So, it’s December, you’re looking towards 2015, and trying to figure out how to get your sales team to drive to the same shared goals. How do you do that? More importantly, how do you do that and keep everyone motivated and focused? And, maybe more importantly, how do you prevent team members from jumping ship if they do not agree with the goals?
To begin, do you know what your company’s vision? Where does the organization want to be at the end of 2015 or 2020? Is that vision written down? Hand in glove, what is your vision for your sales team? Do you have a dream goal? When was the last time you took the time to imagine what you want your company or sales department to be when it grows up? As the team leader, how do you know where to take your team? Do you just let it happen or do you drive to a vision? Do you know what good looks like?
Next, have you shared that dream goal with all the stakeholders? Not only is the sales team on-board, but also is the rest of the organization in concert with what is planned? Are operations and the support functions ready, willing and able to support your goal? Who is leading or steering the land cruiser?
What is the attitude of the leaders and followers? Is there an attitude of servant leadership or do things just flow downhill (and nothing back up the hill)? Is the management team showing the leadership behaviors of mutual shared efforts to the same objectives? To be a good leader, you need to be a good follower.
Finally, has a plan of attack been drawn up that everyone is supporting actively and not just passive-aggressively? Are there benchmarks throughout the year, quarter, month or week? Does someone actually look at those benchmarks or are they shoved to the bottom of the pile never to be looked at again? Is there a clear plan that everyone has access and has an understanding of his or her individual roles?
Here’s to a well planned and communicated 2015.
Dave Harman is an associate with Sandler Training. He has over 30 years’ experience in sales and sales management with Fortune 500 companies as well as small, family-owned organizations. He has held positions from sales to senior management with companies such as Conoco/Vista, Amresco and Ohio Awning, and owns his own business. He earned his MBA with a concentration in Marketing from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. You can reach him at [email protected] or (888) 448-2030.
