Top 10 Ways to Inspire Others (and succeed in the business of sports)

Top 10 Ways to Inspire Others (and succeed in the business of sports)
by Frank Miceli – November 2013

Growing up in south Philly

Growing up in Philadelphia a block away from the sports complex I always dreamed of someday working for the Philadelphia Flyers.

As a 16-year old I was inspired by the story of Ed Snider after reading a magazine article about him and his business philosophy.  I just knew working for the Flyers was my destiny. But after writing 44 letters of application and along the way completing my college degree at the University of Scranton, I was still no closer to my dream job. Their 44 kind letters of rejection made it clear I needed to prove myself and bring something more to the table than a college degree

Gaining some success in retail advertising at Gimbels Wannamaker’s, and Strawbridge & Clothier along with a chance meeting working late one night turned into the opportunity of a lifetime. What seemed like a normal Wednesday night preparing Sunday’s ad copy turned into meeting Milt Beaver, a senior executive who later opened the door to my dream job and incredible 18-year career with Comcast-Spectacor.  I was excited every day of work then and every day I go to work now as Senior Vice-President for  Spurs Sports & Entertainment in San Antonio, Texas. I am so very proud to have my name next to the Iconic Spurs logo on my business card and I never take that blessing for granted.

Secret to Success

My secret to success is there are no secrets. As Colin Powell said, “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.”

The recipe to success is the same for me as it is for you. I love the word-picture of “Pound the Rock” by the Danish American social reformer Jacob Riis:

“When nothing seems to help, I go look at a stone cutter hammering away at a rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing. Yet, at the hundred and first blow, it will split in two, and I will know that it was not that blow that did it but all that had come before.”

What I’ve learned since moving from that street row house in south Philly to one day working for one of the best franchises in pro sports is this: Everything you need to succeed is under your control. All you need to do is inspire others.

What does it take to inspire others?

Here’s my Top 10 list of ways you can inspire others. All of these are completely up to you. Do them and you’ll succeed. As Steve Mariboli says, ““When you are living the best version of yourself, you inspire others to live the best versions of themselves.”

  1. Be passionate.
    • Really.
  2. Have a positive attitude regardless of road blocks.
  3. Make others great around you.
    • Think Tim Duncan.
  4. Be loyal.
    • Loyalty to others builds your brand reputation.
  5. Work hard.
    • “Most people have the will to succeed, but few have the will to prepare to succeed.” ~Bobby Knight
  6. Embrace change.
    • Change is opportunity dressed like a problem.
  7.  Speak up. Be heard.
    • “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” ~Bobby Kennedy
  8. Never stop learning.
    • Like Walt Disney, practice an Hour of Power: 20 minutes learning something new; 20 minutes of meditation, and 20 minutes making someone smile.
  9. Give back.
    • “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.” ~ Zig Ziglar
  10. Have fun.
    • At least once a day!

 

The Six Choices of New Leaders

The Six Choices of New Leaders
by Lynn Wittenburg – September 2013

People just starting to climb the ladder in this business often ask: How do I become a leader? I do not have ALL the answers, but here are six tips that will help.

1. Learn to follow

Say what? I asked you to tell me how to be a leader and you say to learn to follow? Yep, that’s right. You can’t lead until you know how to follow. And the best leaders are constantly following. Trust me, you don’t have all the answers. And solutions can come from anywhere in the ranks or from outside sources such as books, mentors, etc.

He who has never learned to obey can not be a good commander – Aristotle

There are 3 essentials to leadership: humility, clarity & courage – Fuchan Yuan

2. Be a part of the solution (not the problem)

Trust me, there will be plenty of your co-workers complaining about all the problems with whatever organization you happen to work for.  An easy way to set yourself apart is to think of solutions rather than join in the bickering.  First, your superiors will notice, but more importantly, it’s just a better way to live life. Don’t get caught up in the negativity. Have a vision & problem solve.

Where there is no vision, the people perish – Proverbs 29:18

3. Lead by example

People do not want to be told what to do. They want to be shown. It’s OK to get in the trenches.

