The New Power Base Selling: Master the Politics, Create Unexpected Value and Higher Margins, and Outsmart the Competition (Hardcover)

Foreword Bill McDermott xvii

Acknowledgments xix

Part 1 Sales as a Management Science 1

Chapter 1 Seeing the Invisible 3

It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.

Chapter 2 The MBA of Selling 13

Learning is like rowing upstream; not to advance is to drop back.

Part 2 Politics 29

Chapter 3 Influence and Authority 31

The secret of my influence has always been that it remained secret.

Chapter 4 Foxes: The Heart of the Power Base 45

With foxes we must play the fox.

Chapter 5 Power Base Types and Implications 61

Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable.

Chapter 6 Fox Hunting and Power Base Mapping 73

Nothing has such power to broaden the mind as the ability to investigate systematically.

Chapter 7 Gaining Political Advantage 93

Recognition is the greatest motivator.

Part 3 Unexpected Value 113

Chapter 8 Moving Up the Sales Value Chain 115

Now my eyes are turned from the South to the North, and I want to lead one more expedition. This will be the last . . . to the North Pole.

Chapter 9 Building Expressions of Customer Value 123

Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood.

Chapter 10 Creating Demand to Displace Competitors 139

A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.

Part 4 Strategy 157

Chapter 11 Introduction to Compete Strategy 159

All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.

Chapter 12 Competitive Differentiation 165

If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt.

Chapter 13 The Direct Strategy: Traditional and Nontraditional Application 179

The truly wise can perceive things before they have come to pass.

Chapter 14 The Indirect Strategy: Changing the Ground Rules 187

Appear where you are not expected.

Chapter 15 The Divisional Strategy: Peaceful Coexistence 199

If the enemy’s forces are united, separate them.

Chapter 16 The Containment Strategy: Transition Back to Indirect 207

Though the enemy be stronger in numbers, we may prevent him from fighting.

Epilogue

Helping Others Elevate the Sales Profession 217

Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.

Index 223