Patricia Sherlock

With only 90 days left in 2012, I have had many conversations with management executives who are planning for next year. I wanted to share lessons learned when implementing change in a sales organization—whether it is installing a new training program or sales process. In the big picture, many change initiatives fail. Research conducted by […]

In a recent conversation I had with a mortgage executive, she mentioned that in 2017, the Millennial generation (18- to 34-year-olds) will be the largest driver of the economy—second only to Baby Boomers in terms of population and influence. As such, the Gen Ys or “millennials” represent a huge opportunity for mortgage companies in the

Recently, McKinsey & Co. interviewed Larry Fink, CEO and founder of BlackRock regarding how to succeed in a low-interest and trust-deficit financial services sector. BlackRock as you know is one of the world’s most powerful asset-management firms with $3.5 trillion under management. Their clients range from individuals and corporations to governments and other investors. The

I was recently quoted in an article that appeared on The Wall Street Journal Digital Network’s www.fins.com. The article, “Mortgage Hiring a Bright Spot in Finance” made some interesting points about our industry: &#8226 Hiring in the financial sector has slowed with the exception of the mortgage industry. &#8226 The uptick in hiring has been

It is hard to believe that Fall is practically here but with the start of the football season, the final sprint to the end of the year is right around the corner. The year ahead should be interesting with interest rates projected to rise and refinancing on the decline. In the last few weeks, I

As we move through the second half of 2012, many managers are wondering how to successfully prepare for a post-refinance marketplace including how to train current staff to meet new market conditions. In my consulting practice, re-engineering a sales staff from order-takers to sales professionals is an issue that I am frequently asked to address.

Watching the Olympics in the last few weeks has been exciting and inspiring with the performance of Michael Phelps, Missy Franklin and many others. I was especially impressed with several athletes who had won silver medals in prior Olympics but came back to London to compete for the gold. Allyson Felix (the winner of the

I recently spoke to an experienced mortgage executive about an increasingly common problem: the “order-taker” originator. The executive described the following scenario: The producer has an inconsistent sales track record, some months originating three units but most months less than that. Five years ago, the originator made a six-figure income. Today, the individual makes half

Last week, I discussed why quality first-line managers (FLMs) drive success in a sales organization. There is no question that FLMs have a significant impact — whether negative or positive — on a firm’s sales results. That is precisely why companies with limited training dollars should invest in developing FLMs before originators. Yes, I said

Last week, I covered the three essential components of a positive culture in a sales organization. One of the fundamental drivers is the quality of the first-line manager (FLM). This email will discuss why having a great sales manager is so critical to a sales organization’s long-term success. It is easy to recognize that a