ready to transition to AI-driven precision? Contact RTB Limited today to schedule a free discovery call and see how predictive lead scoring can transform your medtech sales funnel.

Related Reads:

• How AI Transforms Workflow Automation in Medtech Sales

• Personalization at Scale: Winning Over Healthcare Buyers with AI

• Demystifying Predictive Analytics for Medical Device Companies

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Maximizing Your Team's Potential: Leadership Strategies for Boosting Sales

Maximizing Your Team's Potential: Leadership Strategies for Boosting Sales

Here's an overview:

• Introduction: Understanding the Link Between Leadership and Sales Performance

• The Anatomy of Effective Leadership in Sales

• Vision Casting: Steering the Sales Team Towards a Common Goal

• Sales Strategy: The Blueprint of Success for Sales Leaders

• Communication: The Lifeline of Sales Team Coordination

• Empowerment: Fostering a Culture of Responsibility and Ownership

• Training and Development: Investing in the Sales Team's Growth

• Adaptability: Leading Sales Teams Through Changing Markets

• Motivation and Incentivization: Driving Sales Team Performance

• Accountability and Performance Measurement in Sales Leadership

• Technological Tools: Leveraging Innovations for Sales Efficiency

• Overcoming Obstacles: Crisis Management in Sales Leadership

• Case Studies: Real-world Examples of Effective Sales Leadership

• Conclusion: Synthesizing Leadership Strategies for Sales Excellence

Introduction: Understanding the Link Between Leadership and Sales Performance

Leadership is the cornerstone of any successful organization, acting as the catalyst that propels sales performance. Leaders who understand how to manage their teams effectively can inspire confidence, foster a strong company culture that drives success, and implement strategic coaching to develop their workforce. Embracing leadership as a learning process, savvy leaders take ownership of mistakes and continuously refine their approach to decision-making. Effective leadership transcends mere directives; it embodies the art of teambuilding to act, move, and communicate in ways that consistently win in business. By optimizing these dynamics, services rendered not only meet but exceed expectations, setting a new bar for what is achievable through synergistic leadership.

The Anatomy of Effective Leadership in Sales

Effective leadership in sales hinges on how you lead or manage your team. It requires taking ownership of mistakes and consistently coaching to be a better leader. Leaders must recognize that leadership is a learning process, one that is pivotal in teambuilding and shaping a culture that drives success. They should act, move, and communicate to win in business through:

• Setting clear goals and expectations to align the team's efforts.

• Demonstrating exceptional product and service knowledge.

• Encouraging open communication and fostering a supportive environment.

• Strategically developing individual team member strengths.

• Promoting accountability and providing constructive feedback.

Emphasizing these traits ensures that the leader can navigate the complexities of the sales process while maximizing their team's potential.

Vision Casting: Steering the Sales Team Towards a Common Goal

Effective leadership hinges on the ability to articulate a clear and compelling vision. In leading a sales team, a leader must exemplify how to lead or manage through collaborative goal setting, ensuring that each member understands the overarching objectives. The process involves coaching to be a better leader, thereby fostering a company culture that drives success. Leaders take ownership of mistakes, viewing them as opportunities for growth. The act of vision casting is pivotal, as it serves as the rudder for the team's efforts, aligning individual targets with the company's strategic direction. Regular communication confirms that the sales team remains unified, with every member moving in synch towards achieving set goals. Leadership in this context is not just a role but a continuous learning process. It involves a balance of dictating strategies and providing services to the team members, so they are equipped to carry out the organization's mission. In essence, vision casting is about harnessing the full potential of the team, turning it into a cohesive unit that can act, move, and communicate to win in business.

Sales Strategy: The Blueprint of Success for Sales Leaders

Effective leadership hinges on a robust sales strategy, serving as a beacon for navigating the competitive market. Sales leaders must grasp the nuances of team management, fostering a culture where taking ownership of mistakes transforms setbacks into learning opportunities. Such a culture not only drives success but also strengthens the company's foundation.

A well-executed sales strategy involves:

• Coaching to Be a Better Leader: Implement continuous learning processes that encourage leaders to evolve and adapt.

• Teambuilding Act: Move, communicate, and engage in exercises that promote trust and collaboration, essential for business triumph.

• Leadership as a Learning Journey: Emphasize that leadership is an ongoing process, with each challenge offering a new lesson.

Leaders must possess an in-depth understanding of their services and how they align with customer needs, maintaining a pulse on the market to steer their teams to success.

Communication: The Lifeline of Sales Team Coordination

Effective leadership hinges on clear communication, which in the realm of sales, is the cornerstone for team alignment and success. A leader adept in communication ensures that every team member understands the company’s goals, services, and culture, which drives success. Robust communication channels facilitate seamless interdepartmental operations, aiding in strategizing and executing sales plans effectively.

Leaders should:

• Establish regular team meetings to discuss objectives and share insights.

• Promote an environment where taking ownership of mistakes is encouraged and used as a learning tool.

• Implement coaching sessions to bolster individual sales skills and team performance.

• Ensure that information about changes in services or strategy is disseminated promptly.

• Utilize team-building activities to foster trust and improve how the team acts, moves, and communicates to win in business.

Remember, leadership is a continuous learning process. Embrace it to lead and manage your team towards excellence.

Empowerment: Fostering a Culture of Responsibility and Ownership

Effective leadership transcends simply managing a team; it involves inspiring each member to take personal responsibility for their outcomes. By instilling a culture that values ownership of actions and results, leaders can guide their teams toward a collective success that also fosters individual accountability. A crucial step in this process is the transparent acknowledgment of mistakes, embedding a learning culture where errors are viewed as opportunities for growth, not as failings. Furthermore, coaching becomes an essential tool in this environment, not just to impart knowledge, but to underpin the belief that every team member's contribution is vital for the overall success of the business. When each member feels responsible for the team's performance, the entire group moves towards a shared vision, communicates more effectively, and competes to win in the market. Ultimately, the journey of leadership is one of ongoing education, where fostering empowerment is a service leaders provide to both their teams and the business as a whole.

Training and Development: Investing in the Sales Team's Growth

Effective leadership recognizes that investing in a sales team’s growth through training and development is crucial. How do you lead or manage your team towards success? Begin by instilling a culture of continuous learning, ensuring that every team member understands that leadership is a learning process. Services aimed at enhancing skills, such as sales workshops or communication courses, are vital. Taking ownership of mistakes and coaching to be a better leader play a significant role in demonstrating accountability and resilience. Moreover, does company culture drive success? Absolutely. Teambuilding acts move and communicate to win in business. Therefore, create training programs that reflect your company’s culture and values, and encourage collaboration and innovation. This commitment to development not only sharpens skills but also fosters a motivated, knowledgeable sales force poised to excel.

