Tuesday, December 17, 2013

$25, $50 or $100 in gift cards! Ho Ho Ho Holiday Sale!


Treat your team to a holiday lunch, go on a shopping spree OR choose a charity, and we'll make a donation on your behalf. 

Just purchase $250 or more in profiles, facilitator kits or EPIC credits to be eligible! 
Purchase online anytime at www.corexcel.com (discount code Holiday) or call us at 
1-888-658-6641 (M-F, 9am - 5:30pm ET) and mention the promotion. 

We'll get in touch with you right away to work out the details.


'Tis the season to give the gift of personal and professional growth! 


Happy Holidays from Corexcel! 


Monday, November 25, 2013

10% off ALL DiSC Profiles, Kits & Accessories on Small Business Saturday

Save 10% on ALL DiSC® Profiles,
Facilitator Kits and Accessories

Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses across the country. Founded by American Express in 2010, this day is celebrated every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. 

This year, Small Business Saturday is taking place THIS Saturday, Nov. 30th! 

To celebrate, Corexcel is offering 10% off clinical courses*, Online Business Skills courses, profiles and assessments, facilitator kits and other training materials! 

Simply use discount code SBS2013 this Saturday ONLY to save 10% on:

Sale ends at 11:59pm Eastern Time! 

* Excludes online nursing CEU courses and college credit fees.

Tuesday, November 05, 2013

NEW Everything DiSC Management Profile – Precise Results & Updated Facilitator Kit

Corexcel is excited to announce that the Everything DiSC Management profile & facilitator kit have been updated. Last year we wrote about the Everything DiSC move to Adaptive Testing (AT) and a new, more advanced, scoring algorithm. 

One by one, the profiles have been getting updated to the new look. We're excited to announce that the Everything DiSC Management system is now updated with a more personalized profile and even more accurate results! 

What does this mean to you?



free disc report sample

Everything DiSC Management now reflects the following changes:

More Accurate Results – Participants will now see the effects of Adaptive Testing in their management profile report, meaning more accurate results and the potential for additional priorities associated with their personal DiSC profile (see shading to right).

Personalized Narrative & Priorities – The new profile report comes with a personalized introduction, narrative about the participants’ specific DiSC style and location and information about additional priorities (if applicable).

Updated Look & Organization – The Everything DiSC Management report and facilitator kit have been redesigned so that they are easier to understand and use.

DiSC Styles Overview – the new profiles contain an Appendix that provides a snapshot of the 4 basic DiSC styles as well as the Everything DiSC Management priorities.

Updated, Streamlined Facilitator Kits – The new USB contains a master slide deck, a master leader’s guide and a master handout file rather than slides, guides and handouts for each module. The handouts also include images “Everything DiSC Management Resources” linking to additional videos, sample reports and user guides. DiSC Styles Overview and Everything DiSC Management Map also reflect the new look.

Free DiSC Profiles – Try to the new profile!

If you or your team have previously completed an Everything DiSC Management profile, you can try the new Management profile for free


  • Completed 79-item Everything DiSC Management Profiles (taken prior to 7/21/12):You can send a new, AT Everything DiSC Management assessment to anyone who took a 79-item Management Profile for free! They’ll need to complete a new Everything DiSC Management AT access code, but they’ll get the updated profile at no cost. 

  • Completed AT Management Profiles (taken between 7/21/12 and 10/3/13): You can generate the new Everything DiSC Management Profile for anyone who took the AT Management assessment between 7/21/12 and 10/3/13 for free. Simply generate their report in EPIC and you’ll see the new version of the profile. Profiles taken during this time have been automatically updated to the new look. 
Contact Corexcel at 1-888-658-6641 for more information!

What is Adaptive Testing?

Read our original post on the Everything DiSC switch to Adaptive Testing.

