How can we institutionalize the right behaviors required to systematize sales excellence? How can we systematically ensure that the frontline is consistently executing at a high-level—and continuously learning, growing, and improving?
If you’re a CRO/GTM Leader, these are strategic questions you should be focused on because finding the answer is the only way you’ll be able to sustain world-class performance.
After a decade of research and a lot of trial-and-error working with 10,000+ sales leaders/teams, we’ve finally managed to crack the code with a new/innovative solution built around three strategic pillars:
STEP 1: SYSTEMATIZE THE DESIRED BEHAVIORAL CHANGE
The root cause as to why most sales people are not more productive is a complex problem. Complex problems require a holistic, systems-oriented solution. The secret to simultaneously addressing all causal factors (critical issues inhibiting sales productivity) is to focus on the high-leverage points.
In other words, what are the critical few areas where we could apply a little bit of focus and significantly move the needle on behavioral change and sales performance?
In turns out, there are three:
1. Transform FLMs into “coaches”
2. Create a high-performance environment
3. Implement the Weekly Coaching Conversation System to ensure the frontline is consistently executing at a high level—and continuously learning, growing, and improving.
STEP 2: INTEGRATE IT INTO THE OPERATIONAL RHYTHM, CADENCE, WORKFLOW & DNA OF THE SALES ORG
You cannot expect consistent results from an inconsistent process. Just as salespeople need a consistent sales process to manage the deals—sales managers need a consistent management process to shape the behaviors that drive the numbers that produce the results.
Different situations and different circumstances call for different types of coaching conversations. To truly become a world-class coach your FLMs must learn/master them all:
◆ Weekly Coaching Conversation
◆ Field Coaching Conversation
◆ Team Coaching Conversation
The seamlessly integration of these three coaching conversation frameworks forms the foundation for how your FLMs should engage with their teams on a consistent basis.
STEP 3: CREATE “RINGS OF REINFORCEMENT” TO MAKE IT STICK
What gets measured, doesn’t get done. What gets measured—and consistently—reinforced gets done.
Once we’ve systematized the desired behavioral change, integrated it into the operational rhythm, cadence, workflow, and DNA—create Rings of Reinforcement to ensure the desired behavioral change sticks. Think in terms of these four areas:
◆ Behavioral Reinforcement
◆ Management Reinforcement
◆ Systems Reinforcement
◆ Structural Reinforcement
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I hope this new framework and paradigm for how to think about transforming your sales team’s performance by systematizing sales excellence serves you and your team well.