Not the cry, but the flight of a wild duck, leads the flock to fly and follow – Chinese Proverb

4. Surround yourself with the best

Don’t micromanage. It’s OK to hire people smarter than you. For me to be the best, I want to hire the best. There will be many things my people can do better than I can and that’s great. Give people rope. There are other solutions than just the one in your head.

The best executive is the one who has enough sense to pick good men to do what he wants, and the self restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it – Theodore Roosevelt

Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity – General George Patton

5. Stand up for what matters

Pick your battles. This is probably the hardest thing to learn. When I was younger, I battled for everything. I thought it had to be my way or it would be wrong. The key to leadership is fighting for the important stuff, not every stuff.

In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock – Thomas Jefferson

6. Believe in your vision & act

One of my favorite sayings from Mark Twain is “No one told them it was impossible, so they did it.”

There are so many naysayers in our world and everyday life. People will tell you your plan can’t get done. They will point out all the reasons why you will fail. And this is where you can set yourself apart as a leader. Believe in your plan. But, most importantly, ACT on it.  And allow others to act. As a leader, I truly believe half of my job is to just say YES.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has – Margaret Mead


Picture courtesy of ExpoundInteractive.

 

Bill Boyce NBA D-League Executive of the Year

Bill Boyce NBA D-League Executive of the Year

Bill Boyce has been a great friend and leader in the Baylor S3 community since the launch of the the Dallas Mavericks D-league team in Frisco. The Baylor S3 program selected Bill as one of our Chevrolet S3 Outstanding Board Members in 2012. We’re excited for him and certainly agree the League made an excellent selection!  

Below is the press release from the NBA.


TEXAS LEGENDS PRESIDENT BILL BOYCE NAMED

2013 NBA DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE TEAM EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR

 

NEW YORK, June 12, 2013 – Texas Legends President Bill Boyce was today named the 2013 NBA Development League Team Executive of the Year, it was announced by NBA D-League President Dan Reed.  The NBA Development League Team Executive of the Year is determined by peer voting and teams are not allowed to vote for themselves.

“On behalf of the NBA D-League, I’m pleased to honor Bill Boyce with the Team Executive of the Year Award in recognition of the Legends’ impressive season in Frisco,” said Reed.  “Bill’s energetic and creative leadership in all areas of the business – ranging from innovative marketing partnerships, outstanding in-game entertainment, and deep community outreach in the Frisco area – has helped shaped the organization into one of the best in the league.”

Under Boyce’s leadership, the Legends entered into an historic marketing partnership with the state of Veracruz, Mexico, that was highlighted by “Veracruz Incomparable” being prominently featured on the front of the Legends jersey. The new multi-year agreement makes the historic state of Veracruz the first non-team city to have its name and slogan prominently featured on the jersey of a professional sports team. As presenting partner of the Legends, the team’s home arena is now called the “Veracruz Court at Dr Pepper Arena” with the Veracruz logo displayed on center court.  Additionally, Veracruz receives significant in-arena signage and television exposure throughout the Legends’ market through the team’s family of local television networks.

Boyce also was recognized for the team’s strong community presence, including its extensive local TV rights deals, which ensure that all Legends games are broadcast locally through a state-of-the-art, mobile production trailer. In addition, he also helped create innovative theme jersey nights to benefit local charities and entertaining game presentations, which have set new standards for the NBA D-League.

“It is a great honor to be named NBA Development League Executive of the Year,” said Boyce. “This award doesn’t represent one individual but the entire Legends family, including our players, coaches, business team, and, of course, our dedicated owners – Donnie Nelson, Evan Wyly, Sonny Xiao, and Eduardo Najera.”

Previous winners of the award are David Higdon (Bakersfield, 2012), Bert Garcia (Rio Grande Valley Vipers, 2011) and Jon Jennings (Maine Red Claws, 2010).

 

NBA Development League

The NBA Development League is the NBA’s official minor league, preparing players, coaches, officials, trainers, and front-office staff for the NBA while acting as the league’s research and development laboratory. Featuring 17 teams with direct affiliations to NBA franchises, the league offers professional basketball at an affordable price in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. Thirty percent of players in the NBA at the end of the 2012-13 season boasted NBA D-League experience. In fostering the league’s connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote health and wellness, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA D-League Cares programs. Fans can watch all NBA D-League games on nbadleague.com

# # #

Practice? We talkin’ about practice?