Everything DiSC Profiles 

Everything DiSC Workplace - Communication and Team building 
Everything DiSC Sales - Include Customer Interaction Maps for quick and easy use 
Everything DiSC Management - How to delegate, management and work with others 
Everything DiSC Work of Leaders - Personalized road map to being a more effective leader 
Everything DiSC 363 for Leaders - A DiSC-based perspective on 360º feedback

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Throwback Thursday: DiSC Profiles Minimize Conflicts and Maximize Productivity

Throwback Thursday
A Manager's Worst Nightmare
Using DiSC Profiles to Minimize Conflict

A team that's disengaged and constantly bickering is a manager's worst nightmare. How do you get everyone on the same page? How do you get everyone using the same language and appreciating each other's differences? It can be really tough if you don't have the right resources. 

A few years back, I posted a blog series dedicated to a disruptive team and how to use Everything DiSC Profiles to minimize the conflict, with specific blog posts designed for each of the DiSC styles. You can even use the script to act out the event during your next DiSC training program! It's a great icebreaker. 

Halloween is right around the corner, and there is absolutely nothing scarier than working with people you don't like (or even worse, managing people that don't like each other). Enjoy this blog post, and contact us if you need help getting your team members on the same page! 

Jonelle

SCENE
It's a busy Wednesday afternoon at ABC Technology, Inc. a mid-sized software and IT company based in Philadelphia, PA. STEVE, a quiet, yet successful Sales Manager, is walking down a long hallway to the coffee station when he overhears a shouting match going on between two of his employees. He finds them and the rest of his sales team in a nearby conference room.

STEVE
(Entering the conference room)

Woah! What’s going on here? What are you guys fighting about? I could hear you from down the hall.

JEFFREY
(Walking over to STEVE)

We were originally discussing an idea that Marsha had come up with, but she became irrational when we pointed out the flaws in her plan.

MARSHA
(Quickly standing up and pointing at JEFFREY)

I did not get irrational! That’s just like you, Jeff. You cut me off when I’m speaking and don’t expect me to continue with my thought. I hadn't even gotten halfway through saying my idea before Pete started tearing it to shreds!

STEVE
(Turning to PETE, looking surprised)

Pete, is this true?

PETE
(Quiet, but stern)
Not entirely. You see, I was merely informing Marsha that her idea needs much more fine tuning before being presented to the rest of the group. For example, when she states…

MARSHA
(Becoming more frustrated)

See, Steve?! He’s doing it again. How am I supposed to be creative, when I've got these guys pointing out every imperfection?

STEVE
(Turning to MARSHA)

Now Marsha…

JEFFREY
(Yelling)

Relax, Marsha! You’re being overly emotional.

STEVE
(Turning to JEFFREY)

Now Jeff… wait a second…

MARSHA
(Eyes watering. Fighting back tears.)

I am NOT being overly emotional, Jeff!
(MARSHA begins to cry and darts out of the conference room.)

STEVE
(Looking confused, STEVE turns to APRIL who is sitting quietly at the conference room table.)

April, have you really been in here this whole time?

APRIL
Um… yeah. Should I… still be taking minutes?


Take a minute to think about what you just read. Do you side with anyone in particular? Where would you fit into this situation? Would you be battling it out like Jeff and Marsha, or would you watch the war unfold like Pete and April?

The point of the story is that, although dramatic, these situations can happen when varying personalities work closely together on a daily basis. Even the most effective groups will have the occasional conflicts and misunderstandings.

Whether you’re approaching an important deadline, undergoing organizational changes or bringing in a new employee, additional stress can mean more tension and more conflict. It’s working through those difficult times that really prove your group’s strength and your abilities as a manager.

Why does it matter?

Unnecessary disagreements can cause:

  • Unhappy employees
  • Unspoken resentment
  • High turnover
  • Lower productivity
  • Smaller bottom line!
What can you do to reduce conflict?

Understanding your team members is the first step to reducing and resolving conflict within your group. The better you know your group, the more you’ll be able to anticipate and avoid blow-ups like this or hidden resentment from your team.