Adaptability: Leading Sales Teams Through Changing Markets

In the volatile realm of sales, leadership must forefront adaptability, a pivotal aspect that determines a team's success. As markets fluctuate, the leader's role transcends management; it becomes an embodiment of evolution. Engage in coaching to foster better leadership and encourage team members to take ownership of mistakes. Emphasize the significance of a robust company culture in driving success, and integrate adaptability into this culture.

Integrate strategic teambuilding acts that move, communicate, and win in business. Leaders should illustrate how services can adapt to shifting market demands. Remember, leadership is a perpetual learning process. Leaders must show by example how to pivot strategies swiftly, ensuring the team remains resilient and responsive to change. This adaptability keeps a sales team ahead, transforming challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation.

Motivation and Incentivization: Driving Sales Team Performance

Leadership transcends mere oversight, blending coaching to be a better leader with strategic incentivization, fostering an environment where team members take ownership of mistakes and triumphs alike. Exceptional leaders understand that a potent mix of motivation and rewards not only sharpens a sales team's competitive edge but also cements a company culture driving success. They harness services about training, mentoring, and teambuilding act move communicate to win in business scenarios, propelling their teams toward excellence.

• Emphasize clear, attainable goals along with tangible rewards to boost morale and performance.

• Implement personalized incentives that resonate with individual team member's drivers.

• Utilize regular recognition to underscore the value of each contribution, thereby promoting team unity and dedication.

• Ensure leaders model accountability, proving that leadership is a learning process marked by continual improvement and resilience.

• Offer professional development opportunities to show investment in the team's long-term success; this includes sales training, educational workshops, and career advancement pathways.

Through these methods, leaders can transform the dynamics of their sales team, resulting in enhanced productivity and a robust bottom line.

Accountability and Performance Measurement in Sales Leadership

Effective sales leadership hinges on accountability and thorough performance measurement. Leaders must be exemplars in taking ownership of mistakes while fostering an environment where team members can transparently assess their own work. Sales managers should drive success by instilling company culture values that promote accountability.

To maximize potential, sales leaders must engage in constant coaching and be open to learning. Leadership is an evolving skill, and effective coaching leads to better leadership capabilities over time. They must:

• Set clear, measurable targets for sales teams.

• Encourage a culture of ownership and responsibility.

• Use data-driven insights to guide coaching and feedback.

• Implement regular performance reviews to track progress.

• Celebrate successes and constructively address shortcomings.

By doing so, leaders not only manage their teams effectively but also lay the foundation for a sustainable business model where continuous improvement is integral to the service excellence mantra.

Technological Tools: Leveraging Innovations for Sales Efficiency

In today's cutthroat business environment, effective leadership recognizes the significance of technological tools to boost sales efficiency. Leaders adept at teambuilding act swiftly and communicate strategically to win in business, integrating advanced CRM platforms to track interactions and sales processes. These CRM systems offer real-time analytics, enabling leaders to manage their teams based on current data trends and insights.

Extending beyond CRM, sales automation tools streamline repetitive tasks, freeing up time for strategy and customer engagement. Video conferencing solutions bridge geographical divides, personalizing interactions without the need for travel. Meanwhile, AI-powered chatbots provide 24/7 customer service, ensuring no opportunity is missed.

Leaders who prioritize learning can harness e-learning platforms for continuous team development. These digital spaces facilitate coaching to be a better leader and enhance team skills. By incorporating these technological advancements into their strategy, leaders not only improve their abilities on how to lead or manage their teams effectively but also underline the role of company culture in driving success. Taking ownership of mistakes and understanding leadership as a learning process are vital as they navigate the incorporation of these technologies into their services. Through the astute application of tech tools, sales leaders are paving the way for optimized performance and sustained growth.

Overcoming Obstacles: Crisis Management in Sales Leadership

In sales leadership, overcoming obstacles encompasses not only strategic problem-solving but also cultivating resilience within the team. How do you lead or manage your team effectively during a crisis? It begins with taking ownership of mistakes, an act that fosters trust and accountability. A successful leader must coach to be a better leader themselves, turning challenges into teachable moments. When crisis strikes, the leader's role magnifies; they must act, move, and communicate to win in business, demonstrating that leadership is a learning process.

A robust company culture that drives success is pivotal in crisis management. Services and solutions may stem from collective efforts, but it is the leadership's ability to influence, guide, and grow a team that truly overcomes adversity. About managing crises, leadership must prioritize teambuilding and steering the group towards a common goal. Ultimately, effective crisis management in sales leadership hinges on proactive, skillful, and inspiring guidance.

Case Studies: Real-world Examples of Effective Sales Leadership

In a renowned consultancy firm, leadership embraced coaching, fueling a culture where associates took proactive ownership of mistakes and learned collectively. Guided by mentors, they sharpened their abilities to identify client needs, bolstering service delivery and sales.

At a tech start-up, the CEO's commitment to transparency and consistent communication forged a strong team dynamic. By exemplifying how to lead through uncertainty, the leader cultivated resilience and adaptability, resulting in a dramatic increase in software solution sales.

An international retailer exemplified how company culture drives success. By fostering an environment that celebrated diversity and collaborative problem-solving, the sales team turned challenges into opportunities, thus achieving record-breaking performance quarters.

Collectively, these instances validate that leadership is not a destination but a learning process, where continual development and strategizing propel sales teams towards excellence.

Conclusion: Synthesizing Leadership Strategies for Sales Excellence

To lead or manage a team effectively in the dynamic sphere of sales, leaders must embody a culture of continuous learning and development. Leadership is an evolutionary process that demands agility and resilience. They must coach team members with a focus on fostering a company culture that drives success while also taking ownership of mistakes with grace.

Strategic leadership involves:

• Communicating clear goals: Setting a vision and articulating the path towards achieving sales excellence is crucial.

• Teambuilding: Encouraging collaboration and a united front helps teams act, move, and communicate to win in business.

• Tailored Coaching: Adapt coaching to be a better leader for each individual, aligning their growth with the team's objectives.

• Service Orientation: Prioritize excellent customer service, as it reflects the efficacy of leadership and team synergy.

Ultimately, leadership in sales hinges on the ability to converge these strategies into a coherent roadmap toward sustained excellence and growth.

Taking ownership of mistakes

HI Everybody. It's Paul here and I am putting out my leadership and business and sales tip for the day.

This actually has to go back to more ownership than anything else, right? So when you're a leader, you should always take ownership. And even if you're not the elected leader and you have some leadership ability and you end up changing people's minds and how you do things, then I think that's a important and how you lead and do things right.

So at the end of the day, being a leader is taking ownership when you make a mistake or you don't succeed because ultimately the, the mantle falls on you. So how or why is this important?

About 15 years ago we were playing rugby for old blue my old rugby club in NYC. We ended up making it to the Division One championship playoff round, a sweet 16. And, and, uh, we ended up going to a Worcester Massachusetts to play in the first round of the playoffs. And Lo and behold, we beat the Boston Irish wolfhounds. And when we did, I took it upon myself, which was probably a huge mistake at the time to convince a fair amount of people on the team to go to Boston and celebrate. And we did, but we paid for it in spades and next day, right? The next day we ended up losing to, I believe it was Worcester, the local team who was hosting. And we never should have lost to them. They should have easily beat them. Um, but because a good two thirds of the starting 15 were hammered and hung over from the night before, um, it didn't, we didn't do well.

