Blog

Leaders come in all shapes and sizes. Years ago I was introduced to the Enneagram, a personality-based tool, that helped me see that anyone can be an effective leader as long as the leader is committed to practicing the skills of self observation and self awareness...

"We can claim the future we desire and act from it now. To do this takes the discipline of choosing where to focus our attention. If our brains, as neuroscience now suggests, take whatever we focus on as an invitation to make it happen, then the images and visions we...

I’ve been thinking about what it takes to be a truly great sales manager and about the handful I’ve known over the years. The problem is – it’s just a handful. So how does that happen? Maybe a sales manager was once a phenom of a sales rep. Maybe someone is trying to...

Clients ask us questions about how we met, why we started Transform, Inc., and, of course, what we do. These questions really got us both thinking, and so on a plane ride home from North Carolina, after working with a client, we interviewed each other asking the...

David Zweig, author of Invisibles: The Power of Anonymous Work in an Age of Relentless Self-Promotion, is asked to define Invisibles in a recent interview. He responds saying, "Invisibles are people who feel ambivalent about gaining widespread recognition for the work...

The next time you get ready to have a conversation with someone, consider these facts: 85% of what we have learned is through listening (not talking or reading).(Shorpe) 75% of the time, we are distracted, preoccupied or forgetful. (Hunsaker) After listening to...

Sales is a serious business: there are numbers to hit this month, this quarter, and this year. Before the calendar page is even turned, last month, last quarter, and last year are merely a blur, and it’s time to do it all over again, this time with an increased sales...

This short Seth Godin piece reminds us that trusting in our team members is not just a good idea but just may be a way increase efficiency, create confident employees, and delight your customers. "How much do you trust your people to do the right thing? Consider...

Have you ever felt like you speak and no one is listening? This 9-minute TED Talk is packed full of suggestions on how to speak and be heard.  Learn the 7 Deadly Sins of Speaking, the 4 Cornerstones of Powerful Speaking, the 6 Voice Tools to be Noticed and 6 Vocal...

"He's like a father to me." After many years of working with employees and talking to hundreds, if not thousands of them, this statement is one that I struggle with. On the one hand, a manager or owner who cares for his employees like a father is to be admired but on...

If you knew what you were doing to hurt your credibility, you'd certainly work to change, wouldn't you? Often times it is not "what" we are doing but "why" we do it that makes change more compelling.  The five ways discussed in an article written by Jenna Goudreau...

"I started a business because I loved the “craft” – but running a business was not my strength. I started working with Transform in 1995. They helped me to establish sales processes, improve communications company-wide and prioritize the many things a business owner...

CFO to CEO: "What happens if we invest in developing our people and then they leave us?" CEO: "What happens if we don't, and they stay?" Who hasn't thought what this CFO asks? Investing in your people costs money and when they leave, it feels like that investment was...

"I was looking for some general employee development topics and an industry peer recommended Transform for their work within the Enneagram. Our work evolved into sales process development and sales training. Mary Anne's involvement with our sales team was really quite...

I just saw an article written on the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Digital Entrepreneurs. It made me wonder, “why 7”? I’ve seen so many popular books written on 7 Habits, 7 Clues, 7 Ways, etc. So I looked it up and here’s what I found out. Aside from the Top Ten Lists,...

"Theresa and Mary Anne have assisted our family owned business for nearly two decades. Originally in helping our 20-year family business establish strategic objectives, a vision statement and a structure – which they helped to implement. We still largely operate with...

"Meaning is the felt sense you experience when pursuing your purpose." R. Johnson, Ph.D. I was recently asked the difference between purpose and meaning and this quote seemed to capture the essence of the difference. Purpose is unique to each of us. Our gifts,...

"I have been working with Mary Anne for the past 20 years. I was in my first sales position with no experience at all when I met her. Mary Anne is extremely effective in helping you to become self aware, which is important in sales. I continue to work with her and...

Splash Everyday! OK “Come on.” “You can do it. “Keep Going.” “We’re with you every step of the way.” Transform….  “We’ve got your back.” Enjoy this very short video, Find the Yes! Have a great week!

Recently I did a search for a list of values list and found one list that had 377 values listed and another with 440. Now you are probably wondering why that matters?  I was getting ready for a training session where team members were coming together to define their...

Thanks goes out to Jason Fabio, CEO at Ispiri, a design-build firm in Minneapolis, MN for sending us this testimonial about our work with him and his Team. "Working with Mary Anne and Theresa has been such a pleasure and rewarding experience.  They have coached,...

How much information do your prospects need to make a decision? Well, that's a great question and one you should be asking them.  You could overwhelm them with data and information that they don't care about and see where that gets you, but I'd recommend a different...

Three brick masons were working side by side when a passerby stopped to admire their handiwork. “What are you doing?” inquired the onlooker. “Laying bricks,” replied the first mason.  “What does it look like?” Not taken aback, the curious one asked the second mason,...

1.5 Million people have shared this video on Facebook. Aside from starting off your Monday with a smile, what would you do if you saw yourself like this? What do you need to reclaim in yourself this week? Watch the video and then tell us on our Facebook page.  Hands...

The value of a great story can’t be overestimated in Sales.  People enjoy a good story that is interesting, engaging and most important, memorable. What I’ve noticed though is what most people love is their own story and they love telling it to anyone who will listen....

So what is REAL Customer loyalty? In our world, customer loyalty is "the result of an organization creating REAL value for a customer so that they will not only want to keep working with you but they tell everyone they know that they should be working with you." True...

*If you haven't a clue what the Enneagram is or what Type you are, don't worry. Read through the nine statements and pick the one that most fits for you this week. Type 1... Relax today. See how many times you can accept yourself and others.  When self- or other...

A sales team or sales person isn't hitting their numbers ... what do you do? Often the first response is to sit down with salespeople and assess their behavior, convince them to work harder and just close more deals and then get a commitment from them that they will....

I saw this five-minute video at a training seminar a few weeks ago and it has etched in my psyche a new rally cry for when I start to doubt myself or feel the little voice in me saying "you don't need to finish that" or "you can exercise tomorrow." The coach says "I...