Once you understand your group, you will be able to:

  • Create an environment that encourages your staff to respect each other.
  • Get a good grasp of your team members’ priorities, interests and fears.
  • Improve your ability to recognize conflict.
  • Learn how to effectively resolve conflict.
  • Offer tips and techniques to employees on working together.
If you’re not utilizing DiSC profiles within your organization, you are missing out on vital information that will help you better understand your team’s strengths and weaknesses. DiSC is a great way to find out more about your group in a fun, comfortable atmosphere. Your team will learn more about themselves and how they relate to each other, and you’ll learn how to effectively manage a team full of varying behavioral styles.

This blog series will introduce you to each of the D, i, S and C styles and how they influenced the characters’ behaviors in our story:


Download a copy of the script, and use it as an icebreaker with your group! Start a discussion about conflict, personality differences and teamwork.

Remember: Working well with others is not about compromising who you are but rather accepting others and adapting yourself to those around you. Start using DiSC profiles to create a common language among your team and start working more effectively together. 

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

No Tricks, Just Treats! Free DiSC Profile Group Report

Receive a free Everything DiSC Group Report with the purchase of 10 or more Everything DiSC Profiles

Includes ALL Everything DiSC Profiles combination including:

Purchase today:
1-888-658-6641 (M-F, 9am - 5:3-pm ET)

Offer ends 10/31/13.

Free DiSC Profile Group Report

Is this the first time you're hearing about this promotion? Then join our email list

Choose "Training Materials & Resources" to receive Free DiSC profile offers, product news & training tips! 

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Facilitator Fears: 4 Successful Training Program Tips

How to Conduct a Successful Training Program

By Jason Willey

Many statistics show that people are more afraid of public speaking or “glossophobia” than spiders, heights and even death. A majority of people would rather die than speak in front of a live group! Don’t let the fear of public speaking scare you away from conducting a successful training program. Whether you’re facilitating leadership training, customer service training, management training or soft skills training, Corexcel can help you make your first (and every) training program a huge success.

Follow these 4 tips to conduct a successful training program every time! 

1. Know Your Stuff 
Public speaking - Training Program Fears
I find my fear of speaking in front of a group decreases dramatically when I am prepared. Do your research; learn as much as you can about a specific training topic or product. This way, you’ll know more than your audience, feeling confident and prepared. Corexcel offers a ton of supporting material on the training products we provide. Things like research reports, white papers and facilitator kits help you prepare for your training programs. Your group is going to be looking at you as the expert so make sure you've done your homework!

2. Know Your Audience
In addition to knowing the material, make sure you know your audience. Don’t be afraid to ask your contact about the group. Questions like “Who is attending the training program? What are their DiSC styles? How do they like to learn? What training programs have been successful or unsuccessful in the past?” can be extremely helpful to you. Again, it comes down to being prepared. If you're conducting a DiSC profile training, generate a Facilitator Report in order to see the DiSC styles in your group. Customizing your program for your audience specifically will ensure they enjoy it.

3. Use the Facilitator Kit
This is one of the best tools you can invest in. The kit contains customizable PowerPoint presentations, facilitator scripts, participant handouts and videos to help make your training program a success. The facilitator kits will save you tons of time in the development area which will allow you to focus your energy on familiarizing yourself with the content and customizing it to fit your group. These kits are inexpensive and can be used over and over again. Don’t try to recreate the wheel. 

4. Get Your Audience Involved
We've all been through training where the facilitator continues to lecture, and we can’t wait for the barrage of words to be over. Chances are, you didn't learn much during that training and you remember it for all the wrong reasons. A fun, engaging training program will help your audience learn and, most importantly, retain the information! Break your audience into groups, ask a lot of questions and get a dialogue going. Getting the audience involved will help take the pressure off of you and ensure an engaged audience.

