Dorothy Leeds

Dorothy Leeds is the Guru of Questions, an internationally known speaker and the author of Powerspeak, Smart Questions and The 7 Powers of Questions. The concepts in her books are the foundation for the hundreds of workshops and keynote presentations she makes every year. She can be reached at dleeds@dorothyleeds.com or at (212) 864-2424.

Here's a riddle: What is a manager's most basic tool, there at the tip of the fingers, and yet one of the greatest things he or she can ever use?

Of all the problems I've observed, the most common, and the simplest to correct, is the lack of clear expectations

As I am always thinking of ways to make things easier for my workshop participants and the reps I work with, I realized that a central theme is a wonderful way to stand out from the growing competition as you make your daily presentations.

You will be establishing the pattern for the rest of your relationship

This may be the most important article you ever read as a pharmaceutical rep. That's because I am going to challenge you to change something you've been doing for a long time – something you're supposed to do, that you've been trained to do and that your manager expects you to do.

Why hire reps who ask questions? Here are some good reasons. They'll get the right information from their physicians faster and more accurately, build strong relationships from the start, and be in a better position to change doctors' prescribing habits. In my workshops, I talk about the importance of that first meeting with a doctor. Your new reps set the stage during that meeting and create the expectations of what will come after. I guarantee that if you hire reps who ask smart questions and spend extra time helping them prepare for their first meetings with doctors, they'll reap the benefits and so will you. Doctors will often give more time to a new rep; if that rep is a skilled questioner, it will set a better precedent with the doctor and the rep will wind up with more time and access.

You're not just going to be interviewed; you're also going to interview your prospective boss.

You've got an internal job interview coming up, and the competition is tough. But you can set yourself apart by selling yourself, being active and thinking like the boss.

Eight ways to know if you're getting the most from your people.