Any Manager’s Challenge-Keeping Things New and Exciting!

Copyright 2006 New World Opportunities Inc.

I do believe back to my days as being a manager in the POS/cash sign-up roll and ribbon enterprise (one division of many inside a large direct sales organization) -a business that continually necessary motivation of the sales troops-and I sometimes reflect on the particular techniques we employed since managers of our various categories.

If we were discussing coping with stable of professional sportsmen, I’d like to believe that -with a lot of them making salaries of $1-10 million a year- that will no motivation would be necessary. Though, I harken last recent times to a series recording for HBO called “Arliss-life of the sports super-agent” and also beefy contracts with good signing bonuses were hardly ever enough. I recall one particular hilarious episode featuring a big-name basketball player who totally required add-ons like a 8-man hot tub for his fresh crib, a jewelry allowance regarding his bling, bling urge for food and the use of the owner’s corporate and business jet to fly his or her extended family around.

But also in my case, it was another animal when we are discussing youthful people-most in their early 20’s- making a range of $200-$1000 weekly back in the late 80’s/early 90’s. The name of the game was sales and also grant it; we had an enjoyable experience, held mostly entertaining and also informative morning meetings and also afternoon pow-wows and used a lot of contests and benefit money on the board. Yet even with all that going on, folks get complacent and same-o, same-o becomes the same-o.

I was not your standard sales manager and I prided myself on drafting way up creative ways to shake some misconception. While simultaneously providing awesome and excitement for our people I stilll desired to create a stronger sense regarding community. It was also a greater challenge for me than our colleagues who ran one other 8 or 9 direct selling divisions as their people would certainly get all rah-rah’d in their lengthy morning gatherings and then they would be turned free on the streets, apartment processes and office stacks through-out the day leaving the supervisors free to interview, shop, show a contest idea, fidanzato with secretaries, etc . You will get the idea. I, on the other hand, got my people with me throughout the day as our platform has been inside sales. So imagination to the “n” th education was the call of the day usually.

Here are just a few of the “ideas” i came up with and actually executed. A couple of may seem off the wall but what the particular hey………… at the time it appeared like a good idea. Yes, they received results. Good ones.

It absolutely was a flat period for our business office come often in early Feb .. Retail was down and also consumers were busy repaying their late December purchasing spree frenzies. Yet, the next wind storm was unseasonally beautiful, very clear and warm and would be so for a very good week or more. I discovered why not use block ‘n tackles and take the workstations and chairs right up from the skylights and place them on the top where we had a magnificent look at of the North Shore mountain tops along the coast of the Burrard Inlet behind the city regarding Vancouver.

The staff loved that, taking in that fine atmosphere whilst enjoying the sun inside perfect 72 degree climate and sales actually raised by close to 40%. One more time, I closed go shopping early as I felt i was banging our heads unusual in the office during a heat say so I chose an air-conditioned pool hall and we taking place an all-afternoon tournament along with went out for pizza soon after at a real, neat retro parlor. They had a blast along with came back the next day or several with a vengeance.

This was worth keeping. I had them all change lids for one (hot) day along with go out on the streets using one member of the other partitions to give them a sense of standpoint as to how good they had the idea. After all they received some sort of guaranteed salary in our power and the others were most on pure commission. Whoa, did that provide a wake up call up and a very sweet end result!

My piece de weight and, perhaps controversial, ended up being taking them to a completely nude beach with a wonderful local history near the most significant university grounds in all involving Canada. In retrospect, I used to be probably the only one who got it all off ( there are 20 or so of us) as I was quite unabashed that way. I was actually a single conducting the meeting. A valuable thing I was in shape. Regardless of the desire of each of our team, that they returned back to the office which has a lot of energy and now recognized to never know what to expect when camping at the helm and that maintained things interesting to say the least.

Finally, different types of businesses may require a new scope in approach though the one common denominator is we are all human regardless of the mother nature of our daily grind along with our personalities. Keep issues fresh and provocative along with odds are you will see less turnstile swinging in your personnel supplement and a turbo boost throughout production not to mention an overrall higher morale.