In the opening scene of Glenngarry Glen Ross, the 1992 film based on David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize winning play, Alec Baldwin's character is brought in to motivate Mitch & Murray's underperforming sales team played by: Al Pacino, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, and Jack Lemmon. After introducing "a little something new to this month's sales contest...third prize: you're fired," Baldwin gets in the face of Shelly "The Machine" Levine, (Jack Lemmon), and whispers:

"And your name is I Am Wanting. You can't play in a man's game. You can't close them and go home and tell your wife your troubles."

Which frames the question of this article: Is sales a man's game? After all, everyone selling real estate for Mitch & Murray, in the fictional Glenngarry Glen Ross, is a man.

By Harry Koolen, Managing Partner
PfP Consulting

What can we learn from Woody Allen about trust, now that we are one year removed from the worst of the financial crisis? Quite a lot, as it turns out. Surveys published in the McKinsey Quarterly and the Journal of Service Research (JSR) suggest that, while private bankers and retail financial advisors should pay particular attention, all salespeople can learn important lessons here. When Woody Allen observed that "ninety percent of success is showing up," he unknowingly provided a surprising insight into one of the foundations of trust in client-advisor relationships, especially in times of high anxiety such as we have experienced over the past year.

What is it that motivates people to perform at the highest levels? Is it the promise of extrinsic rewards like bonuses or salary increases? While every organization offers monetary extrinsic rewards, the research (Kohn, 1993 & Rackham, 1991) shows they are only part of the performance formula.

Indeed, when it comes to working smarter, offering a carrot at the end of a stick has no impact. This is when the often neglected intrinsic rewards are required to fuel engagement and motivate team members to do their best work.

While intrinsic rewards cost little in terms of dollars or euros, they require an investment in understanding what makes each team member tick. Our Adaptable Leader program, successfully conducted for hundreds of leaders around the globe (from State College to San Francisco, Brussels, Amsterdam, Luxembourg and now Lithuania), provides easy to understand insights on how to provide the unique intrinsic rewards that will drive performance to the highest level.

The foundation of Adaptable Leadership is the seventeen page Leadership Report based on two assessments: the MBTI and FIRO. You can view a FREE sample Leadership Report by visiting www.skillsone.com. Click on Sample Reports and Scroll down to FIRO - B. Choose Leadership Report Based on MBTI & FIRO.

Even better, you may qualify for your own COMPLIMENTARY Leadership Report based on your own MBTI and FIRO results. This offer includes a free interpretation and demonstration of how Adaptable Leadership can directly influence your organization's bottom line. Please contact me directly at aj@tildensst.com or country code USA, 814.861.5100.