Practice? We talkin’ about practice?
by Bob Hamer – March 2013

We talkin’ about practice, man.” ~Allen Iverson, May 7, 2002,


Allen Iverson, 37, was out of the NBA before the time he reached 34. Kobe Bryant (34) spends his off-season making 2000 shots a day. With a rebounder and one ball Kobe can make 500 shots an hour.1

Former NFL Coach Jon Gruden said it best, “You never stay the same. You either get better or you get worse.”

The greatest athletes in the world spend hours in practice, working on perfecting their craft. Whether the driving range, the baseball diamond, the field or the gym, one thing is for sure: If you want to be the best, you have to put in the practice time to get there. If you aren’t getting better, you’re getting worse. Why should it be different for those of us in sales?

Training

Every sport has a specific skill set required to play. There may be different styles and techniques, but there are specific skills required. In basketball there’s shooting. There may be 150 different ways to shoot a basketball, but no one can dispute that shooting is a skill required to play the game. Someone first needs to show you HOW to shoot. We call that training: Where to place your hands, how to set your feet, when and where to release the ball. After someone shows you how to do it, you practice on your own until you learn how to make shots. The more practice, the better the results.

Different styles are used in sales, but just like shooting a basketball, some skills all salespeople must have in order to play the game. These include:

  • Getting a prospect meeting,
  • Customizing a pitch to meet needs,
  • Presenting the proposal,
  • Asking for the sale, and
  • Getting a referral

Think of yourself as a sales athlete. Where do you need practice? How can you get better?

Barriers to Improvement

What’s ironic is we work in sports, so close to all of these athletes, and we watch them practice day after day. Yet some sales athletes don’t practice their own skills. Why?

Five barriers prevent us from practicing our skills, getting better, and achieving greater results.

1)      Entitlement – Because we’re out of the “training department” we think it’s OK to stop (we feel we’re above that).

2)      Complacency – We achieve some success early, get comfortable, and don’t see the need.

3)      Perception – Fear of our bosses or peers seeing us struggle and thinking differently about us.

4)      Self-UNawareness – We aren’t aware of skills holding us back and don’t know what to practice.

5)      Pleasure v. Pain – Practice isn’t always fun and we prefer activities such as contests or real calls.

Breaking down the wall

How do you break down these barriers?

1)      Attitude – It’s starts with you making a commitment to practicing your skills. Be intentional. When will you start?

2)      Have fun – Find other people who like to practice and make fun games out of it. Role Play “Fight club” for prizes.

3)      Be Vulnerable – Leave the title and sales numbers at the door. Be humble enough to admit you aren’t perfect and have room to grow.

4)      Stay Hungry – Don’t think you’ve “arrived.”Keep extending goals so you push to be the best.

5)      Get a coach/mentor – It’s tough to evaluate yourself in the game. Find someone you trust and ask them to help. Observation is the best way to identify gaps and create future practice material.

If Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan stopped practicing after their first championship, got comfortable with success and rested on laurels, we wouldn’t talk about them as two of the greatest athletes of all time. Make a commitment to practicing. If you do, years in the future we will be talking about you as one of the stars in the business of sports.

 

 

 

The Daniel Sport & Entertainment Leadership Summit

The Daniel Sport & Entertainment Leadership Summit
by Kirk Wakefield – March 2013

First Ever

Managers and executives from professional sports met for the inaugural Daniel Sport & Entertainment Leadership Summit the third weekend in February in San Diego. We plan to host this event each year to encourage each other to be leaders in our homes, at work, and in our spheres of influence.[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”300px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ][slideshow_deploy id=’1443′][/dropshadowbox]

The summit is named after the Biblical character Daniel, who set himself apart from others in the culture by pursuing excellence, being a disciplined man of character, and being confident that God was with him daily. Ultimately Daniel used the “stage” given to him to have influence on his culture.

