August 22, 2002

Welcome to the Competitive Edge bi-monthly e-Zine, developed specifically for CEO's, Sales Managers, Human Resource Professionals, Key Executives, Coaches, Career Consultants and others who are in leadership roles and responsible for developing superior performance in themselves and others while transforming their organizations from good to great.

============= IN THIS ISSUE =============

1. What's the Difference between Behavioral and Personality Assessments?

2. What Floats "Sales-Boats"?

3. What Do Sales Managers Really Want?

4. 5 Habits of Highly Successful Salespeople

5. Some "old" facts

6. Just a thought...

7. In the Next Issue

8. We pay for subscribers and referrals

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1. What's the Difference Between Behavioral and Personality Assessments?
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Behavioral assessments describe how an individual reacts under specific circumstances. For example, DISC assessments describe how an individual might respond to problems, people, pace and procedures.

Personality assessments describe who a person really is and indicate his/her basic tendencies.

The accepted five factors for personality assessments are:

- Extraversion (outgoing and group-oriented)
- Independent (competitive and assertive)
- Conscientiousness (organized and structured)
- Stable (poised and relaxed)
- Openness (adaptability).

TotalView is one example of a personality assessment based on the 5-Factors of Comprehensive Personality.

Psychological assessments are designed to identify causes or patterns of inappropriate clinical behaviors. They are, with few exceptions, not legal or appropriate to use for business selection. Both behavioral and personality assessments, when used for selecting and developing job-related behaviors, are legal to use.

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2. What Floats "Sales-Boats"?
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Top account executives from a national technology and networking company identified four personal motivators that drove (or didn't drive) their successful behavior.

Two motivators that hit the right chords:

1. Achievement. - They enjoyed challenges for their own sake and were motivated by overcoming successive challenges. Over 85 percent of the top salespeople identified personal achievement as their personal motivator.

2. Developing Expertise. - They wanted to be recognized as the expert within their field. Again over 85 percent of the top performers were driven to be the expert.

Two motivators that miss the mark:

3. Recognition. - Being in the limelight and receiving pats on the back were not enough to drive these top performers. 100 percent of the top performers identified that recognition was the least likely response to motivate them. So much for ego-building. They already know they're good!

4. Affiliation. - Belonging to a group or helping people was not high on the list for 100 percent of these account executives. They selected affiliation as the next least likely thing to motivate them.

Other personal motivators included money, control, freedom and stability but these gave no clear patterns. Money, as with most studies on the subject, was important but likely only serves as a measuring stick of achievement. What motivates your workforce?

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3. What Do Sales Managers Really Want?
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Sales people who are:

1. Capable of managing TIME and PRIORITIES
2. Accountable for their own ACTIONS
3. Competent in SETTING and ACHIEVING SALES GOALS
4. Committed to SELF-DEVELOPMENT and EXCELLENCE in all they do

Our Insights to Sales - Interactive enables Sales Managers to get the results they want!

To take a look at this interactive training tool, click here.

We sell this tool day-in-and-day-out for $124.95 per employee. But, if you are one of the first 25 to click on the link below you can purchase this $124.95 training tool for 60% off. That's right, 60% off. I'm going to discount the next 25 by $74.97. And, I am not feeding you any B.S. about only having 25 available.

Here's what happened. We just finished developing and implementing a sales training and performance review process for a large multi-national company (you would know the company, if I were at liberty to say) that pre-ordered 275 of these at $124.95 per employee.

Well, they laid-off several of their sales people and wound-up only using 235 of them. I sold another 15 to a company with a small sales group for 50% off. So, I currently have 25 left, that's it, period.

I can only make this available until August 31, 2002.

If you want to take advantage of this very limited opportunity, you will need to click on the link below before August 31, 2002.

Friend, I only have 25 at this price. If you want all 25, just change the quantity from (1) to (25) in the shopping cart.

Click Here for the 60% discount:

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4. 5 Habits of Highly Successful Salespeople
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1) They communicate trustworthiness
2) They take a leadership role
3) They ask smart questions
4) They discover ALL the objectives up-front
5) They convert leads into prospects

I'll give you five more on September 5th.

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5. Some "old" facts
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- In 2000, people age 60 or older in the U.S. accounted for over 16 percent of the population

- In 1900, the average life expectancy of Americans was 47. Today life expectancy is 76.

- While one in eight Americans was 65+ in 1999, this ratio will rise to one in five by 2030.

- Active adults account for 60% of all healthcare spending. They purchase 70% of all prescriptions and 51% of all over the counter drugs.

- Adults 50+ control a household net worth of $19 trillion or 80% of all financial assets in America.

- Of computer users aged 55-60, the number one reason they use a computer is the ability to continue to work.

- Eighty-three percent of centenarians are women. The number of women age 100 or older will double by 2010.

Source: Agelight

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6. Just a thought...
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"Good Leaders make people feel that they're at the very heart of things, not at the periphery. Everyone feels that he or she makes a difference to the success of the organization. When that happens people feel centered and that gives their work meaning."

Warren Bennis University Professor, Presidential Advisor

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7. In the Next Issue
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I have been asked countless times over the last six months if I could do two things:

1) Distribute the Competitive Edge more frequently than once per month.

2) Talk or write more about behaviors, attitudes, values, soft skill competencies, leadership development and the role these play in transforming an organization from good to great.

So... Starting with the next issue, I will be distributing the Competitive Edge twice per month, on the first and third Thursday of every month.

And... We will be taking a more in-depth look at behaviors, attitudes, values, soft skill competencies, leadership development and the road from good to greatness.

The up-coming issues will have something for everyone. Trust me.

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8. WE PAY YOU TO SEND US SUBSCRIBERS
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That's right. We pay $200 per 1,000 subscribers. Better yet, you do NOT need to recruit 1,000 subscribers before being paid. You'll earn a commission for each individual subscriber recruited. Commissions totaling less than $30 will be rolled-over to the following month. To sign-up, click the link below.

http://www.cuttsgroup.com/listpartner.htm

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EARN HUGE REFERRAL COMMISSIONS
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You can earn a 10 - 25 percent commission for referring Allyn for speaking engagements and bulk product sales. Commissions normally start between $850.00 and $1700 depending on your level of involvement. For complete details send an email to: acutts@cuttsgroup.com

The Cutts Group partners with clients who are committed to continuous growth. We provide the organizational development, team building, employee selection, executive coaching, and sales training resources our clients demand for measurable results and return on investment. Satisfaction and investment are always guaranteed, always.

Competitive Edge, (c)January 2002. Cutts Group, llc. A free bi-monthly eZine with a circulation of 18,786.