Ep. 277 INTERVIEW – Krystal Parker

Interview with Krystal Parker, author of the new book, “The Best Robot Wins”. Krystal, a business consultant and owner of Intent & Impact and president of the US Christian Chamber of Commerce,  shares how to build trust in your organization.  

Voice over:

Get ready for an unfair advantage over your competition. This is The Sales Edge podcast. Where globally recognized sales expert and trainer Joe Pici helps you sharpen your skills for booking more appointments and closing more deals. And now here’s your host Joe Pici.

Joe Pici (JP):

Welcome. I am so fired up. It’s not every day. You get a best-selling author and I’ll tell you Krystal Parker hit one right over the fence, the best. About wins, it’s not personal. It’s just business. I can’t wait for you to meet her. But before that welcome to the sales edged podcast, this is podcast number 277 and we thank you. We thank you for helping us expand the globe. We thank you for your loyalty for sharing this, but also we want to thank our sponsors Pici and Pici, which is a speaking coaching training consulting company. And right now we are specializing in helping our clients recapture. I lost Revenue, get in front of that. Target Market navigate the gatekeeper sell more of what they do. And also sell more virtually.com out there every Thursday night. That’s our membership platform, Mega coaching Mega training. We’ve got a massive ecourse. We’ll talk about later, consider being a member, but we’re going to get started. So Krystal Parker. Welcome. Can you give our audience some of the background you’ve had and what platforms you to understand this book and be able to write it?

Krystal Parker (KP):

Well, my background is business. So I actually cut my teeth in a fortune, 199 company, oil and gas. I got started. As a temp, worker stocking shelves in the truck parts store and work my way up to become the youngest executive. I found myself at 34 years old running, the gas company on the west side of Texas and 47 cities and all of customer service for the State of Texas. And then I went on to run customer service over the three states, the largest Natural Gas Distribution Company in the US. And

It’s they sent me to Harvard Business School where we were focusing on Innovation, globalization and Leadership diversity. So I had that background in business and left that world to start my own Consulting business and became a professor. And so for about five nearly six years as a professor. I got to add the book knowledge to what I had instinctively and intuitively. Negatively done in. This. And so I put those together and poured them into this book.

(JP):

Wow. Well, I’m going to ask you a couple questions here, but I’ll tell you what, I guess, your first chapter supposed to pull you in, but this chapter hit me in the face. This was a grabber. I I’d like you to maybe get some insight as their opening and and some of the statistics that you gave on what’s going on in the workplace today.

(KP):

Well, if you think about It the average lifespan of a Fortune 500 company used to be around 75 years. And right now we’re seeing an average lifespan of a Fortune 500, 15 years. And so, the question that I had to ask is I was considering this book was why our business is failing, so much faster today than they’ve filled. In the past. We have better data, We’ve Got Big Data. There’s more data bits out there in the world than there are.

Into Saint Joe, we have big data. We’ve got lean six. We’ve got management principles and techniques that are knew better and improved. So if we have a better ability to manage the workforce than what has happened and why your business is failing faster and I believe, and I believe that I proved that in my book by the fact that we’ve got an influx of AI and Robotics in the workforce and there is no Aggregate between how the leader treats. The the robot versus the human. We’re sitting on our competitive advantage and treating the humans like robots. And so what I believe that we need to do in the workforce today is we need to tap into the competitive power of people in an organization and allow them to become the competitive advantage and really make a difference.

(JP):

As far as the lifespan of these companies Through the people, how powerful that is. And and so as you go on, if you wouldn’t mind giving, maybe a couple nuggets and a couple things that you cover in this book and maybe a few tips on those things because, you know, I know that people, you know, it’s the holiday season or looking for a place that you know a good gift and you know when when this book came in the mail to me. And and and I kind of like I got a stack of books. You know that I’m working through right now. I’m in the middle of high negotiation sales, training and also anyway, but I made the mistake of opening your book and it just pulled me in. So share with our audience, some of the tips you give out in this book.

(KP):

One of the things I think that’s extremely relevant. And even if someone picks up this podcast a year from now, they’ll probably have heard the story about the CEO from better.com that Over Zoom. I think that’s it for last. Yes. Yes, and I think people will be talking about it for some time, you know in my book. I talk about leaders having a decision making process that you’re Jerry. West said it, I love it. But if you if people if a leader changes in people don’t know what to expect from that leader, it’ll erode. Trust in an organization and when a leader does something like fires, 900 people over as Zoom, which is being recorded, which is gone viral and it’s extremely insensitive to the human workers. Now that could in turn lead to mass Exodus, it within that company and the trust is eroded and if you think about the replacement cost of one individual in your workplace, it’s up to 60% of their wage replacement cost. And what’s happening in the workforce show is people are leaving. I mean, we’re in the Great.