There was a thread last week, um, from a bunch of my friends I played with at the time complaining about that loss. And I said I would take ownership because I do feel responsible because I kinda rallied the troops and said, hey, let's go to Boston. Let's go celebrate. And we did, but we lost. Right. So in the way the rankings work, if we would've won, uh, that second game, it was a very good chance we would have been, in I think the top four in the country, uh, and we would've had a much better seating and we would have had a better chance to make it to the elite eight and then the finals and potentially win a national championship. So to this day, it's been bothering me and been eating me up inside. So I really wanted to put it out there and say, I take responsibility.

I said it last week in the post and I'll say it right now publicly, I don't really care cause I know it was probably my fault. Now other people have to take responsibility for themselves. They went. But, I feel responsible because I should have been a better leader and said, hey, we need to stay here and hunker down for the night and get ready for the game tomorrow. But no, we didn't. So we ended up going out. And so it's important for this, and I think it's in every aspect that you do, whether you're doing your, you're running a company, you're, you're leading a team, you're growing a business or you're selling a product or service that you take ownership when you make a mistake. Hey, I promised you that this deliverable, would he be here this day? And it didn't show up on time.

That's my fault. I take ownership even though I had delegated out to somebody else. It really is my responsibility. And the reason it didn't work out the way it should have. So at the end of the day, I think we need to understand that leadership is a dichotomy, right? Is an up and down and good things and bad things will happen. Good things happen, that you put it out in a team and say, hey guys, you did a great job. When bad things happen, it falls back on your shoulders and you need to carry that weight. So I've been carrying that weight and I really wanted to apologize to my teammates. Again, it's a long time ago, but there's a lesson here, right? And the lesson is that you take ownership and you, when you're a leader, you take ownership of things that you do bad. Um, and even if it's indirectly not your fault, but you still feel responsible, then you take it.

And that's what I did. So that's what I'm doing right now. So you can do that with everything you do, right? So think about your Business Unit, right? And Your Business Unit is responsible for deliverable. The deliverable is a project and you have your team working and at some point you might get pulled in a different direction and the team doesn't answer the call or fill the deliverable at the right time, then, it falls on the wayside and you don't produce, right? So, you know, what do you do then that's your fault, right? You're the leader. You need to take that responsibility, jump on that grenade. As a medic, we ultimately like to, um, help other people, right? And sometimes that is what I'm trying to do with that hubby get, move forward and move beyond what happened 15 years ago again. But when people constantly bringing up year over year and you're like, I need this, I need to say something.

So I'm saying it right now and I think this is the best way to say it, right? You say it out publicly, you tell everybody it is what's going on. Here's what happened. This is my, I feel responsible for this. I think this was my fault. And that's it. So you know, you'd live by these, I guess he's called tenants of leadership, right? Loyalty, duty, respect, honor, integrity, courage. Right? So these are the things that I live by and I feel like if I didn't get this out and put it out into the world, and great social media is for this, this is what social media is for, right?

You say this is what happened. This is what I'm doing. This is why I put this out here. And that's what it is. I love my teammates. I love what I did with old blue. I feel responsible. So I'm taking shit and that's it. Thanks Christopher Wilkins for putting this out here on me and telling me, hey, you should take responsibility. And now I am and Keeler and Cooper, Davies, and anybody else who was on that team. I'm sorry guys. We had a great squad and I made a mistake, but at the end of the day, I still have nothing but love for you guys.

So anyway, everybody have a great day. Get after it every day, ring the bell, cheers. Abrams out!

Book 15/26 "Legacy" by James Kerr

How does the sport of rugby translate to business. In my humble opinion they are very closely related. James Kerr has done excellent job of showing how close rugby and a format of 15 rules to lead and change culture in a team or business will lead to success. Here Is my Video blog of the book.

RTB Limited Podcast Episode 1: Caffe a la Mode

In this episode we speak with Tom Torres co-owner of Caffe a la Mode in Warwick, NY. Tom has built a successful Cafe business in this town over the last 16 years. He clearly shows how People, Process, and Profits that are handled correctly can grow a business.

Book 14/16 Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

My book review of Daniel Kahneman’s “Thinking fast and Slow” How do we make decisions quickly is system 1, slow and deliberately is system 2. This is done daily with people, and products. How do you move form system 2 to system 1 build trust!

Book 14/26 Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. two systems in our brains that helps us make decisions. System 1 fast. I know and trust this person or brand, system 2 slow and deliberate, I don't know and trust this person place or thing and it will take me some time to decide.

Introduction to RTB Limited Podcast: Ring The Bell to Success

Initial intro of RTB Limited’s Podcast: Ring The Bell to Success outling what we will discuss moving forward. helping people and companie succeed in three major areas People, Process, and Profit skills.

How to Sell the Invisible

I recently read the book Selling the Invisible by Harry Beckwith. It’s part of my Leaders learning series that I have been embarking on in 2018, and it was also a great suggestion by a friend.

Now I have been in sales basically my entire adult life. I started selling simply enough in retail as a sales associate at The Finish Line, selling sneakers a physical product. It was my freshman year in college, and quickly showed my acumen for sales. Having the highest multiple sales percentage or selling add ons when people only come in for sneakers in the store. Not long after I was training others to do the same then moved into assistant manager role and finally co-store manager.

Then after college I started working in B2B sales selling DHL Shipping service(both a physical product and service a hybrid model) for domestic and international customers. It was a war of attrition with outbound call volume being tracked by a CRM system and a sales quota based on dollars of new customers. I did really well in this position but it was a means to a goal to eventually enter into medical device sales. What I learned here was you were really selling yourself, and on price. People more than likely already had a shipping partner in Fed-ex or UPS, and DHL was aggressively going after the domestic market after years of being the international leader. DHL had a strong base and brand as international shipper. So once you had the business you had to keep it, and of course there were many issues early on.

Next I entered Medical Device sales selling Orthopedic disposables and capital equipment to hospitals and Ambulatory surgery centers. This was a product sale but with a strong relationship part of the sale as well. Adding technology like robotics to the sale makes it a four part sale, of product, clinical, technical and relationship I have done this for the last 12 years.

In the last two years a few friends and I started a consulting company focusing on Business Consulting, Training and Coaching. We are focusing on Medical Device Companies, Medical Practices and Small to Medium Sized business. We work with companies and analyze what we feel are the three main pillars of any business; People, Process and Profit. We then offer suggestions, training or coaching to help the company or individual improve in whichever of three vertical needs improvement.

So how does this tie into Harry Beckwith and Selling the Invisible, because consulting is basically invisible until you produce a product or service. We also have he challenge of building a brand name out of thin air.