Don’t misunderstand me; training a large group of professionals can definitely be a scary thing, especially if you don’t follow the tips above. If you are new to this, and it’s your first go around, give us a call and let us help. Seasoned speaker but new to a specific product? We can still help! We will get you setup, give you some good advice and provide you with the tools you need to make it a slam dunk! 

Helpful Resources:


Wednesday, October 09, 2013

Halloween Special: DiSC® Personality Styles of our Favorite Spooky Creatures

DiSC® Personality Styles of our Favorite Spooky Creatures!

In the spirit of Halloween, I've put together a fun post about the DiSC® personality styles of some of the creepy creatures we've come to know and love. You’re sure to see them this and every Halloween, as they are the most classic. Everyone loves DiSC profiles of famous people, so why not famous Halloween creatures? 

Enjoy! 

The D Style: The Wicked Witch of the West
  • Direct
  • Results-oriented 
  • Strong-willed

The Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz was certainly not shy about telling Dorothy how she felt about her. But wouldn't you be upset if a house fell on you? The Wicked Witch is extremely strong-willed and brutally honest, similar to the D style. What’s more, the Witch is easily frustrated with Dorothy, whom, often times, represents the S style. It makes sense that they would clash given they are on the opposite sides of the DiSC circular map (and again, the house…)

The i Style: Dracula
DiSC Personality Styles - i Style - Dracula
“I have crossed oceans of time to find you."
  • Outgoing
  • Enthusiastic
  • Charming 

A vampire is known to be quite the charismatic, undead individual. Whether it’s the original Dracula, Spike or Angel from Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer or any one of the new takes on vampires, they are quite the charming bunch (even Buffy herself couldn't resist). The classic Dracula was able to get his victims to look past his pale face and eccentric wardrobe to begin caring for him, and then, he would strike.

The S Style: Casper (the Friendly Ghost) 
  •  
  • Accommodating
  • Even-tempered
  • Patient

I know what you’re thinking, “Why isn't Casper the i Style?” Hear me out. While some may argue that Casper may be more of an i, I beg to differ. He definitely appreciates stability and is much more easy-going and slower-paced than Dracula. He is very patient and accommodating, much like the S style. I also think a ghost is a good fit for the S style, because the S Style in your office may not always show themselves, but you can bet they are there.

The C Style: Aliens
DiSC Personality Styles - C Style - Aliens
...Creatures of few words...
  • Analytical 
  • Precise
  • Systematic 

Many aliens (think the movie Signs) may not speak much, but are often very strategic and precise, similar to the C style. Aliens are also skeptical, another C style trait. Finally, the C style may also alienate themselves (see what I did there?) because they prefer to work independently.

Of course, this is all in good fun!

The important message here is to not be afraid of the different DiSC personalities in your office. Learn more about your employees to improve communication & increase productivity with any of our Everything DiSC Profiles.

Share the love: Click here for infographic!



Thursday, October 03, 2013

SPOOKY SALE: 9% off Everything DiSC® Profiles, Kits & Accessories!


Because there's nothing scarier than a dysfunctional team...


Whether you're trying to improve your team's communication skills or looking to develop your team's leadership qualities, Everything DiSC® profiles and tools can help you deliver affordable, customizable and most importantly, effective DiSC training programs. 

Save 9% on ALL Everything DiSC products including:
Save 9% throughout October. Simply use discount code SPOOKY during secure check-out or contact us at 1-888-658-6641 (M-F, 9am - 5:30pm Eastern Time) or learn@corexcel.com and mention the discount. 

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Everything DiSC Workplace®: Effective Communication available in more languages!

Everything DiSC Workplace: Effective Communication Available in More Languages


We are very excited to announce that the popular workplace communication profile, Everything DiSC Workplace, is now available in more languages. Previously available in English and Spanish, the profile has now been translated into Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German! 

Everything DiSC Workplace communicationWe understand that as an organization with multiple locations, you want to be able to use the same training materials across the board. These new translations will help you use Everything DiSC Workplace to improve communication and overall quality of your workplace.