The idea for the summit sprung from a discussion among a group of executives led by Jeremy Walls and Jason Howard. ” We all had the same vision of encouraging each other in balancing personal and professional lives,” explained Walls. 

The summit included attendees from teams/leagues (New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, Houston Astros, Arizona Diamondbacks, Sacramento Rivercats, NBA, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns) and companies (Sports Sales Consulting, Fan Interactive, Exact Target), as well as faculty from supporting universities (Baylor, Mount Union, and Point Loma). Spouses present participated in a joint Saturday afternoon conference session.

The sessions were led by Mark Foreman, senior pastor at North Coast Calvary Chapel (“Transformed people. Transforming our world.”) and Ryan Pfeiffer, Director, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (San Diego). Some might recognize Mark Foreman as the father of Jon and Tim Foreman, leaders of the band Switchfoot

Top 10 Takeaways

The week after we asked the executives what stayed top-of-mind. We’ve boiled it down to the Top 10 Takeaways.

[dropshadowbox align=”center” effect=”lifted-both” width=”550px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Top 10 Takeaways from the Daniel Conference

  1. Success in my personal life can actually make me better in your professional life. I have always thought of that in reverse and realize how wrong I have been.
  2. Change my thinking from ” I will invest into my career so I can provide for my family,” to “I will invest time and energy into my family and God will continue to bless my career.”
  3. Understand what Bob Briner means in his book, Roaring Lambs: Christians can and ought to be the movers and shakers of positive social change — ‘”roaring lambs.'”
  4. Proactively pursue carving out time with family and then apply this to those I lead, making sure they take time to disconnect from work. This may be one of the greatest witnesses of care and compassion to members of my team.
  5. There’s no plan B. God doesn’t have a special ops force he’s sending in. We’re it. We need to lead.
  6. Sabbath: God took a day to rest and reflect, we should too! If the King of the World can take a day off…so can I. I was very convicted regarding how important I think I am sometimes.
  7. The example of Daniel is “excellence in our personal lives bubbles up and carries over into professional lives.”
  8. Like Daniel, God has put you on a stage to change culture and influence lives, even years after you are gone.
  9. Believers should be more “invasive” into the world and less “retreating.” The church is the “locker room” where we prepare; “the game” is the day-to-day living out of our faith.
  10. Realize “you are” the salt and the light of the earth. We should be “shoveling the salt out as fast as we can!”[/dropshadowbox]

Join Us

Are you interested in becoming a better/more intentional father, husband, and executive? Invitations for next year’s summit are open to managers, directors, and executives in professional sports and executives in agencies and companies serving professional sports.  We will announce next year’s Daniel Sports & Entertainment Leadership Summit in the S3 Report and also post in the S3 Report LinkedIn group. If you want to make certain you receive a personal invitation, click here to sign-up!

 

S3 Board Member Spotlight: Kelly Cheeseman, AEG Worldwide

S3 Board Member Spotlight: Kelly Cheeseman, AEG Worldwide
by Jerry Ruiz – February 2013

Congratulations to S3 Board Members in their new positions:  Kelly Cheeseman, Chief Operating Officer of AEG Worldwide, and Chris McGowan, President of the Portland Trailblazers.

Chris McGowan
Chris McGowan
Kelly Cheeseman
Kelly Cheeseman

This is a story about the value of good mentors.

Kelly Cheeseman started his career as the Manager of Marketing at Rancho Cucamonga Quakes before coming to the LA Kings/AEG in 2001 as an Account Executive in ticket sales. In short order, Kelly advanced to Senior Sales Executive and then to the Manager of Ticket Sales. By 2005, Kelly was the Director of Sales & Service. Three years later, he was promoted to Vice President, Sales & Service, followed by a move up to Senior Vice President in 2012. When Chris McGowan left the COO position at AEG Worldwide to become the President & CEO of the Portland Trailblazers, Kelly was, as always, prepared to step in.

