By Sales Keynote Speaker Connie Podesta Want to close more deals? First – know your audience. Buyers usually fall into two categories: Relators and Bottom Liners. The Relators are the warm and fuzzy people. The ones who want to get to know you. Ask about your family. Launch into relationship building. Connect. The Bottom Liners? Want facts. Figures. Graphs. Price. Delivery time. Data. They also have zero interest in being your friend and small talk sends them right through the roof. Here’s the deal: As salespeople, we fall into those two groups too. More than that, we tend to sell Read More
Quit Listening to Employee Complaints
by Leadership Keynote Speaker Connie Podesta Here’s a question for you. What are three words that make managers want to run the other way? Open Door Policy. The original intent of an “Open Door Policy” was to create a communication mechanism to ensure that employees would feel free to honestly discuss key issues without fear of retribution or, even worse, losing their jobs. In other words, not only would a leader’s door be open but, hopefully, so would their mind. However, over time that concept has expanded and become an excuse for some employees to also feel free to complain. About Read More
Quit Trying to Make Everyone Happy
Leadership Lessons for Today’s World By Leadership Keynote Speaker Connie Podesta When did it become our job to make other people happy? Our kids? Our partners? The people on our team who follow our lead? Isn’t it about all we can do on most days just to make ourselves happy? Somewhere along the way, managers have been told by well-meaning people (and probably a few motivational speakers) that one of their priorities is to make sure all of their employees are happy. WRONG! Psychologically, it is IMPOSSIBLE to make someone else happy. I know you know that. You’ve certainly tried hard Read More
Quit Being Afraid to Fire People!
It’s Time for a Change of Perspective By Keynote Speaker and Leadership Expert Connie Podesta I totally get it! Psychologically, for most people, firing someone is one of the hardest things about being a leader. They obsess over it, lose sleep over it, and even get physically sick over it! Most of all they feel guilty –really guilty—about it. The question is: why do they take on what isn’t theirs to take on? The answer: because they feel responsible for “causing” another person to lose their job. So let’s get rid of the guilt and look at firing from an entirely different Read More
Exposure vs Speaking Fees
The Flip Side of Asking People to Work for Free You get what you pay for. There. I said it. Too harsh? Some might think so. As for me, I not only know my worth, as a professional keynote speaker for more than 25 years – I teach others to know THEIR worth. That’s hard to do when you agree to work for free. Imagine asking any other professional to do their job for no pay. Your plumber, doctor, hairdresser, or car service department – think about asking them to do their job for free in the hopes that someone might witness them devaluing themselves and their work. Can you see how that Read More
Why Humor Plus Psychology Make for an Amazing Audience Experience
Why Organizations Hire Speakers Who Help Audiences Both LAUGH and LEARN By Keynote Speaker and Human Behavior Expert Connie Podesta People often ask me how I came to incorporate so much humor into my keynotes and I tell them that I trace it back to the fact that I came into a new high school when I was 14. I would always see the "popular" kids eating in the cafeteria and longed to be a part of that group. One day, one of the head cheerleaders asked me to a party at her house out of the blue. I was so surprised--and SO happy. Later that day I was changing clothes in the girls' locker room Read More
Connie Podesta Headlines ATD International Conference & Exposition Alongside Obama and Marcus Buckingham
San Diego, CA: May 10, 2018: The ATD International Conference & Exposition boasted record attendance as headliners Barack Obama, Marcus Buckingham, and Closing Keynoter Connie Podesta delivered timely topics and cutting-edge strategies from the start of the 4-day conference to the closing session. The conference hosted more than 10,000 registrants who attended 300+ sessions, for more over 14 hours of education. Connie Podesta, MS, CPAE, CSP shared one of her most requested topics, Life Would Be Easy if it Weren’t for Other People, pulled from her acclaimed book of the same title. It Read More
Quit Avoiding Documentation
The Proof-Gathering Side of Leadership In courtrooms, decisions are made based on actual proof. Hard evidence. Indisputable facts. The same principle should apply to leaders who determine the next career steps for their employees. The key word there is “should.” Unfortunately, it often doesn’t happen that way. I know that firsthand from my years of experience in HR. Leaders would show up to my office with an urgent request to fire a trouble-making employee, and I was more than happy to assist with that process. But when I asked for a copy of the file that documented the poor Read More
Quit Unknowingly Penalizing Top Performers
It Could Cost You Top Talent by Leadership Keynote Speaker Connie Podesta Throw out that statement and prepare for some serious pushback. I know because I’ve done it. And the response is…well, passionate. And a bit defensive. “No way! I reward them and recognize them every chance I get! They’re my rock stars!” “Are you kidding me? I worship my top performers! They carry the weight for the whole team!” “I would NEVER do anything to undermine them! They always go above and beyond.” Here’s the thing: Leaders wouldn’t intentionally penalize their top performers, but it might be Read More
Customer Service Problem? Maybe Not!
Quit Ignoring Unacceptable Behaviors and Attitudes by Leadership Keynote Speaker Connie Podesta Consider this scenario. When the report says customer satisfaction is way down, the manager wants to get to the bottom of it. The questions are fast and furious. Have the salespeople fallen down on the job? What’s the standard script for the customer service staff when calls come in? Are the clients becoming pickier because of the tough economy? Perhaps a competitor is starting to offer better products and features, so we are no longer measuring up. In the business world, there are Read More
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