About Everything DiSC Workplace

The Everything DiSC Workplace provides employees of any role or title with a common language in order to increase effective communication and reduce conflict.The Everything DiSC Workplace's focus on communication and workplace relationships will help your group work more effectively together, no matter what role they are in within your company. 

Everything DiSC Profiles and Supporting Materials 

The translation process for any of our assessments includes an extensive process of beta testing, norming and validation. This process ensures that all words, meaning and norms are translated seamlessly and remain relative to participants' culture. This is also a huge plus for facilitators running training programs with learners who have taken the Workplace profile in various languages. While there may be slight differences in the profiles, the core material of Everything DiSC Workplace remains the same.

Try it! 

Want to try the Everything DiSC profile at a low cost? If you have taken the DiSC Classic 2.0 with us, you're eligible for a discount on any Everything DiSC product. Contact our Customer Service dept. for more information. Email us at learn@corexcel.com or call us at 1-888-658-6641 M-F, 9am - 5:30pm. Offer ends 11/31.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Inspirational Quotes: Learning & Education

Inspirational Quotes on Learning & Education

A few weeks ago, we shared  20 of our most favorite quotes on learning and education. Here are a few more for good measure!

Please feel free to comment and share your own favorite quotes! 



I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn. - Albert Einstein 

We learn geology the morning after the earthquake. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you hear a voice within you saying, “You are not a painter,” then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. – Vincent Van Gogh

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do. - John Wooden

The secret of teaching is to appear to have known all your life what you learned this afternoon. - Anonymous 

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

The West Wing: A Lesson in Management Training


The West Wing: A Lesson in Management Training

The company, SongKick, connects you with local bands, concerts and festivals in your area. You can track your favorite bands or find a new favorite band based on your current interests. Not only is their business cool but so is their outlook on management training. 

Read the original article on CBS News: The West Wing: A lesson in Management Training

Songkick is an online music-listing business where bands can promote their gigs and fans can follow artists. It's a smart idea, addressing the frustration most of us feel when we discover, a day too late, that our favorite musicians are playing our town and tickets have already sold out. But what I like even more than the site itself is the way it treats its employees: All new hires are given a video box set of "The West Wing."

Why? "The West Wing" shows teamwork at its finest. Lots of highly committed, smart people argue, yell, flirt and sulk their way through years of demanding, exhausting work. Working in the White House, they're up against insuperable odds -- trying to change America -- and they have only a short time to do it. They understand the difficulty of their mission but are determined to achieve whatever they can.


Full article: West Wing and Management Training

Wednesday, August 07, 2013

DiSC Profiles Training - Types of Learning Styles INFOGRAPHIC

DiSC Profiles Training - Types of Learning Styles

I thought it would be neat to come up with a fun, quick DiSC profiles training infographic to highlight the DiSC types of learning styles. 

The most successful training facilitators know that they need to customize their facilitation style to meet the types of learning styles in their classrooms at any given point. But how can you tell what your learners' DiSC styles are? 

Simple. 

First, use the online DiSC Profile of choice:

Second, have all learners complete said profile, and run a Group Report and a Facilitator Report. The Group Report is perfect to share with the group, while the Facilitator Report is designed to provide the training facilitator with tips on presenting the material to that specific group.

Lastly, review the Facilitator Report along with the Facilitator Kit to review the content and customize it accordingly. 

Enjoy this cheat sheet on the Types of Learning Styles you'll encounter during your training programs!

Jonelle

Training Types of Learning Styles DiSC Profiles

Monday, August 05, 2013

5 Interview Tips Using the DiSC Profile

5 Interview Tips Using the DiSC Profile 


Last year, I wrote a post on using the DiSC profile to improve your personal brand. I received such awesome feedback, and it’s still trending on our blog today. I wanted to follow up on it, now one year later, to provide tips on using DiSC profiles to improve your personal brand during the interviewing process. Interview tips can really help you feel prepared and confident walking into an interview. 