Resignation. So many people are saying take this job and shove it. I don’t want to work here anymore. And we are seeing resignations over and over like we’ve never seen it before. So as a leader you want to be able to attract develop retain and engage your Workforce. I’m going to tell you how to do that in this book, and it’s really important that these are able to do that. Because as they are, Introducing AI into the workforce, the jobs that people have done in the past. They’re not doing anymore. And so, if we don’t value, the people were pushing those people out trying to hire new people. In, that is an empty final of dollars that are leaving the organization. I’m talking in this book about re-skilling and upskilling your good work force tell you how to do that and people like us are better the cam CEOs at did a massive fire.

I’m giving you my decision making Matrix. We’re making thousands of decisions a day. You and I being here right now is a decision that you made and I made. Well, it’s a leader, can make a consistent decisions and people know what to expect, then it builds trust and build engagement. It feels a highly competitive Workforce. I tell you how to do it in the book.

(JP):

Good. I’m going to shift gears on you here because I know you played it that fort fort. In 100 level, but now in one of your one of the hats you wear. I mean, you are Mentor organizer over a lot of small businesses too. And so, how does this relate to that small business? That small business owner?

(KP):

Well, it relates to any business owner, any size company, whether you have 900 employees to fire over resume, or you have one employee. That one employee is

I set your asset your capital is within the head of that individual and if they walk out your door or they’re not engaged. They’re costing you money. And a small business feels it even greater than a large business large business. You’ve got to think culture small business. Your, you’ve got to think engagement right away, getting them engaged and involved. And so as a leader, you’ve got to be able to wear that hat. When I actually, was getting ready to write this book, Joe? I thought about you actually, when I was, when I title it, I had an opportunity with the publisher to write the book and he needed it in three months and I hadn’t written page. Number one and I needed to have 35 thousand words and 35,000 ideas that I didn’t have at the time that I had this opportunity to write the book. I was in the middle of

The u.s. Christian Chamber of Commerce through a u.s. Christian business expo, running the central Florida, Christian Chamber of Commerce running my business intent impact and working as a professor at the University still and also a single mom and I have this opportunity to write this book and as I was out on a walk and I was processing, how it was going to do it. It came to my mind that you almost need to become robotic. And to be able to do it. And when I thought about that, and how I Associated that with you, is I know that you’re up at 3:30 in the morning on a daily basis on your treadmill. After you drink your cup of water with lemon. And the point that I’m making here is that if we can set up processes and structures around people to help them be successful. They can be their very best in that organization, small business, or large business. If you create Processes and systems and I see businesses in machine. So, if you create the machine in a way that is able to extract the greatest value from your human capital, then you can be successful and I see that with you. You do more than the average person. I know because you have systems and processes around you to help you be successful and be your best you opt and there is no other go p– t, there’s no other Crystal Parker. There’s no other John Smith.

Dawn peachy. And so if we can create systems and processes a business to help the humans, be their very best then we won. And we’ve given people rewarding, satisfying work that they can feel proud about and that they can be able to pour their passion into their work.

(JP):

Well. I go back to the opening sentence of the first chapter of your book. And this was the grabber for me, if culture eats strategy for breakfast. Why are we still hungry? Okay, I’m going to get in Krystal’s head that come from and what were you digging for?

(KP):

Well, you’ve heard the saying before, and when I am giving a talk, I will say it, helped me finish this sentence and everybody can and it

If culture eats strategy for and iPods and everybody says breakfast and some people say lunch, but what would the the idea of the concept there is that culture is more important than strategy and CI. There’s always been this fight and you know this because you teach to this, you actually taught me disk. So I appreciate I’ve been through the Pici and Pici school and disc. And what we find in the disk model. Is that humans and This is Behavioral Science. It’s it is it’s fact. People are either wired more task oriented or they’re more people oriented. So that saying culture eats strategy for breakfast is basically saying that the people side of that model is more important than the task our strategy side of that model. John Maxwell says everything Rises and falls on leadership, but I think he forgot the word and strategy. So there’s this always

And it depends on who’s in the leadership role in an organization to determine what gets more Focus. If you have a people-oriented leader, then they’re focused on the people and the strategy, the task the metrics and all that falls to the Wayside vice versa. The better.com. CEO is probably more task-oriented. He wasn’t thinking about the humans on the other side of this Mass, termination Zoom. Now he’s thinking about it. So, what I’m saying is its people can be able to swing back and forth. However, they’re wired one way more than another, they need a team of people around and that’s how I was successful. So when I said, if culture eats strategy for breakfast, why are we so hungry? Because let me tell you, these businesses are failing. And when the businesses are failing, the people are hungry and they’re missing. Something within that organization is probably a strong strategy leader, or a strong people leader, it takes both.

(JP):

Interesting last night on sell more virtually every month. We have a Mega training and then we move into coaching the rest of the month. And my opening for December was there’s two type of growth. There is professional growth and there’s personal growth which goes right along with your set. Now, personal growth is more the internal person. It It’s people it’s making me a better person. Professional growth is your strategy, your tactics, your skills, and many times people blur the lines. So I our challenge this month of December is Yes, you do. For personal growth for 2022. But what is your professional growth? Where are you going to be more strategic more tactical? Yes, they’re going to marry. However, they are separate.

