Sacred cows are the unquestioned rules, dogmatic systems and ways of working that seem off-limits to change.

The problem is, sacred cows block potential. If you blindly accept a pattern, or worse, feel forbidden to challenge it, then you can’t improve it. You become stuck. And stuck is the antithesis of everything we stand for.

Only by testing the legitimacy of a sacred cow can you create the best solutions. Here’s an example. In our industry, the following statement is accepted fact:

Advertising agencies are creative.

We share a vested interest in maintaining this reality. We don’t even think to question it.

Yet this statement is only partially true. Yes, we are the most innovative group around—when it comes to our clients. However when it comes to our own companies, we’re remarkably unimaginative. Rarely do we stop, look around and reinvent the way we work.

The reality is, certain agency practices are ineffective, obsolete or even unfair. Yet they remain standard policy.

http://www.commarts.com/columns/slaughter-sacred-cows.html

Stand back, and take a big picture look at the way you do business. Challenge each practice to see whether it’s a smart way of doing business, or a sacred cow. Poke it. Test it. Make it uncomfortable. Make it prove itself.

If a practice still seems right after being challenged, then great. Keep going. If you find a cow, get right to the core of the problem. Usually it’s benign neglect, but sometimes it’s complacency, or myopic accounting, or ego, or something equally awkward to bring up.

At that point, start talking about it.

Over dinner.

While eating a bloody rare steak.

“Even if companies haven’t literally lost their employees, many have lost them psychologically,” warns Jon Gordon, speaker, consultant, and author of the new book The Shark and the Goldfish: Positive Ways to Thrive During Waves of Change. “Too many Americans are beaten down, burned out, and completely de-motivated. And if leaders don’t strive to change that—to create a positive culture that energizes people—there will be dire consequences.”

http://rismedia.com/2009-10-14/re-energize-your-burned-out-workforce-9-leadership-strategies-to-boost-morale/

These are uncertain times, and no one can predict what the future will look like. Realistically, even if you devote yourself to helping your employees think their best and be their best, some might still find themselves better suited to positions outside your company. The main thing is emphasize to your team that the world is full of opportunity for those who are willing to stay positive, work hard, and find it. “Ultimately,” promises Gordon, “by filling the voids with positive leadership, positive communication, and positive action, there is one thing you can be certain of—a future in which your organization is stronger, wiser, and better than it is today.”

http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/hbr/hbr-now/2009/07/leaders-listen-to-your-salespeople.html

Salespeople are optimistic by nature–make use of that optimism, and let some of it rub off on management. As you progress in your career, you will find that some of your toughest sales jobs will be internal rather than external.

No one can deny that Phil is a terrific fundraiser. He knows how to get donors to keep giving and has the energy to keep it up, year after year. Phil gets results.

But each time he comes to the end of a campaign, Phil is frustrated with his employees. He often feels as though he’s had to do all the work himself, even though he has a team of “qualified” staff members who are supposed to help.

Why can’t Phil find the right people?

http://www.business-sanity.com/blog/bid/24919/Staff-Motivation-7-Sure-Fire-Ways-to-Turn-Off-Employees

look inside and see if you’re guilty of any of these employee “de-motivators”

http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/search/article/929304/9-ways-harness-special-talents-clever-people/

It’s a delicate balance between giving clever people the freedom they need to experiment and grow, and the necessary discipline that sets them useful boundaries. Only then can their potential be released.

http://www.executivesalesstrategy.com/2009/08/24/commision-baby-steps/

success of this kind of incentive program is predicated on your company’s ability to accurately define the behaviors and activities that lead to a sale

 http://www.marketingsherpa.com/article.php?ident=31377

Although it’s a challenge to feed relevant content to a wide range of channels and audiences, you have an ace up your sleeve: All content can be repackaged, repurposed, and recycled

http://www.eyesonsales.com/content/article/do_sales_incentives_really_motivate_sales_professionals/

Top sales performers are usually very internally motivated, success oriented and outcome focused. If you hire the right kind of salespeople and provide them with a properly designed compensation plan that rewards the correct activities and results, you won’t need to offer a lot of sales incentives and contests to motivate your sales team!

http://richards-review.blogspot.com/2005/09/60-hunter-farmer-and-farmers-wife-there.html

when the fat lady finally sings, the farmers will return to being farmers, the hunters will return to being hunters and the farmer’s wives will get back to making the best milk tart in the province

http://b2bsalesconnections.com/wpblog/2009/08/28/sales-recruiting-in-todays-economy/sales-management-skills

Our current economic climate is causing many companies who were formerly strong to restructure. The result is many very good sales professionals are currently looking for career changes. Now is a great time to act before they find a new position. Remember using standard recruiting techniques will result in hiring standard sales people. Aim Higher!