article thumbnail

What Sales Teams Should Do to Prepare for the Next Recession

Harvard Business

In the 2001 recession, total sales for the S&P 500 declined by 9% from its pre-recession peak to its trough 18 months later—almost a year after the recession officially ended. Zero-base sales capacity. Too many sales teams use outdated practices in making account and territory assignments. billion vs. $1.2

Sales 31
article thumbnail

The Connection Between Employee Trust and Financial Performance

Harvard Business

This was the headquarters of Campbell Soup Company when one of us, Doug Conant, took the reins as CEO in 2001. This division was far outside his area of expertise—and his peers in supply chain, sales, and R&D knew it. Inside — drab colors, peeling paint, and dead plants decaying in the common areas. Was this a prison?