(KP):

That’s powerful and I think that you’re really diving into something there because we’re talking business when people assume that business is a bunch of people in the organization, but I know there’s a lot of people that listen to your podcast show that are solopreneurs. They’re out there. By themselves. And I think that you just tapped into something really powerful. And and if you are by yourself, you need a coach, you need a board, you know, one of the very first things I did when I came in as a leader, first of all, I’ve been working with you for years. And so I’m forever grateful for that and your coaching and mentoring, but I also put together a board of directors around me because I knew exactly what you’re talking about. I if it were up to me.

I would grow personally and all the areas that so did to me and I wouldn’t necessarily grow in the metrics of perfect example and I shared in my book. And and in this book is in a bunch of boring doggone-its stories, and it’s a lot of my experiences. But one of the stories I talk about in my book, Joe is when I first became a supervisor’s I was in my early 20s. They thought I was a spy coming in from HR into a highly unionized call center environment. Okay, so that’s All great stories, begin with that, right? And I had always been a people leader, heavy on the people leadership side. I really didn’t have a strong Acumen in metrics, numbers measurements, and that well, within this Union environment. It was, I mean, we knew how much it cost per breath of those agents when they breathe. I knew how much it cost me. So that gives you an idea. They were highly measured. It was almost as if they were going plugin.

Put their headsets on and become a cerebral like a machine, and that’s how we measured them. And so, it was a very, there were a lot of grievances. There were a lot of Union issues in this organization. And, and I get into the details in my, in my book, the big picture. I was trying to lead as a people later and I was miserable in that environment. The people were unhappy. I was unhappy. I asked to get them off the phone for a meeting. I was told, no they can’t get off the phones.
And so long story. I’m going to lead so I put on the headset. I said their offices. I learned about them. But something even bigger happened. I learned about the power of measurement. I never would have done that on my own, but I realized that if you can’t measure, you cannot manage never what I have grown in that aspect professionally. And I also grew personally because man, there were many times. I left out of there crying because they were soul mates. I ended up winning am over and and not because I did anything other than be myself, but I learn and I grew just like what you’re talking about that professional growth.

(JP):

Metrics. We measure everything and I heard it’s a early in my business career, whatever you measure will improve if everybody in this time of year as we’re winding things down. Are we measuring, do we have metrics? But but before we do anything there, I first want you to share with me who should read this booklet. What is the demographic? Do you believe for people who would get great value at a making this there may be December reading or the first of 22.

(KP):

It’s been really interesting based on the feedback that I have, you know, initially when I wrote it in mind, I had that Eeo, CIO technology officers. That’s who I had in mind. I skinned robottom talking day. I, I just got a text from somebody, that’s a in the sales world and he said, I got so much out of your book that I am growing from it. Thank you, and he’s always good because, you know, your mom, we always got to go to Mom, right? My mom is an Avid Reader. She reads romance novels and Mysteries never

Everything she ever picked up a business book in her life. My whole library is business because I don’t own any of the other kind, right? So she burned the book, of course because it’s my mom, but she say crystal. I actually enjoyed the book. There was so many great stories in there. I could relate it wasn’t over my head. She said there was a couple things over my head. So and then somebody else told me, you know, was as if we were having a conversation. So I would say that, if you have a really in-depth business Acumen, you’re going to enjoy it. A book and get something out of it. But even if you’re just getting started in business, this book is going to be easy enough read for you because of the stories. I think everybody’s going to be able to pick something up out of here. So tell us the name of the book where they find it, how they buy it. Okay. Well, you can see I’ve got a great publisher, you can find this book anywhere. You could just search the best robot wins, and you’ll find it at Target. You’ll find it at Barnes &

Holes, you can get it off of Amazon. You can also go to my website, the best, robot, wins.com and find more about me and my book and my business as well. Also, I want to make a plug for the Christian chamber. We’re launching nationally, the u.s. Christian Chamber of Commerce, and we also have a very strong central, Florida Christian Chamber of Commerce. So if that’s something that you want to get plugged into one thing that I have been asked about the book, is it? Is it Christian? And here’s what I tell folks about? My book is its biblical based, it’s not religious. So there’s some solid Biblical principles that are in in there that come from a book that’s been sold the greatest seller of all times. And I’m using some of those biblical principles to help my reader understand how to structure their organization and grow it. So I would just say pick up the book, come find us, come chamber with us. Work with us. Get around what God is doing through this book and through our organization.

(JP):

Krystal you’re incredible. Hey team. Take out your phone. And before you do that, do Joe peachy a favor. Go to Global gurus, dot-org, we’re within weeks and days of them, closing down to vote. I would certainly appreciate and be humble to have your vote in the sales division. Also, take your phone and put sales edged in the text. That’s one word. Send it to 55. Seven, eight, that’ll teach you to a Pici and Pici link. Hit the link will take you to a splash page right now. We’d like you to focus on one thing the free webinar, 9 Essentials of sales. Success is free. It is powerful. Your great. Great content. If you like this podcast, can you like it? Can you share? It can make a comment? Thank you Krystal, and let’s go get some more books.

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