Why would anyone know what RTB Limited means or stands for. So it is our job to create that brand name recognition, we are starting to use a skeleton of these tidbits and you can take what you like from it as well. I am aiming to share some value here with my friends. Just as a heads up RTB stands for Ring The Bell, more on that on a later post.

Here is a quick Synopsis of the book. It is kinda of dated with early 90’s references, but still offers great value.

Regarding Your Basic Service

• Assume your service is bad. It can't hurt, and it will force you to improve. (p.6)

• Let your clients set your standards. (p.8)

• Ignore your industry's benchmarks, and copy Disney's. (p.9)

• Big mistakes are big opportunities. (p.12)

• Don't just think better. Think different. (p.17)

• The first rule of marketing planning - always start at zero. (p.18)

• Create the possible service; don't just create what the market needs or wants. Create what it would love. (p.20)

Regarding Market Research

• Always have a third party conduct quality satisfaction surveys. (p.24)

• Survey, survey, survey. (p.25)

• Beware of written surveys; it's far better to conduct oral surveys, as you have a chance to clarify any misunderstandings. (p.27)

• Beware of focus groups - they often reveal more about group dynamics than about how individuals think. (p.31)

Regarding Marketing

• Every act is a marketing act. Make every employee a marketing employee. (p. 38)

• "In most professional services, you are not really selling expertise - because your expertise is assumed, and because your prospect cannot intelligently evaluate your expertise anyway. Instead you are selling a relationship." (p.42)

• Before you try to satisfy "the client", understand and satisfy the person. (p.43)

• Often, your client will face the choice of having you perform the service, or doing it themselves. Therefore, often your biggest competitors are your prospects. (p.45)

• Make technology a key part of every marketing plan. (p.50)

• Study each point of contact with your client - your receptionist, your business card, your building, your brochure, your website, your invoices. Then improve each one significantly. (p.51)

• Be professional - but, more importantly, be personable. (p.54)

Regarding Planning

• You'll never know the future, so don't assume that you should. Plan for several possible futures. (p.59)

• In successful companies, tactics drive strategy as much or more than strategy drives tactics. Do anything. (p.62)

• Execute passionately. Marginal tactics executed passionately almost always outperform brilliant tactics executed marginally. (p.63)

• Do it now. The business obituary pages are filled with planners who waited. (p. 65)

• Have a healthy distrust of what experience has taught you. (p.73)

• Don't let perfect ruin good. (p.76)

How Prospects Think

• Appeal only to a prospect's reason and you may have no appeal at all. (p. 88)

• Familiarity breeds business. Spread your word however you can. (p.90)

• Take advantage of the Recency Effect. Follow up brilliantly. (p.91)

• The best thing you can do for a prospect is eliminate their fear. Offer a trial period or test project. (p.98)

Positioning and Focus

• Stand for one distinctive thing that will give you a competitive advantage. (p.103)

• To broaden your appeal, narrow your position. (p.105)

• In your service, what's the hardest task? Position yourself as the expert in this task and you'll have lesser logic (the idea that if you can do the hardest thing well, you must be able to do everything well) in your corner. (p. 107)

• Don't start by positioning your service. Instead, leverage the position you have. (p.112)

• Positioning statements should address the following six points:

  1. who

  2. what

  3. for whom

  4. against whom

  5. what's different

  6. so...? (p. 114)

• Choose a position that will reposition your competitors; then move a step back toward the middle that will cinch the sale. (p.119)

• In positioning, don't try to hide your small size. Make it work by stressing its advantages such as responsiveness and individual attention. (p. 120)

Pricing

• Setting your price is like setting a screw: a little resistance is a good sign. (p. 133)

• Beware the deadly middle. If you price in the middle, what you are saying is "We're not the best, and neither is our price, but both our service and price are pretty good." Not a very compelling message. (p.134)

• Don't charge by the hour. Charge by the years (of experience). (p.138)

• In services, value is a given. And givens are not viable competitive positions. If good value is your best position, improve your service. (p.139)

Naming

• Give your service a name, not a monogram. (p.143)

• Generic names encourage generic business. (p. 145)

• Never choose a name that describes something that everyone expects from the service. The name will be generic, forgettable and meaningless. (p. 145)

• Be distinctive - and sound it. (p.146)

• In service marketing, almost nothing beats a brand. (p. 151)

• A service is a promise, and building a brand builds a promise. (p.154)

• Invest in and religiously build, integrity. It is the heart of your brand. (p.155)

• A brand is money. (p.160)

• Give your prospects a shortcut. Give them a brand. (p.161)

Communicating and Selling

• Your first competitor is indifference. (p.171)

• Say one thing. (p.171)

• After you say one thing, repeat it again and again. (p.175)

• Don't use adjectives. Use stories. (p.176)

• Attack your first weakness: the stereotype the prospect has about you. (p.176)

• Create the evidence of your service quality. Then communicate it. (p. 178)

• Seeing is believing. Example: even when people know the tricks used by the grocery industry to make ripe oranges appear orange, they still are buy fruit with the most orange-looking peel exterior. Check your peel. (p.188)

• If you are selling something complex, simplify it with a metaphor. (p.194)

• You don't listen to clichés. Your clients won't either. (p.197)

• In presentations, get to the point or you will never get to the close. (p.198)

• Tell people - in a single compelling sentence - why they should buy from you instead of someone else. (p.199)

• You cannot bore someone into buying your product. (p.201)

• If you want publicity, advertise. (p.203)

• Make your service easy to buy. (p. 209)

• Above all, sell hope. (p.214)

Nurturing and Keeping Clients

• Watch your relationship balance sheet; assume it is worse than it is, and fix it. (p.219)

• Don't raise expectations you cannot meet. (p.220)

• To manage satisfaction, you must carefully manage your customer's expectations. (p.222)

• Keep thanking your clients. (p. 223)

• Out of sight is out of mind. (p.229)

What does this all of this tell us, that sales is an evolving practice that changes everyday with the way people buy. Most people research online quite a bit before making a purchase or commitment of any kind. Consider the last time you bought a car? This also include the brand they buy, so building a brand is just as important as having an amazing product and service. I hope this helps some people when reading this review. If you need additional help with People training in Sales and Leadership skill. Please feel free to contact RTB limited for a free initial consult.

An Exercise in Emotional Intelligence and Humility

What this compilation of words tell you? If you explore it further it should tell you a little bit about a person.

Recently I decided to conduct an exercise in both emotional Intelligence and humility. I am always trying to improve through self exploration and pushing myself outside my comfort zone. I do this for a couple of reasons; one I seek to improve my leadership Qualities and two I want to know how my friends describe me.

In an effort to conduct my research I made it difficult for friends and colleagues to describe me by only using 3 words. The responses came back quickly and surprisingly enough none of them were risque what I expected from a bunch of Army, Rugby, College, High School and Business friends. As, you can see from the word cloud that results in my opinion were great! The larger words come up more often in the responses so they received a larger representation. So here are my thoughts on the Word Cloud.

