Mar 28 2008
How I Developed My ASP Formula
I first began to recognise the need to be able to benchmark sales performance more objectively and more rigorously over twenty five years ago.
The motivation to do this was strong because I knew I was wasting thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of pounds on sales skills training programmes, which were not providing me with a proper return on my considerable investment. But I needed to prove my theory because without an accurate analysis of my requirements, I would continue to abdicate that responsibility to the training providers, most of whom had only their own interests at heart.
So with this quote from Drucker, “The most effective way to manage change is to create it” firmly in my mind, I set about my task, a task that became a journey, which began in 1981 and is still ongoing.
By taking an analytical approach, I arrived at the following equation:
Attitude + Skills + Process + Knowledge = Success.
My initial reasoning was this: Attitude is fundamental to any achievement because individuals with the right Attitude are far more likely to embrace the essential Skills, recognise the control that Process brings and have the desire to continually expand their Knowledge.
Skills are the ‘tools of the trade’ and have to be developed on an ongoing basis. They also need to be specific, because too much time can be wasted over-burdening employees with inappropriate and irrelevant skills without any identifiable plan for their future requirements.
Process brings organisation, efficiency and control, both for the individual and for management. Effective process provides objective analysis and indicators which can be benchmarked and accurately measured.
Then, there is of course a need to build in Knowledge and that must include knowledge of products, industry, market sectors, competitors, business, own company and last but not least, self!
So, there you have it - it really is as simple as that - Attitude + Skills + Process + Knowledge = Success.
Today’s News: 
I finally made contact with Krishna De this week, something I had been planning to do for quite a while after I noticed that we were “sitting” next to each other on last year’s Blogger 2K project. Krishna is a branding, marketing and leadership expert and a pretty amazing person - amongst other achievements, she was the first female and youngest ever member of the Guinness board. She has an excellent blog which you will find here and I am really looking forward to collaborating with her.
The more observant of you will notice a new JF banner at the foot of this post - it is actually an avatar, designed by my good buddy Jeb Blount of Sales Gravy, and by clicking on it, you will arrive at my weekly Sales Leadership blog - cool stuff, eh?
Tomorrow: I am busy preparing the first JF Journal, my monthly newsletter, packed with informative articles, interviews and business tips - if you haven’t subscribed yet, may I urge you to do so here - you will receive a FREE copy of my “Negotiating To Win” e-book, as a bonus 
Wherever you are, have a great w/e and I will be with you again next week - JF
