The Ingredients of a High-Performance Sales Culture
PEOPLE
As we have shared previously, we are doing a series of posts of what we have observed superior sales organizations do to shape a High-Performance Sales Culture. Each post will feature one ingredient, followed by a few questions to challenge your thinking.
The third ingredient of a High-Performance Sales Culture is PEOPLE.
"I am convinced that nothing we do is more important than hiring and developing people. At the end of the day you bet on people, not on strategies."
- Lawrence Bossidy, Execution – The Discipline of Getting Things Done
We all understand the power of talent and how talent can make or break an organization.
Here are what some of the best sales leaders do around ‘People’:
- The best sales leaders are meticulous in their recruiting and selection process as they understand that culture improvement and performance begin with the hiring decision. They formally define the attributes of superior performance, and seek men and women who display these characteristics.
- They hire for mindset first and not experience. They hire slowly but also fire quickly if they realize in the short term that they made a poor decision.
- They see the salesperson as the difference-maker in providing Value to the Customer.
- They specifically look at the five roles of a Rainmaker – Hunter, Consultant, Influencer, Educator and Facilitator – and select based on which are the most important to succeed in a specific territory.
- All leaders gain agreement on the behaviors expected to drive a High-Performance Sales Culture. They communicate the differentiating values and behaviors when new employees join the company, and they have the new hire formally agree to embracing those behaviors.
- They treat salespeople with affection and respect. Collaboration and vibrant teamwork are evident everywhere. Salespeople want to stay. There is relatively low turnover which ensures consistency and continuity for the future.
Questions to Consider:
- Have you defined with clarity the characteristics and mindsets of someone you wish to hire?
- How well are you on-boarding new employees or do you simply expect them to figure it out?
- What is turnover costing you?
Next Up: Growth Playbooks