“Kelly has the best work ethic of any sports executive I have ever seen,” said Chris McGowan. From his experience, beginning in 1996 at AEG, McGowan sees the COO position at AEG as a true privilege. Having worked alongside Cheeseman for over a decade, Chris said what’s obvious to everyone is that, “Kelly is extremely passionate about the sports industry and dedicates a lot of time and energy into learning every aspect of the business.” Kelly would say he’s been helped by seeing it modeled by his mentor, Chris McGowan.

Giving back

In turn, Kelly has always taken the time to mentor others. Two graduates of  the inaugural Baylor S3 class in 2006, Todd Pollock and Brett Christenson, began in ticket sales at the LA Kings/AEG. Cheeseman took the two under his wings and helped them get off to a good start within the industry.

Todd Pollock in London
Todd Pollock

“Kelly has been a great mentor. Aside from his knowledge and business-savvy mentality, he has always been a great leader with his staff, whom he cares about greatly. His willingness to develop skill sets and train his staff makes him one of the best executives in the sports world today,” said Pollock, currently General Manager of Sales & Service at Temple University.

Under Cheeseman’s mentorship, Pollock moved from inside sales to account executive to Manager of Sales & Service for the LA Kings in less than two years, before becoming Manager, Ticketing & Suites, at the San Francisco 49ers. Cheeseman, like his mentor McGowan, share the qualities of all good mentors.

Christenson landed at FC Dallas in corporate sales, before completing his MBA and moving into corporate business intelligence and database analytics.

[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-bottom-right” width=”250px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Qualities of Good Mentors:

  • genuine concern for your best interest
  • willingness to share what they know to help you get ahead
  • willingness to be available to you when you need help—not just at their convenience
  • ability to identify your needs or deficiencies and to develop strategies for overcoming such obstacles to your success
  • respectfulness, trustworthiness, honesty and supportiveness

Source: Achieve Solutions [/dropshadowbox]

Learned along the way

Looking back at his career, the biggest challenges came during the two NHL work stoppage. Facing such obstacles out of your control, Cheeseman says, “will truly test your ability to maintain good relationships with customers and challenge your mental strength.”

When asked about some of the best career tips he’s ever received, Cheeseman recalled words shared by McGowan that stuck with him:

  • Hard work can never be beat.
  • There are no shortcuts.
  • Always look for ways to be innovative.
  • Don’t get stuck in a rut.

What is Cheeseman’s advice to others wanting to succeed in sales management in this business?

  • Hire a great team properly organized to work together. Focus on the structure.
  • Develop a measurable business plan you can review against key performance indicators.
  • Hire an analytics team to support your staff.

Of course, it always helps to have a positive mindset. “Clients and co-workers really enjoy working with Kelly because he has a great personality,” McGowan added.

Thanks

The students in the Baylor S3 program look forward to continued success stories from those fortunate enough to work with Mr. Cheeseman and Mr. McGowan. Thanks for giving back!

Leading: 10 Stunning Benefits of Failure

Leading: 10 Stunning Benefits of Failure
by Dan Rockwell – February 2013

Success is a lousy teacher

Success teaches repetition. Do more of the same because more of the same produces more of the same.[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”250px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]

Kern Egan, Haymaker
Kern Egan

“So many good things have come out of my failures. Failures test you and build your character in ways that other experiences can’t. In addition, some of the best contacts I have in my network have come from meeting people in the pursuit of projects that ultimately did not work out.”[/dropshadowbox]

In changing times more of the same is deadly.

Success teaches confidence. Without confidence progress stalls, second-guessing prevails, the status quo persists. On the down side, success inflates confidence.

Bill Gates said, “Success is a lousy teacher.
It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.

Danger

Too much confidence spawns failure. The vulnerabilities of over-confidence include:

  1. Failure to explore root causes of success.
  2. Resistance to evaluation.
  3. Feelings of invincibility.
  4. Closed ears.

