Mahan Khalsa is one of the more respected names in the field of complex sales. When I set out to write Trust-based Selling, there were three books foremost in my mind; Let’s Get Real or Let’s Not Play, Khalsa’s 1999 book, was one of them. FranklinCovey bought his business, and he went on to head […]
Back in October 2006 I started this blog, Trust Matters, by looking back from the vantage point of my 30th MBA reunion, in a post called Harvard Business School 30 Years Later: Bring Back Joe. That was five years ago. A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of joining a golf outing with 7 […]
The theme of winning has for decades heavily influenced our approach to business. It seems as obvious as the air we breathe, hence we don’t even notice it. But winning has not always occupied the dominant positions it does today; go back and read Peter Drucker, for example. If we deeply explore the idea of […]
Join us at one or more upcoming Trusted Advisor Associates events. This Spring, we’ll be hosting and participating in events in New York, NY; Washington, DC; and Fargo, ND and through globally accessed webinars. Also, a word about the Trusted Advisor Mastery Program. ———————————————— Mon. Mar. 28th New York, NY Sandra Styer Sandy Styer will […]
“I know you recommend sample selling for intangible services, Charlie,” the caller said, “but I have to tell you, I think that’s naïve.” “I followed your advice,” he continued, “I gave them a great idea; but I didn’t get the deal. Worse, they stole my idea; now they’re making it a practice area. You can’t […]
Join us at one or more upcoming Trusted Advisor Associates events. This Spring, we’ll be hosting and participating in events in New York, NY; Fargo, ND and through globally accessed webinars. Also, a word about the Trusted Advisor Mastery Program. ———————————————— Tues. Mar. 15th New York, NY Charles H. Green Charlie will be speaking in […]
I’m an enthusiastic user of many social media. I welcome interaction on Twitter (@charleshgreen), for example. In many ways, online networking is sort of the first derivative of the old, face-to-face type—faster, shallower, but broader and more far-reaching, and with essentially the same objective. Still, there are some differences. In ‘real’ (i.e. analog) life, socializing […]
Datapoint 1. Maybe you’ve seen the Oscar-winning The King’s Speech by now. Certainly you’ve read about it. Datapoint 2. If you’re reading this blog, you probably know I’m the co-author of The Trusted Advisor (with David Maister and Rob Galford). There is a connection between those two datapoints. But it took executive coach Paul Rutherford […]
Join us at one or more upcoming Trusted Advisor Associates events. This Spring, we’ll be hosting and participating in events in New York, NY; Fargo, ND and through globally accessed webinars. Also, a word about the Trusted Advisor Mastery Program. ———————————————— Tues. Mar. 15th New York, NY Charles H. Green Charlie will be speaking in […]
It’s one of the hardest parts of selling—that knife edge space where company revenue stream meets interior personal psychology. It is business, and it is personal. Most solutions share one problem; they are narcissistic, leading the salesperson to believe it’s all about them. But it’s not all about you. And the sooner you build that […]
You’ve graduated from Question Obsession 101. You’ve learned not to pepper clients with endless questions or craft that perfect “Keystone Arch Question” expecting miracles. You’re focusing on relationships, creating insights, and empowering clients. But have you fallen into the next trap? The Answer Trap. Many consultants who overcome question obsession swing to the opposite extreme, […]
Question Obsession: The Silent Sales KillerMay 6, 2025 - 5:00 pmHave you counted how many questions you ask in your typical client meeting? Do you find yourself carefully crafting the “perfect” question sequence before every sales call? Are your meeting notes filled with question frameworks rather than real insights? If so, you may be suffering from Question Obsession—a condition that’s quietly sabotaging your client relationships […]