Whether you’re interviewing for a new position, promotion or acceptance into college this fall, you can use the DiSC profile to learn about yourself and prepare yourself for answering even the toughest of interview questions.

First, we’ll discuss the importance of making a good impression. In last year’s post, I mentioned perception vs. reality. In an interview, the hiring manager only has their perception of us to help determine their decision. Of course they have our cover letter, resume and references, but they need to match up our answers to those documents to make sure they're an accurate portrayal of our experience. How they perceive you will ultimately determine if you get the job, so you need to make a great impression. In addition to the typical interview tips (get there early, don't bring your phone in, etc.), we can help you answer the interview questions effectively.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or are absolutely terrified of even the idea of interviewing, you can learn a lot from the Everything DiSC Workplace® profile. The Everything DiSC Workplace has been helping thousands of professionals communicate better with each other; promoting healthy workplace relationships and reducing conflict. Because the DiSC profile centers around effective communication, it's ideal for interviewing preparation.

Let me walk you through what you can do with an online DiSC profile to prepare for the job and/or college interviews ahead. 

Step 1: Learn about yourself

A year later, the concept of learning about yourself is still extremely important. How else will you be able to communicate all of your strengths truthfully and eloquently? DiSC behavioral assessments are designed to make learning about yourself simple. You’ll take a 10-15 minute assessment answering questions about your behavior at work and receive a personalized report that details your strengths, weaknesses and how you get along with others. This kind of information will refresh your memory on what makes you great and also give you some great phrases to use in the interview. The reports provide constructive narrative, so be sure to take notes. You’ll catch yourself saying, "I'm stealing that phrase!"

Step 2: Understand Others 

If you're familiar with DiSC, you may be able to pick up on your interviewer's DiSC style fairly quickly. You may be able to tell by their demeanor, their interviewing questions and how they are asking them. Knowing this information can help you gear your answers to exactly what they are looking for. Again, it will also help you once you've been hired. You'll learn quickly how to work together with others who are different than you and even understand and respect those differences.

Step 3: Get the most out of your profile

In addition to taking the assessment and reading the personalized profile, make sure you take notes and jot down your feelings along the way. You’ll also want to think of people you currently know in your work or personal life that fit some of the DiSC styles you’re reading about. It helps to put people’s actions to styles, to help you remember the information you’re learning. Lastly, remind yourself to use DiSC every day. Not only will it help you prepare for the interview, but once you get the job, you’ll be working effectively with all of your co-workers and superiors.

Step 4: Get Buy-In From Others

Getting feedback from others is an extremely important part of any self-improvement process. Ask your friends, family or co-workers what they think of you. What are my strengths/weaknesses? How do you think I come off to others? You can even ask a trusted colleague or friend to discuss your DiSC profile with you, or simply ask them questions over lunch. You may even want to ask them to complete a SWOT analysis on your behalf to review together at a later time. Whatever you do, it’s important to get buy-in from others. They have their opinions on how you’re perceived which is exactly what you’re looking for. They can even give you confidence going into the interview!

Step 5: Practice; Practice; Practice

Once you have your personalized DiSC profile, notes and feedback, practice interviewing by yourself or with a friend. Again, no matter how seasoned of an interviewer you are, it doesn't hurt to be TOO prepared.

Check out a sample Everything DiSC Workplace report and see for yourself there is a lot to learn that can help you in the interviewing process and once you get the job! Good luck!

Monday, July 22, 2013

Everything DiSC Workplace® Communication Profile: Ahora disponible en Español!

Everything DiSC profiles - Communication Styles
Best-selling Communication Profile is now available in Spanish! 

That's all Workplace materials and profiles including:

About Workplace 

The Everything DiSC Workplace profile is a part of the Everything DiSC profile consisting product line:

While the other profiles are specific to different departments or roles in your organization (i.e. Management, Sales and Leadership), the Everything DiSC Workplace profile is perfect for any department. It focuses on communication and workplace relationships in order to help your group work more effectively together, no matter what role they are in within your company. 

