Click here to see video of the tallest mountain in the continental United States: Mt. Whitney Ridge
The first of my three-part blog argued Transparency comes first when building a high performing sales organization. The fastest way of creating Transparency and a sense of urgency in your sales organization is to periodically distribute a sales dashboard with the results of every rep.
Next is Accountability. While Accountability is a two-way street, sales leaders from top performing sales organizations know it starts with them. And they know their actions speak louder than their words.
The final step is Trust. Top performing sales organizations know that Trust is the cornerstone of long-term success. Just like Accountability, Trust runs in both directions, but it starts at the top.
To develop Trust in your sales organization you must promote and support opportunities for sales reps to speak candidly and to provide constructive feedback without fear of retribution.
As executive leaders you can build Trust among team members by requesting constructive feedback on a recent project or initiative. What did I do well? What could I have done better? (Remember: When starting out it’s best to ask about specific projects or initiatives and to let team members know in advance that you will be seeking their feedback.)
In addition to building Trust, seeking constructive feedback has an additional benefit: It makes you more authentic. That’s critical because admitting mistakes and showing a willingness to improve and evolve are hallmarks of great leadership.
This concludes our three-part blog series on building a high performing sales organization. If you’re interested in Cecond Opinion assessing your sales organization on the dimensions of Transparency, Accountability and Trust, please contact Frank Rowe at frank.rowe@cecondopinion.com or call 610 256-4717.
