A Creeping Cancer – “Lack of Business Development Leadership & Accountability”

By Sid Chadwick

INTRODUCTION:

Last weekend’s The Wall Street Journal carried a riveting front page article titled,  “Mississippi Fixed Its Schools, Here’s How Other States Can Too.”

The meat of the article rested on “Accountability, and Courageous Leadership.”

Mississippi’s Accountability rested on – Leadership, with clear objectives, grounded in frequent testing of student results – from all lower grade students – focused on their historically dismal Reading & Math literacy….!

If students didn’t perform up to stated goals, which were national, students were held-back for a year, with required parent discussions, and involvement, until performance improved – up to standards.

The Teachers’ Unions fought the new Standards, to no avail, to the credit of the State’s Leadership, and their state-wide organizational support.

Results have stunned public educators and Teachers’ Unions, nation-wide, and Mississippi’s stunning student Reading & Math literacy improvements – speak volumes. (Please click the Link at the bottom for the WSJ article.)

SUMMARY:

Why this Introduction….?

I have seldom seen a Print company close for lack of skilled workers. (Note: Our great industry’s employment numbers stay eerily similar, year after year, while the number of companies – continues to decrease.)

They close for lack of customer contact preference, and “lack of reasons to buy” (Reps and CSR’s and Estimators not making each Buyers’ time – worthwhile, and offering little more than a lower price…!).

Given that everyone in your organization, much like the citizens of Mississippi, have “skin in the game” for improvements in revenues from customers (vs. Math & Reading literacy of future employees) – where they are needed most, “How would your employees vote for, ‘Constantly Improved Sales Training & Accountability’ – in your Business Development Team, which starts with a commitment to the best Training available, and accountability – from Leadership – at the Top…!”

Print Buyers of all stripes seldom pay the lowest price quoted. And top-performing companies KNOW who their most profitable customers are.

If those most profitable customers could buy cheaper, why don’t they?

Please click here to read the Wall Street Journal article, Mississippi Fixed Its Schools. Here’s How Other States Can Too.

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This article was curated for American Printer eMag, published bi-weekly. To subscribe >>>