Opportunity

Failure humbles some and angers others. Humble leaders:

[dropshadowbox align=”center” effect=”curled” width=”550px” height=”” background_color=”#ECF8E0″ border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]

  1. Ask what caused failure. Exploring failure is the most useful result of failure.
  2. Know they don’t know. Not knowing is the first step to knowing.
  3. Adapt. Stubborn resistance to adapting reveals arrogance.
  4. Know limitations. Acknowledge weaknesses to themselves and others.
  5. Transparency marks humble leaders.
  6. Seek advice and welcome feedback from all quarters.
  7. Welcome help. High potentials don’t say, “I can do it on my own.”
  8. Give credit.
  9. Respect skill in others.
  10. Honor teams rather than steal credit.[/dropshadowbox]

Bonus: Display compassion even during the rigorous pursuit of excellence.

High Potentials:

Watch team members respond to failure, frustration, and falling short. Continue stretching the humble and coaching the angry. Elevate the humble.

Work with the arrogant. If they refuse to grow, eliminate them. Humility builds. Arrogance destroys.

It’s a tough call because confidence is essential to success. But over-confidence eventually fails. The ten responses to failure help identify high-potentials.

Discuss with your team

What benefits have failure produced in your life?

How do you identify high potential employees?

 

Is integrity in sports sales a problem?

Is integrity in sports sales a problem?
by Wade Graf – February 2013

Hundreds, even thousands, apply for any ticket sales position opening, flooding LinkedIn, PBEO and Teamwork Online  with resumes and contacts trying anything to break in.

Some fly to the Baseball Winter Meetings or various sports sales combines in hopes of speaking to any hiring manager willing to listen. If fortunate enough to grab entry-level positions in inside sales, they soon realize they have a very short time period to prove worthy ticket sellers.

[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”350px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”.5″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]

Three Takeaways:
• Form good habits and practices early in your career.
• Never compromise morals or integrity in order to get ahead.
• Promotions aren’t always awarded to the top revenue generator. Integrity, teamwork and work ethic are other key components in taking the next step in your career.[/dropshadowbox]

Entry level sales positions are often part-time or limited periods (6-12 months) before the next batch of recruits invade the cubicles. Reps compete in revenue generation to earn a full time position with the team. In this pressurized competitive situation, inexperienced reps may look for any way possible to succeed.

Habits learned early in your career not only stay with you; they grow and intensify on a daily basis. It is incredibly important new ticket salespeople understand there is more to their jobs than just generating the most revenue possible. Sure, managers want and need to fill the seats through season tickets and nightly suites, but that’s not all that matters.

Does integrity count?

Outstanding sales reps don’t compromise integrity trying to make sales or earn promotions. Being a standout sales representative is not:

  • taking a 16-digit credit card number or check, then ignoring the client over the entire course of the season.
  • achieved by holding a great seat location from your co-workers until you find just the right individual or company who will buy them from you.
  • earned by trying to sell to a company your teammate has been talking to for months or by hiding a sale in the client’s brother’s ticket account.

Just one episode of taking another representative’s sale can tarnish that representative’s image. Months or even years of great work can come crashing down over one moral compromise.

Jason Fortune, Season Ticket Manager with the Texas Rangers, explains,

Jason Fortune

“As long as you  maintain your integrity and make the right decisions, you will always have a chance to earn a promotion. Always remember that sales reps who cut corners and ‘cheat’ the system will not last long with any organization. The recipe for success is simple: Come in, work hard every day surpassing expectations, never compromise your integrity, and eventually your hard work will pay off.”

Katie Morgan, CRM and Database Manager with the Texas Rangers, notes the effects acting with integrity has on potential promotions:

Katie Morgan
Katie Morgan

“Gaining the respect of your peers is one of the most beneficial things within the sports industry and also one of the most critical. Maintaining working relationships with those around you will help with day to day tasks. But, more importantly, those who earn respect and work well with others catch a manager’s eye when looking to potentially promote.”

Are you a great teammate?

Being a great teammate and helping the person you are competing with to earn the promotion is just as important as being on top of the sales board. Giving great customer service and showing customers around for an hour in the stadium means just as much to the organization as making ten more calls in order to earn the next sale.

When looking to promote from within the organization, season ticket or suite managers don’t always pick the leader on the sales board. They want those who can sell, but also those who provide superior customer service, have great moral standards, and represent the organization well each and every day. Remember it’s a team sport, both on the field and in the office.