Develop People and Profits Will Follow.

Develop People and Profits Will Follow.

I feel like getting on my "soap box" today with a rant.

I frequently emphasize the importance of sales culture. There's no denying that we are all in sales, and our every action influences our business. This is indisputable. This brings me to a crucial point: how to ensure that your culture is profitable:

Develop business by developing people.

What's worse: having open positions and high turnover or retaining employees by investing in them?

Why? People are the X-factor, and mindset is the secret sauce. Invest in people, and more sales, better sales, and more profitable sales will follow. That is how we go from status quo to status grow. ( new book spoiler alert) A mindset that says, "I matter" equals profits.

Feeling connected drives quality interactions with colleagues and customers, which leads to good outcomes.

What is so similar and seemingly obvious often becomes entangled in budgets, politics, and people searching for shortcuts to increase sales, profit, and growth. There are no shortcuts.

A great example is my extensive work with accounting firms, where I've observed a real challenge: the imbalance between the work being sold and the people doing the work. This situation can cause stress and reluctance to take on the new job, which is quite ironic. Additionally, fewer people are entering the profession, so acquiring, retaining, and exciting staff is crucial. I have seen all sorts of retention strategies. More pay, WFH ( which I am not a fan of and leads to feeling disconnected), and all kinds of "perks" that have a short-term impact. If you make retention about perks, people will look for better perks. And leave.?Developing people elevates your organization beyond short-term engagement strategies with a minimal impact. It makes you competitive at a new level.

Developing people appeal to a higher need to feel connected to the business, to feel purpose, and to see the outcome. All of this leads to the "BIG Seven" drivers of profitability:

  • Increased personal purpose
  • Improved confidence
  • Increased trust
  • Increased motivation
  • Increased productivity ( which can be accomplished WITH your colleagues rather than more ZOOM calls, IMs, and other annoying constant interruptions when I can't just walk to your office to ask you the question.)
  • Increased morale
  • Working with colleagues who get "it" and get you leads to better outcomes.

Retention occurs when individuals feel connected to the business and understand their value in driving successful outcomes. This motivation creates a connection and a profitable culture.

So, here is your choice: you can say, "Well, I know this," and go back to the?status quo, or ask yourself," Does our people's development strategy meet the more significant needs of people?" That's the start of heading to status growth.

Developing people is a priority because it's playing the long game, which pays off.

Shortchanging your people development strategies shortchanges your customers. Think about that.

(Rant over it. Would someone be able to help me step down of my soap box? My knees hurt.)


I passionately challenge conventional wisdom and misconceptions about selling. With over 17 years of experience, I empower individuals and teams to recognize the profound impact of their actions. My keynotes and workshops leave a lasting positive impact, directly contributing to a company's success.

Enroll in my "Everyone's on Sales" course and equip yourself with an assertive and competitive confidence.


Eva González

Organizational Psychology | HR Learning and Development | Training | Coaching

6 个月

This is quite insightful and very necessary. The long game, that is the key. I recently read that our brains are not, by nature, designed to make decisions based on the long term, because for millions of years of human evolution the long term was not really relevant. Seems it′s only our cortex, the newest (and not biggest) part of our brain, that is capable to project the long term consequences and bring them closer to the present in the realistic way that is required for them to actually have any influence over our decision making. What seems so obvious is no small feat for our brain. So, we can all be proud of having made it so far by making wise long term decisions. This is as human as it gets!!

Gerry Lantz

Tell the Brand Story only you can tell--it's your unassailable competitive advantage. STORIES THAT WORK taps the power of story tools to build leading brands and compelling digital content that rev up topline sales.

6 个月

Powerful principle. Satisfied (engaged) employees are immediately more compelling when dealing with clients, suppliers, the whole outside world. I wholeheartedly endorse Todd's p.o.v.: "Shortchanging your people development strategies shortchanges your customers. Think about that."

??People are the X-Factor?? ?? You are so right Todd ! Always a fresh pleasure to reed your aricles ??

Angela Veal

Technical Accounting Advisory Partner | EisnerAmper (Eisner Advisory Group LLC)

6 个月

Hi Todd, I love all of your insightful articles. I felt like you are expressing my views every time I read them. Please continue in sharing your thought leadership in this area!

Geoffrey Klein

AI Speaker and Consultant ?? | Best-selling author ?? | AI Certification from MIT ? | Educator ??? | Content Marketer ?? | connecting brands ?? with AI and their audience | ?? awesome animation and video ???

6 个月

Thanks, Todd Cohen, CSP - Keynote Speaker and Motivator. for sharing your "rant" on the importance of "Develop business by developing people." It seems so obvious. Investing in developing your people not only makes them feel valued and hence more likely to stay and be engaged, but investing in people means you have better people! I'm a fan of a conversation often cited between a CFO and a CEO: The CFO says: “What if we invest in our people and they leave?” The CEO then replies: “What if we don’t invest in our people and they stay?” It's both smart and good to invest in your people. It builds that culture of feeling like you belong and you are valued - and that will get the best our of your people - and hence your ability to serve your customers.

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