Everything DiSC Workplace focuses on:

Everything DiSC profiles - Communication Styles
  • Understanding your DiSC communication style 
  • Identifying and respecting other DiSC communication styles
  • Building relationships and communicating with other DiSC communication styles
The Translation Process 

As you know, our DiSC® Classic Profiles have been translated to many languages including Spanish, French, Chinese, German and many more.

The translation process is extensive including beta testing, norming and validation. This ensures that both words and meanings/norms are translated seamlessly and relative to participants. This also enables facilitators to run training programs with learners who have taken the Workplace profile in any language. While there will be slight differences, the core material remains the same. 

Try it! 

If you have taken the DiSC Classic in Spanish and would like to try the Everything DiSC Workplace, you can take the new profile for a reduced cost! Save $36 when you've taken a DiSC Classic Spanish profile with us in the past. (Typically $54)

Free DiSC Sample Reports in Spanish

Everything DiSC Facilitator Supplement
Everything DiSC Workplace Profile
Everything DiSC Comparison Report

Everything DiSC eBrochure

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Social Media, Customer Service and the New Salesperson

Social Media, Customer Service and the New Salesperson

I attended a webinar today that focused on, you guessed it, sales! We talked about identifying prospects, working with new customers and how social media has changed the way we sell.

80% of global consumers research
products online before buying in stores.
Think about it. Say you want to buy a brand new 50 inch TV for above your fireplace (recommendations welcome!). It's not very likely that you'll drive from store to store looking for TV's. First, you'll visit Facebook; ask your friends for their help. You'll do a search using Google or Bing to do some research on specials, coupons, brands and customer reviews. THEN you'll head to the local stores to see what they have in stock.

Back in the day, salespeople played a different role in the buying process than they do now, and in return they are looked at differently. Many times, especially in smaller transactional type sales, salespeople are now seen as the final step in the transaction practice rather than the very first.

Salespeople are the confirmation buyers need that they are making the right purchase.

Sure, we'll chat online with a representative or ask the salesperson for help, but now salespeople have to focus more on customer service than simply product information.
Image credit: Steve Patrizi,
Head of Parner Marketing at Pinterest

And here's why.

The customer has most likely done their research prior to engaging with the salesperson. The customer knows what they want. They'll walk into a store to look at the TV's in person and finalize the details, but they have a few products specifically in mind.

While years past, the customers’ questions may have been:
  • What kind of TV would you recommend? 
  • What kind of promotions are you currently running? 
  • What's the difference between X and Y? 
The customers are now asking:
  • Will you honor the 20% off coupon I found online 
  • Do I need a new HD cable or can I use my old one? 
  • I saw your competitor has this TV for less. Do you price match? 
New Salesperson's Role in Customer Service

When customers are finally ready to engage with a salesperson they are armed with:
  1. Information - They know about your product and pricing. They may even know who you are after checking your LinkedIn profile. 
  2. Opinions - They may have been referred to your company by friends or have read reviews on the products or services.
  3. Your competitors' information - They know where they can find the same product elsewhere and they may have already talked to them. 
This changes everything. Now it's all about customer service. The new salesperson knows that their customers may already be further along in the sales process when they contact them, and they are prepared.

Customer service affects everything we do. If you and a competitor are providing the same product at the same price, how you handle your potential customers may be the only thing that gets you the sale or gets in the way of a sale.

So, How Do We Deal?

Sales is not only about being able to think on your feet, but it is also about being flexible and accommodating to your customers' needs. The Everything DiSC® for Sales profile is just what you need in order to:
  1. Understand your selling style
  2. Quickly identify the buying styles of customers 
  3. Adapt your selling style to meet their needs 
Because of social media, the new salesperson needs to be able to jump into the sales process halfway through, and again, make a first impression after the customer may have already developed one for them.

