Last week I spoke at a client's national sales meeting. On Day 1 of the meeting there were a number of great moments that I saw unfold, but none more powerful than a panel discussion led by some of the company's most accomplished salespeople. Each of them took a few minutes to share some personal reflections about key wins they had recently driven, and then answered questions from the floor. There were a few really powerful messages that came from the group that I wanted to share here:

• In these challenging times "taking action" is critical. It reminded me of Theodore Roosevelt's quote, "In a matter of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the second best thing you can do is the wrong thing and the worst thing you can do is nothing".
• There are times when we can turn procurement people into our strongest coaches. One great way to do it is to find their win and make them a hero inside their own company. It's rare but it's great when it happens!
• We can't allow ourselves to get trapped by the people who say, "I am the decision maker". Usually they're not. Similarly, we can't just call on the people "we're supposed to call on". We have to build a strong network of coaches.
• Going from defense to offense is a sound strategy. The marketplace has us back on our heels, and it feels good to turn the tables and go on offense!

More from Day 2 to follow...