Much like a football team that is playing in the Super Bowl, having a game plan and the desire to win is important.  Winning depends on execution. One of your primary roles as a leader is that of a coach. Coaches reinforce the results they believe people are capable of achieving. 

2) Don't focus on accountability to tasks but enlighten to identification. It's much more important to teach your people the "business" of the business they're in. If you currently have your sales team accountable to tasks, then you're merely "managing" tasks.

 

In order to become more effective - you should be training on measurement of competencies so your people can run their own business.You measure details not directly related to performance and results. A telecommunications sales manager proudly told me he requires his sales reps to document 100 dials per day. I was shocked when I heard this. I asked him if he was in the dialing business or the communication business.Think about it for a minute. What does the measurement of dials have to do with performance or results? Can you ever improve your dialing skills? It's insane to waste time and energy measuring.

 

3). You attempt to manage your subordinate's 'time.'

 

During the playoffs, a winning college coach was interviewed about his coaching philosophy He said: "You develop the best game plan you can, build systems and processes to help support it, train everyone how to work within it, and then let the players go out and unleash their natural abilities. You let them play the game between the lines." Makes sense doesn't it? Most sales reps will be accountable to results if you identify the important competencies required for success. Your job is to supply targeted training with appropriate structures for learning and application, and measure degrees of improvement.

 

4). You require detailed forecasting beyond your normal sales cycle.

 

It's hard to imagine a management strategy more toxic than this one. Because only two things can result and both are disastrous. Let's say your average sales cycle is 27 days and you require your team to supply a 30, 60, and 90 day forecast. First of all, the forecasts you get won't be very accurate to the actual results. Second, it will probably be resented and considered busy work. Here's a much better idea: Set up your forecast to the time within your control - in this case a 30-day rotating calendar. Define a business rule for forecasting accounts on a weekly basis. Ask empowering questions: "Has it passed the defined gateways to be included on your opportunity list?" Have you helped the sales rep "scrub it" to make sure it's realistic and not pie-in-the-sky?" Have the proper strategies and tactics been implemented per account to effect a higher closing ratio? Bring your forecast accountability back within your normal sales cycle for more focus and better results.

 

5). Do you see yourself as a people manager or a behavior coach?

 

Attempting to manage people delivers rather poor results. (It really does!) People usually resent being "managed." They feel controlled and naturally become defensive ... especially sales people who are self-starters and consistent producers. That's why experts say to manage to "required behaviors." I have always believed in taking it one step further. Here's an example of what I mean. Webster's dictionary defines behavior as "an act." You can tell people how to act or show people how to act. I suggest you do this with transferable systems and powerful routines that are in line with the competencies that will improve their results. (You decide)

 

6). Is your management style the same for self-starters as it is for mediocre performers?

 

Think about it ... your ultimate goal is to empower ALL your sales people to be self-sustained performers, right? Some people need more help than others - but top producers usually only need to be held to general points of accountability. My advice ... back off! If they have a sales drill that works, let them work it. Define your management style and processes in line with performance benchmarks and results. For everyone else - diversify your degree of 'hands-on' management in line with routine results and declare those milestones as the road to becoming a self-sustained professional.

Find out more about delegation techniques and how they help your team communicate more and help them work together as a team towards your organization's goals.

 

Back to Top 

One way to develop a winning team is to surround yourself with extraordinary people.

Another is to surround yourself with ordinary people who through your leadership and coaching achieve extraordinary results. As Sam Walton once said " ... there's absolutely no limit to what plain, ordinary working people can do if they're given the opportunity and the encouragement and the incentive to be their best." As a coach, your role is helping people develop winning attitudes and improve their skills. A coach helps people see beyond the problems, the limitations, and the "known" to focus on solutions and opportunities which are sometimes found by venturing into

the "unknown."

If you are to create a winning team, you must be good at coaching. You must be able to inspire extraordinary performance from ordinary people. Coaching is seeing new possibilities and providing the support and guidance to help people and organizations to achieve new heights. Coaching, though highly individual, has three basic functions. The first function of a coach is getting to know every person as an individual. If you are to coach them to higher levels of performance, you need to know what their skills are, what their level of knowledge is, what their goals are, and what you can do to help them reach their goals. The second function of a coach is developing people and challenging them towards higher levels of achievement. Create a detailed development plan for and with each individual with whom you are directly working. Set goals, both short and long-term. Develop action steps and target dates along the way. Focus on those critical few action steps that are essential for personal and organizational goal achievement.

The third function of a coach is creating an environment for motivation. A motivating environment helps people become excited about setting and reaching goals. Figure out what inspires people and use this knowledge to create an atmosphere that stimulates high levels of productivity and effective decision making. Get to know what issues are important to each individual, Encourage people to talk openly and discuss problems as well as opportunities. Challenge them to go beyond their comfort zone. Help them to have the confidence to stretch themselves.

Your goal as a coach is to make the most of your most valuable resource, your people, and to maximize the skills, abilities, and knowledge of each person in the organization. Inspiring people to higher levels of performance has a lot to do with spirit, creating excitement, commitment, and desire. It is coaching ordinary men and woman to extraordinary achievements.

Contact us to learn more effective coaching stratagies and useful insights on how to deal with resistance and motivate others.

Back to Top 

 

By Jim Collins

I hope you will enjoy Great By Choice as much as we did. Contact us to find out how we can help you be Great by Choice! 

 

Back to Top 

Contact Us

Harmony Solutions International, LLC

 

2219 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd.

Suite 383

Westlake Village, CA 91362

Call: 805-413-4128

Visit Our Website
Email Us

 

 

 

• A Concept of Leadership  

• Defining Sustainability