I have always considered myself a leader being the first born and taking on leadership roles in  Business, Sports, and the Military, so I really enjoyed that LEADER is my Largest and most pronounced word. The next few are Driven, Loyal, Motivated, Confident, and Aggressive. To me these are all positive, even aggressive.

Loyalty is what I hear the most from my wife, who continually says to me, you are the most loyal person I know, but it has been to a detriment to me before. I have worked with people I was loyal to and a few times that loyalty has come back to bite me. So Loyalty can be a great quality, but like many things it is how you use or distribute it and to where that loyalty ends is up to you.

Motivated and Driven are the same to me and are easy right, because you can easily say that person is motivated or Driven. It’s funny in the military they brainwash you to be motivated downright motivated every morning at 4AM to do PT, but in reality not how it works. It becomes the fire inside each person to be driven or motivated by something like a goal or for me my family. Another thing that drives me is a Poem my father wrote while in Vietnam. I keep it close to me because before my family it was the driving force that to me to where i am today.

The main few are self explanatory, but I feel the one word that need some justification is aggressive. I feel aggressive is another word for driven, and protective or loyal. This to me is a default attitude one that I have worked on for years to tone down in certain situations and in others to release like the silverback ape my friends tend to relate me to. This could be default aggressive after our goal or plan.

After all this I would suggest this exercise to all my friends and to dig deep into what their closest friends think of them when asked. That way it is honest and, hopefully you get the feedback to be a better you. What other things can you do to take a deeper look at yourself. DO you have all the tool in your tool belt to succeed. What skills might your friends co-worker or loved ones say you need to work. Use this exercise as a tool to better yourself daily.

If you need to work on your skills for College, Work, or Professional development consider contacting RTB Limited. We are a full-service shop that focuses on People, Process, and Profit in your personal and company’s development. Click here to learn more and make an appointment.

Book review of "Thats What she said" by Joanne Lipman

Book 12/26 Leader are Learning series.

No, it is not Michael Scott from the TV show The Office finding a sexual innuendo in everything someone says or prepares and interaction to have the opportunity come up. It is a great book for any leader to read and understand women make a workplace better and there is evidence to prove it.

The sign of a good leader is to also be a good follower. I have been incredibly lucky to follow great female figures in my life and some of them were my leaders at work. I have been lucky enough to follow Christine Cobuzzi at DHL, Diane Abril at Mako, and Christine Clark at Stryker/Mako. I have also had the great pleasure of working alongside great female leaders and classmates like Danielle Armstrong, Melissa Lennon, Erin Dwyer, Lorraine Stanhope-Hirschberg, Jill McNair, Jennifer Smit, Patty Quinn McAuley, Fran McDaniel, Simi Naschel, Esther Sim, Ashlee Fuglio and many others. I have also had the opportunity to lead Natasha Siegel, Sue Ellen Morris, and a few others.

Whether it is in marketing products, services or building a new team, women make it better. However, many workplaces are not equal for female employees and many times women are underpaid and under-recognized for their accomplishments and tasks they perform. They are also stigmatized about certain gender-specific roles and questioned as to whether they can handle the work life balance of the job and family. Why is this question only being asked to women? If an employer asked a male employee that question would they be offended? I’m sure the reaction would be based on the man's Emotional Intelligence, but it should not be asked in the first place. Also, do you see women being interrupted during meetings?  What do you do? Here are some key tips and takeaways that author Joanne Lipman put in the back of the book as a cheat sheet to help any leader succeed in the workplace and have a more gender equal and friendly environment for everyone.

1. Interrupt the interrupters

   1. The data show that even Supreme Court Justices are interrupted regularly by male counterparts, so how do we stop it now?

      1. Solution: Institute a “No interruptions” rule for everyone. Also, if a woman is cut in the conversation, cut off the interrupter.

2. Use amplification and brag buddies

   1. Womens’ ideas often are not heard - until they are repeated by a man who gets the credit.

      1. Solution: Amplify the original speaker, meaning if a woman has a great idea amplify it and make sure she gets credit and vice versa for the male counterpart brag buddy.

3. Diversify the interviewers, not just the applicants

   1. More companies are adopting a Rooney Rule for the office, requiring a diverse slate of applicants for job openings, but bringing in female applicants is only a first step.

      1. Solution: Mix things up by adding to the Rooney Rule by adding to a more balanced panel with female interviewers.

4. She’ll help your bottom line

   1. Women are often boxed out of jobs or promotions because they aren’t “a good fit” or they are dismissed as “diversity hires” who are assigned a lower standard.

      1. Solution: Marshall the facts. Adding women makes work groups more creative. Companies with female CFO’s make fewer, better acquisitions than male counterparts. Firms with more female board members outperform those with the least by almost every financial measure. Mixed groups can even solve a murder more accurately than single sex groups... If you want a recipe for success, add women.

5. She’s not “sorry,” she’s not “lucky,” and she’s not asking a question

   1. Researchers have found women use qualifiers (“Sorry to bother you, but…) to make themselves less threatening to others. If they do act assertively they are penalized for it, considered bossy, bitchy, or difficult to work with.

      1. Solution: Women are highly aware of these verbal tics and try to control themselves. But if they don't, just remember the next time a woman ends a sentence in a question mark “upspeak,” imagine she is instead stating it as a fact and banging on the table.

6. Yeah not a compliment

   1. Women are often subjected to compliments that intentionally or belittle them - like when Joanane spent hours getting ready for a television news interview, only to be told by a senior executive that she looked “cute.”

      1. Solution: Would you say it to a man? If not you probably shouldn't say it to a woman either.

7. She’s pretty sure you don’t respect her

   1. Researchers have found that men get more respect than women even if they hold the exact same position.

      1. Solution: Be on the lookout both large and small, and adjust your own behavior. Joanne speaks of writing an early draft of this book and speaking of a female doctor using her first name, and a male doctor as “Doctor.”  She corrected herself and will not let it happen again.

8. Don’t decide for her

   1. When a new opportunity comes up, Joanne has often heard senior executives say that a female candidate would be ideal, but she has a new baby at home would not want to travel...or she has young kids and would not want relocate or to take on the extra hours.

      1. Solution: Don't assume. Ask her even if she declines, present the next opportunity, and the one after that. Joanne states that the same thing happened to her when she had young children and to keep the work life balance she declined, but later when her kids were older she took the position and excelled.

9. Don’t be afraid of tears

   1. Barbara Annis and John Gray, co authors of the book Work With Me: The 8 Blind Spots between Men and Women in Business, identify emotion as one of the major pitfalls men face. Fear of tears can lead male managers to hold back from giving women honest feedback they need to progress.

      1. Solution: If you are a manager, check your employee reviews to ensure you evaluate men and women equally. Joanne writes that women cry from frustration, in situations where perhaps men would just yell.   