Everything DiSC for Sales is ideal for any sales team looking to make long lasting relationships with potential and current customers. Each Everything DiSC for Sales online profile comes with unlimited, complimentary Customer Interaction Maps that will help the sales team develop quick, effective guides to working with customers in just a few minutes. Perfect for before conference calls, webinars or while they are on hold waiting to speak to someone.

The goal here is being able to make connections with potential customers and prove them right (or wrong) about your products and services!

Monday, July 01, 2013

Work of Leaders Book - New Book, New Lease on Leadership

How Work of Leaders is Changing the Way We Lead
Free DiSC Assessment & Book Offer

As you may know, the Everything DiSC Work of Leaders Profile and classroom training was developed for leaders of all leadership styles, industries and experience levels in order to help us all reach our full leadership potential. Thousands of organizations have already incorporated the leadership training into their organizational development plans with overwhelmingly positive results.


The Work of Leaders book is all about accessibility! It was important to get the Work of Leaders ideology and success out to the masses. The creators of DiSC and Everything DiSC® compiled six extensive years’ worth of research and spoke with thousands of successful leaders to develop this easy-to-use, effective leadership book: The Work of Leaders: How Vision, Alignment, and Execution Will Change the Way You Lead. 

I think this quote sums it up best:
Learning to be a leader is like learning to be a great athlete, musician or artist. It’s a capability that develops over time, through trial and error, hard work and practice. Leadership is learned by doing, not simply by taking notes in a classroom
- Stanford Graduate School of Business
Leadership is about constantly growing and developing yourself and your staff. It’s a journey that never really ends, with small and large successes (and failures) along the way.

The Work of Leaders was written with just that in mind. The book is ideal for leaders of any stage or experience level looking for immediate results through coaching and best practices. Even the most experienced leaders will be able to learn more about being flexible in their leadership style as they continue to learn about best practices and adapt them to everyday life.

How does it work?

The Work of Leaders is based on three equally important responsibilities in leadership:

1. Crafting a Vision (V): Imagining an improved future state that the group will make a reality through its work

2. Building Alignment (A): Getting to the point where everyone in the group understands and is committed to the direction

3. Championing Execution (E): Ensuring that the conditions are present for the imagined future to be turned into reality


All three of these responsibilities (commonly referred to VAE) reflect leadership best practices that all successful leaders have adapted to their leadership methods.

Readers will not only learn about leadership best practices but exactly how to reach their goals with details on how exactly to craft a vision, build alignment and champion execution. The writers did an excellent job of combining passion with helpful insight and real-world case scenarios and techniques. It’s definitely a must-read for those of you leadership nerds like me!

Free DiSC Assessment & Book Offer

I’d love to get the word out about this new book and how powerful it can be paired with the Work of Leaders profile assessment.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Bad Management Blog Series #TBT

Throwing it Way Back with our Bad Management Blog Series

#TBT #ThrowbackThursday


We're still celebrating leadership this month with discounts, giveaways and posts surrounding leadership, so I thought it only fitting to repost the popular Bad Management Blog Series: Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Boss? on this #TBT (Throwback Thursday).
bad management

This blog series focuses on the negative effects that bad management can have on everyone involved: the manager, the employees and the organization as a whole. No one wants to work for a bad manager and no one wants to be a bad manager, so what do we do?

Well first, read my blog posts! 



Second, fix the problem.

Find the tools you need to combat bad management in the workplace:

DiSC for Managers Profile - DiSC helps managers determine their management style and how to be more effective with  employees, peers and superiors of all DiSC styles. Group Reports and Comparison Reports make Everything DiSC ideal for management training. 

Online Management Courses - Accredited, online, self-paced courses cover hot topics like effective negotiatinghandling difficult employee behaviorstime managementcoaching and more.

New! Manager's ToolBox - Online, self-paced courses designed specifically for new managers covering topics like handling conflicts, boosting morale, new leader challenges and more. Courses are available individually or as a certificate program.