Keith Rzucidlo, Vice President of Sales at Miller Electric, joins the Sales Leadership Awakening podcast to discuss turning vision into actions in sales leadership. Keith shares the importance of patience and reflection in driving behavior change and advises Sales Leaders on coaching and change management.

“I think framing it up in a manner that would resonate with them was the critical piece.” – Keith Rzucidlo on implementing change and effective coaching across existing sales leaders. 

Key Takeaways:

• Testing the execution of a vision is crucial to understand what is working and what needs to be adjusted.
• Involving frontline managers in the decision-making process increases buy-in and accountability.
• Patience is essential for sales leaders, as behavior changes and shifts in an organization take time.
• Providing tools and resources for coaching and investing in sales leaders’ development is crucial to success.

The interactive podbook below contains videos, audio, articles, summaries, transcripts, and YouTube shorts from this podcast episode.

Full Episode Article:

Title: “Turning Vision into Action”

Byline: By sales leadership and coaching experts Colleen Stanley and Steven Rosen with their guest speaker Keith Rzucidlo, Vice President of Sales at Miller Electric

Introduction

Welcome to the Sales Leadership Awakening Podcast, where we discuss closing the knowing-doing gap by turning vision into action. This episode explores how the Vice President of Sales at Miller Electric, Keith Rzucidlo, finds innovative ways to overcome this challenge. Keith shared his insights and experiences on how to navigate this journey successfully. 

The Awakening Moment

Keith’s journey as a sales leader has been filled with awakening moments, but one that stands out is the realization that it was time to test the vision his organization had been building. He recognized the need to measure and evaluate the execution of their strategies to understand what was working and what needed adjustment. Keith explains, “We’ve been building for a long time. It is time that we test the vision, or else how do we understand what’s working, what’s not, or do we need to pivot?”

Getting Buy-In from Sales Leaders

One of Keith’s biggest challenges was getting buy-in from his sales leaders. With a highly successful salesforce, convincing them that changes were necessary was difficult. Keith tackled this challenge by bringing data and highlighting the changing market trends. He emphasized the need for the organization to provide more value to customers and positioned the changes as a way to overcome potential losses. Keith shares, “We focused on the risk of staying the status quo versus growth… People tend to value the business they have versus the business they don’t have.”

Change Management and Coaching

Change management is a crucial aspect of sales leadership, and Keith recognized the importance of equipping his sales leaders with the tools and skills to drive change effectively. 

He emphasized the need for patience and curiosity: “Patience and the curiosity to understand where the noise is coming from and keep asking why so that you can get a picture.” Keith also highlighted the significance of coaching and its role in driving performance. 

He prioritized creating a system that allows time for coaching and provides resources to support the coaching process. Keith explains, “We’ve added regions… to allow that coaching to happen, for them to spend time with their frontline sellers.”

Tenacity and Reflection

Throughout the discussion, Keith’s tenacity and commitment to reflection were evident. He emphasized the need for leaders to be patient and persistent in driving change. 

Keith advises, “Behavior change, big shifts in an organization, doesn’t happen overnight… You have to be honest with your team… when things don’t go right or as planned.” 

He also highlighted the importance of reflection and thorough research before making major changes. 

Keith shares, “Do your homework… find people that fit your culture… spend the time on the front.”

Implications and Potential Impact

The insights shared by Keith have significant implications for sales leaders. By focusing on data-driven decision-making and highlighting the potential risks of maintaining the status quo, leaders can effectively communicate the need for change and gain buy-in from their teams. The emphasis on coaching and providing resources for sales leaders to dedicate time to coaching can lead to improved performance and growth. The importance of patience, tenacity, and reflection cannot be overstated. These qualities are essential for navigating change management challenges and driving long-term success.

Conclusion

Bridging the knowing and doing gap is a complex and ongoing process for sales leaders. Keith Rzucidlo’s insights shed light on the key themes and strategies to help leaders navigate this journey successfully. By focusing on buy-in, change management, coaching, and reflection, sales leaders can create a culture of continuous improvement and drive their organizations toward their vision. As the sales landscape continues to evolve, leaders must adapt, learn, and embrace change to stay ahead of the curve. With the right mindset and strategies, sales leaders can bridge the knowing and doing gap and achieve remarkable results.

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