10. She’s ready for raise, but she won't ask for it

    1. Men are four times more likely to ask for a raise than women - and when women do ask they typically request 30 percent less than men, according to a Carnegie Mellon study.

       1. Solution: If you are a manager take a look that you are not just rewarding the squeaky wheel. Compare salaries through online platforms like glassdoor and salary.com. Several states require salary audits and they are announced publicly.

11. Hire women your mom’s age

    1. That catchy headline on a NYT op-ed by Sally Koslow, a former editor in chief at McCalls, perfectly captures the conundrum of older women. Many either quit or took lesser “mommy track” roles when their children were young. But as the kids fly the nest, women have as much ambition as ever and are eager to rev up their careers.

       1. Solution: Hire them! Better yet, help structure work so you don't lose them in the first place.

          1. Personal Note: My last assistant was a mom returning back to the workforce and has been one of the best employees I have ever had! Once my company is big enough I plan on hiring her back again! SE you are the best!

12. She deserves a promotion -- she just doesn’t know it yet

    1. Men are far more likely than women to raise their hands for big promotions, whether they are ready for it or not. Companies including google, meanwhile, have found that qualified women often don't nominate themselves.

       1. Solution: Make sure qualified women are in the mix, whether they have their hands up or not. Be prepared to twist a few arms. You have to get into the pool to swim.

Book 10/26 Leaders are learning series; 10% Happier by Dan Harris

As a leader how do you handle stress and anxiety?

My mother always told me “what doesn’t kill you will make you stronger”. I agree 100% but not everyone is raised like this or built to handle stress and the mantle of leadership the same way.

In my humble opinion I have been thrust into the world of leadership from an early age. I was the first born of three in a home where my father worked a lot and whether I liked it or not I had to be the man/Big boy of the house early on. Helping with my brother and sister as we grew up. Playing sports I was either selected as leader of a team or in the military always placed in leadership roles

I admit I had a few anxiety attacks when I was young that caused me to have trouble breathing. It could also be the stress of being a kid but who knows. Then as I grew I found sports as great outlet for stress and my anger. I knew I had anger issues so I gravitated towards contact sports like boxing, football, hockey, and rugby. I would immerse myself in these sports and relieve the stresses of the day to get through it.

In college I worked full time while being in the Army reserves and running a retail store with 30-50 employees. The stress was mounting but sports were there to even me out. Then as I worked in high pressure B2B sales and eventually medical device sales it became more and more difficult even with my schedule to use these sports to release the pressure valve. I saw myself getting more and more angry and stressed. I would be up at night thinking and ruminating on the events of tomorrow. Do I have enough people on my team for case coverage, do we have the implants we need is everything going to go the right way? I would be planning like a chess match many steps ahead. The lack of sleep was literally killing me, because many times I had to pull over and take naps on the side of the road so I would drive into the guard tails or off a cliff.

Then I remembered a library class from high school where we meditated. I remember it well because we all laid on the ground and focused on our breathing and imagined ourselves as tanks filled with water. On each breath more and more water would leave our bodies and we would relax our heads, shoulders, chest and so on until we reached our toes. It was very relaxing and this memory trigger prompted me to start meditation again.

This started me down my meditation path, before reading this book. I have been doing this for years, but a suggestion for a book recommendation from friend is always a good idea to take you never know what you will learn.

The book spoke more about Dan’s journey as a local anchor person to working at ABC and having a panic attack on air. From there he talks about his journey as a combat correspondent in Iraq and Afghanistan Post 9/11. During these tours in combat zones he became accustomed to the excitement and adrenaline, so when he came back to the states he started using Cocaine to help bring back the endorphins of a combat zone. After he came down from these rushes he became depressed and anxious of things he could not control.

Eventually he found meditation and with it he feels 10% happier. So how does this book help Leaders well it is no secret that leaders are generally under a lot of stress, so how do you deal with it. If this is your first opportunity to lead maybe you are not used to stress and don’t know how to handle it. Ancient warrior like the samurai used meditation regularly to maintain balance and so should you. Part of my discipline regime is meditation.

• Wake up 0530

• Workout 30-45 mins

• Meditate -5mins

• Read with morning coffee 30mins

• Shower

• Get to work!

Adding this small part to my day help regulate me and get my day started. I sometimes add in again at the end of the day to help me sleep. Hey you never know this small addition to your daily routine could make you 10% happier too.

Book 9/26 in Leader are Learning Series; The Lean Start-up by Eric Ries

How does this book help leaders? I am trying to find every bit of insight in these books that can shed some light on leadership and how the lessons can be found in almost any forum. In my opinion, there is no perfect formula for leadership but it morphs and changes with every person you interact with. I am going to show my notes from the book below, but I think the most important takeaway from this book is that as a leader in a company or start-up you need to create a vision and strategy for your team to travel down. That Vision or Strategy can help you use the method Eric outlines of Build, Measure and Learn. 

Set the stage of an Idea, " We want to be a frictionless transaction for the bar industry. OK now that is the vision, to develop a frictionless transaction for your experience at lounges, taverns, or clubs.

What is the strategy you want to implement? How will you make this work financially for you and the customer and the bar owners? Do you integrate into their existing POS system? Do you create a new platform, but give them the hardware and software? Do you create an API to talk through a phone application and connect with the bar POS system? What are the roadblocks from doing all these strategies? This is where you as a leader have to make the decision to trust your Vision, your Strategies and test them using the Build, Measure Learn method. This is the part that is hard as a leader and where you learn the most. You need to trust the process and your team to run through this method and give you the feedback of if you should PIVOT in a different direction or Persevere down the path you are on. Many Entrepreneurs who are the leader are caught in the trap of this is my idea and this is where I want it to go and be. Perhaps that is why so many business and start-ups fail. 

My Notes from the book

• The lean startup method

  • Entrepreneurs are everywhere

  • Entrepreneurship is management(Leadership)

  • Validated learning(knowing that your ideas can succeed based on empirical evidence)

• Build, measure, learn

  • Innovation accounting

  • Experiment

  • Hypothesis

  • Test it empirically

• Guided by startups(leaders) vision

  • The vision helps steer the direction of product or services

• Having an MVP(Minimal Viable Product) helps test the feedback loop of build measure and learn

  • What is more important Value vs Growth?

    • Does your product create value or destroy it

    • Create value like FB bringing people access to others in the network, value-destroying is like a Ponzi scheme

• Genchi Gembutsu - Toyota’s way of taking VOC and implementing it into the product

  • This is the feedback loop that tells the leader sif they stay on the path or pivot

• Can you do too much analysis?

  • Yes, where is paralyzed you into making a decision, but not doing enough could hinder you when you try to come to market

• The 3 A’s of metrics

  • Is the data Actionable?

