Last year Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer created an uproar when she cancelled Yahoo’s work-at-home policy, issuing a memo that all telecommuting employees must return to work. On the heels of that change in policy, Best Buy followed suit with a similar change in policy. It seems that the prognostication of only a few years ago—that telecommuting would become more of a norm than an exception—is being seriously challenged.

It’s certainly not a problem of technology—the technology is there, affordable and relatively easy to deploy. The pages of Wired continue to be filled with the many possibilities and opportunities. Many tasks can be performed from home, from Starbucks, from a diner or even the park. Meetings can easily be held and conversations can be engaged in throughout the world, complete with accompanying graphics and video.

Why, then, do we seem to be moving in the opposite direction? I believe it’s like any other scenario in life and business: once you actually arrive in a new paradigm and scope out the landscape adjustments will always have to be made, and procedures will have to be established and tweaked to achieve the successful potential envisioned. Read more →

My position that salespeople are the “entrepreneurs within the enterprise” has been a thread through much of my writing. I have stressed how much we should value them, for no company can exist without them; a company lives and dies by the production of its sales force.

But should we simply issue orders to our salespeople and send them on their way? They have a tough job which relatively few can do. As a leader it is far more valuable to also act as a role model and lead by example. Read more →

There are many things said about salespeople. Some consider them annoying prima donnas who must be “catered to.” Others see them as out of control mavericks who must be contained. Yet others consider that they can’t be trusted and must be closely monitored. Interestingly, though, even such detractors of salespeople see them as unique and extraordinary people who do a job that most other people can’t.

There is one truth that is universally accepted, begrudgingly or otherwise: no company can do without salespeople. Their success equals the company’s success. Forward-thinking companies are finally realizing just how valuable their salespeople are—that they are actually “entrepreneurs within the enterprise.” When given space, fully supported and empowered, they meet and exceed quotas, and are essential and consistently valuable contributors to a company’s bottom line. View your salespeople as entrepreneurs: Read more →