JIM HOLDEN is the CEO and founder of the sales consulting and training firm Holden International; a global leader in sustainable sales performance improvement. Through its ability to apply unconventional thinking that enables companies to defeat competitors and develop accounts, while providing their customers with unexpected value, Holden has improved the performance of over 700,000 salespeople in 35 countries since its founding in 1979. Mr. Holden's previous books include Power Base Selling, World Class Selling, and The Selling Fox.

RYAN KUBACKI (MBA, Harvard) is President of Holden International and a recognized authority in making business development a sustainable competitive advantage. Prior to joining Holden, Mr. Kubacki was with Microsoft Corporation, where he held sales and marketing leadership roles in both the field and headquarters, including directing sales operations and field marketing for an 18-state region with a [...] billion quota.

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