  • Is it accessible

  • Is it auditable

• MAKE A DECISION: Pivot or persevere

  • Pivot to the customer segment

  • Platform pivot

• The Startup Way: Peole, Culture, Process, Accountability

• The engine of Growth:

  • Word of Mouth

  • As a side effect of product usage

  • funded advertising

  • Repeat purchases

• 3 engines of growth =

  • Sticky Engine of Growth - Keeping current customers happy

  • Viral Engine of growth - Customers market for you, or Network marketing

  • the paid engine of growth

• Use the 5 whys to get to the root cause of the problem

  • Spend time on training

•  

Leaders are Learning Book 8/26 The Go-Giver by Bob Burg, and John David Mann

How much do you give?

Here is a Video blog of my review of "The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann". This is a great adjunct to other books about giving like "Adam Grants Give and Take". My notes on the book are below for you to review. How can this help you as a leader? Giving back to your team in knowledge, life skills and connections can help your whole network.

How are you giving back? That is the question. Time, Money, resources, connections.

1. JUST GIVE!

2. People do business with people they know, like, trust.

   1. Your true worth is determined by how much you give in value than you take in payment

3. First Law: the Law of value; you’re a true worth is determined by how much you give in value than you take in payment

4. The Second Law: The Law compensation your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.

   1. How many lives do you touch?

   2. Give and serve and you will receive

   3. Why work? Survive, save, and serve to grow from nothing.

5. The third law: Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other peoples interest first.

6. The fourth law: the most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself

7. the fifth law: The Law of receptivity: the Key to effective giving is the stay open to receiving

   1. Being open and perceptive is the best way to receive from others, you never know when it will come.

If you would like to learn more about what RTB Limited does and how we can help you click to schedule a free and quick 15min call here.

Coaching to be a Better Leader

Recently my 6-year-old son started wrestling for our school club team. He has been involved in a few sports as we are trying to introduce him to as many as possible while he is young. He is moving towards liking a few of them and is asking for exposure to more. This has been great but I have a hard time staying out of the coaching realm. I played and coached Men's Rugby for a few years and enjoy transferring my skills to other players. I never wrestled, I played football, ran track, and I boxed until I started playing Rugby. My wife would like me to be more involved in my son's sports, but the timing has always been difficult.

In 2018 I have made the move to be an Entrepreneur starting and working fulltime on a few ventures at the same time. My business partners and I started www.RTBlimited.com a Training and Business consultancy company last year, and this year another friend approached me about starting www.DermRT.com a radiation therapy solution for skin cancer. I also help my mother with her business Magnolia House Honey This has given me a greater appreciation of time-management skills which I feel like I have gained over the last few years. It has also given me more time to spend with my son as he took on wrestling. Wrestling has a lot of the same body position and control as Rugby so it was difficult for me to stay on the sideline. Needless to say, I did get involved early and helped coach my son and his friends this season. They did great but I also learned a great deal about leading and coaching.

As a leader, it is important to always coach your team to be better than you are or to transfer the info you have to them so they can evolve as members of your team. Being involved with my son's team help reinforce that perspective as we learned the basics of wrestling and I added what I learned to from rugby to help them grow. It also showed me that when coaching whether as a technical expert or seasoned professional it's important to teach or coach your team like its the first time they are hearing this info and to break it down to simple terms and grow onto it as they become more proficient.

The overall message here is to be a better leader it's important to coach and teach on a regular basis. This helps you with not only operational efficiency as you grow and it gives you the ability to set up a decentralized command structure within your team. You are creating the next set of leaders on your team, not the replacement for your job. This has been reinforced in an HBR article stating that delegation and leading require coaching as well.

Learn more from our RTB LImited Team by scheudling a quick call here

Reading is Fundamental

If you grew up in the lates 70's to early 80's like I did you grew up on Saturday morning cartoons and TV Shows and of Course PBS. Sesame Street and in 1983 PBS launched Reading Rainbow starring Lavar Burton. Most remember him from Reading Rainbow and Star Trek. However what we learn from Reading Rainbow is that Reading is Fundamental for growth in your field as it is explained in this HBR Article.

In the article, the author changed his lifestyle by removing his TV from the main living area and it took the temptation away to watch TV and read more. So he has read 50 books last year and this year is on track for 100. My goal is 26 in 2018. This is a minor goal but I am determined to read more and broaden my horizons and find a new way to inspire people to take a deeper look at themselves and how they can live and lead a better life.

In my journey so far, I have compiled a scattered list of books to read, and truthfully many are recommendations by others who have had great experiences with the books. Many are military books, or books about leadership, entrepreneurship and sales and marketing. All these subjects I am passionate about and looking to grow further in. Then there are a few that help me grow as a Human Being if your interested take a look at what is left on my list for 2018. Be on the lookout for my thoughts on the books and how they can help you as a leader, Teammate, and person! www.Rtblimited.com/blog

Past

1. The Starbucks experience - Joseph Michelli 
2. Moving up to medical sales - Michael a Carroll
3. Give and take - Adam grant 
4. To sell is human - Daniel pink
5. Grit - Angela Duckworth
6. Art of war - sun tzu 
7. Closing techniques - Stephan Schiffman
8. Boost your interview IQ- Carole Martin 
9. Business writing and communicating - Kenneth Davis
10. Mind manipulation- Dr. Haha Lung
11. The first 90 days - Michael Watkins 
12. Legacy - James Kerr 
13. . Leadership and 1 min manager - Ken Blanchard 
14. The happiness advantage - Shawn anchor 
15. Social selling- Tim Hughes
16. Extreme ownership - Jocko Willink
17. Beyond return on investment- Pam arlotto 
18. The trusted advisor - David Maister 
19. . Freakonomics - Stephen dinner 
20. Lone survivor - Marcus Luttrell
21. Supervisors portable handbook - George fuller

Rest of year

1. Rise and grind - Daymond John
2. Book of five rings - Miyamoto Musashi
3. Go-Giver - Bob Burg
4. The leadership challenge - James kouzes, Barry posner
5. Creating the high-performance team- steve buck holtz
6. Soar with your strengths - Donald Clifton 
7. Cash flow quadrant - Robert Kiyosaki 
8. Winning when outgunned and outmanned - Gen. Hal Moore 
9. Selling the invisible - Harry Beckwith
10. Mastery - Robert green
11. The book of joy- Dali Lama 
12. About face - Col. Hackworth
13. Thinking fast and slow - Daniel Kahneman 
14. The four tendencies- Gretchen Rubin
15. 10% better- dan Harris
16. money- Tony Robbins
17. Flawless Consulting - Peter Block
18. Meditations - Marcus Aurelius
19. The tax and legal playbook - Marc Kohler
20. Crushing It - Gary Vanderchuck
21. The CEO Next Door - Elena L. Botelho, Kim R. Powell
22. Alive at Work - Daniel M. Cable
23. In Defense of Troublemakers - Charlan Nemeth
24. That's what she Said - Joanne Lipman
25. Big Potential - Shawn Achor
26. Great at Work - Morten Hansen
27. The Culture Code - Daniel Coyle
28. Lean Startup - Eric Ries
29. Principles - Ray Dalio
30. Exactly What to Say - Phil M. Jones
31. 12 Rules for Life - Jordan Peterson
32. The Four Tendencies - Gretchen Rubin
33. Blue Ocean Strategy - W. Kim Chan

Leaders are Learning Book 7/26 Hal Moore on Leadership: Winning when outgunned and OutManned

We can always learn something from past leaders, look inside yourself and see what can be worked on!

Leaders are learning series book 7/26 Hal Moore in Leadership, winning when outgunned and outmanned

Four basic principles of leadership

1. Principle #1 three strikes and you are not out, There is always a way to help someone improve until there is not.

   1. Leaders have a positive mindset

2. Principle #2 there’s always one more thing you can do to influence any situation in your favor. And after that, there’s one more thing

   1. A leader is paid to do three things

      1. Get the job done and get it done well

      2. Plan ahead- be proactive, not reactive

      3. Exercise good sound judgment in doing all of the above.

3.  Principle #3 - when nothing is wrong, there’s nothing wrong-Except there’s nothing wrong. That’s when a leader has to be the most alert.

4. Don’t let your guard down

5. Principle #4 - trust your instincts

   1. If you know in your heart an action is wrong don’t do it!

   2. Rule of doubts- never try and deceive your people they will smell it out quickly.

   3. No job is ever beneath you. In whatever you do, do it to the best of your abilities

6. The best leaders strive to create a family environment within their Org.

7. Loyalty up and down the chain of command

8. The first person you need to discipline is yourself

9. To be a leader, you must be willing to be a lifelong learner!

10. Good listeners- when you listen you know twice as much as the other guy

11. Always have a dream- accomplish it and find another

12. Create your future

13. Never say no to yourself, make the other guy say no

14. Never Quit

15. Find a way to turn a minus into a plus

16. Do more with less

17. Types of bad leaders

    1. Bully

    2. Narcissistic

    3. Divisive

    4. Insular

    5. Hypocritical

    6. Enforcement

    7. Callous

    8. Seniority preference

    9. Credit hog leaders

    10. Blame shifting leaders

18. If you can’t justify the rationale of order to yourself don’t make subordinates do it. Re-evaluate your reasons and find another method.

19. Duty is selfless devotion

20. Leaders stay informed of current events and they should anticipate challenges based on those events

21. A good leader never discriminates or alienates based on race color or genetic factors

How do you grow?

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How does one grow, as a leader, athlete, or student? You put yourself in an uncomfortable environment or situation. So what do I mean by that?

As a leader, you need to expose yourself to new ideas thought processes and situations. Studies show that when a leader is faced with adversity the true metal of that person shines through. All of these things will help you grow. Ideas and input from other team members who have a different perspective than your point of view. They might operate on a different level and are boots on the ground or can offer insight that you are not seeing. What do you do with that information?

You should digest it, analyze it and use it to make a decision on what to do next. Ask yourself this question will this insight help us grow as a company, team or cohort? Will this new insight help our overall goals to increase sales, retain talent, reduce expenses, score more points, or get a better grade? The only way to find out is to hear this idea, technique or habit and see if it aligns with your overall goal or mission. 

As an athlete, this growth through adversity or uncomfortable situation could be a different training method workout or thought process.  The data show that athletes especially benefit from getting outside your comfort zone. Many times as an athlete taking input from a coach or teammate can help build that relationship, but again they have to be willing to take that input and be uncomfortable in the situation to grow. 

i truly believe that stepping outside the secure life and comfort of life makes us better in a great many situations. Try it and see what happens.

Find out how you can grow in whatever you are doing talk with someone on our team to learn more.

Leaders are Learning Series Book 6/26 Musashi's Book of 5 Rings

The book of 5 rings by Miyamoto Musashi

1. Book Of Earth

   1. A leader must understand himself before he can understand the realities of leadership and asking others to do tasks, especially when watching is involved

   2. Only when each soldier has been observed can the commander know which warrior will be able to perform a specific act, otherwise chaos will result

   3. A leader should circulate among his people to appraise strengths and weaknesses. Praise and admonish

2. Book of water

   1. You can only fight the way you practice

   2. You should strive to constantly educate yourself while still practicing your primary skill

   3. Focus on posture and body control when going into any situation, make your spine straight and bigger than you are.

   4. Becoming one with hitting your enemy, you must have a trainer.

   5. No thought no idea - attack your enemy with your body leaning forward with a confident attitude...this is how you should attack your day start before the greatest enemy catches up with your time.

   6. Attacking through the enemy- when your tired dig down deep and Sumon your energy to finish the attack and the day.

   7. He talks about stabbing but really means attack your problems directly with employees or the business as a whole

3. Book of Fire

   1. The form where you fight- situational awareness, escape routes sometimes you cannot win the fight. Always finish your opponent

   2. 3 strategy to control the enemy- either you take the lead, hold off and take the lead, or force the lead. If you don’t control the lead the enemy will

   3. Timing- knowing yourself and your ability to fight will tell your body when you are ready to fight! If you are caught off guard you must counter quickly and aggressively

   4. Learn to be flexible in everything you do. Life is not scripted

   5. Know the enemy commander and his troops. Build a persona

4. The book of wind

   1. Be humble, let your actions speak for themselves

   2. Have a broad view of situations and don’t focus on the small things.

   3. How to think of speed- speed is not the most important thing, rather rhythm and timing, and execute correctly! Natural and calmly

5. The book of no-thing

   1. Everything is within, everything exists, seek nothing outside yourself

What is Soft Skills Training?

Soft skills are a combination of people skills, social skills, communication skills, character traits, attitudes, career attributes, social intelligence and emotional intelligence quotients among others that enable people to navigate their environment, work well with others, perform well, and achieve their goals with complementing hard skills. 

Many times companies neglect these skills in there employees growth. These soft skills can be developing new leaders through executive coaching or leadership and development training. It could also be investing in Sales and Presentation skills training or just giving your team a better grasp of the financials they are responsible for. Knowing how to work and build relationships and network internally and external to the company. Some companies are caught between a rock and hard place where they do not have the internal departments to spend time on these tasks or expertise. This is where companies like RTB Limited come in. Outsourcing of these training and coaching services enables companies to invest time and money into the growth and development of their most valuable assets their employees. 

Recent data shows the benefits of investing in soft skills training and executive coaching. This investment whether from the top down, middle or bottom-up leads to better results. From The Executive coaching level, you will see better teamwork and potentially better sales results. If you invest in the middle of your company you can see future leaders flourish and grow and be the next team that takes your company to higher results. If you invest in the bottom half or your company even in manufacturing employees feel more engaged and output increases. https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/how-to-measure-the-impact-of-soft-skills-training/

Talk to your HR department to see if they are ready to help invest in your professional growth. We can help you Ring The Bell to a successful career.

Soft Skills training at an Engineering company in Philadelphia