by Steve Jensen
6 min read
As Sales Leaders, we are weighed and measured by one metric that rules them all: Sales. Some companies grow fast, others grow slowly. But the measure of the Sales Leader often is reduced to the answer to a simple question: Did you hit goal?
Every week of every month of every quarter of every year, companies push the “MORE” button. And we as sales leaders sign up for it. Taking a job as a sales leader means accepting that we are here to grow the company. We will be asked for more sales. More customers. More prospects. More demos. More emails.
More. More. More.
The MORE button isn’t enough to get into or stay in High Growth mode. The most successful sales leaders in the world turn to the HOW button every time the MORE button is pushed. These leaders focus on helping their reps take what the market gives…and then some.
They do what their leaders ask…and then some.
They build enough pipeline…and then some.
They do what the customer asks…and then some.
They do what the reps need…and then some.
And ultimately, they sell what the quota demands…and then some.
Xvoyant has interviewed many of the world’s most successful sales leaders. These leaders come from different markets, different company sizes, and different levels of company maturity.
But they all have five common traits for their sales organization. They rely on five elements to support high growth.
This article identifies the building blocks and how some of the most successful sales teams in the world use them to take what the market offers…and then some.
We share this as a blueprint for creating a sales organization that helps each rep on your team do their very best work…so they can live their best life.
Our hope is these building blocks help you create as many “And Then Some” moments as possible for each member of your team.
The most successful Sales Leaders are very purpose-driven in the culture they build. They don’t confuse culture with ping-pong tables, a full fridge in the break room, or a happy hour every night. The best sales leaders understand they are responsible for building an environment where a motivated salesperson can succeed.
There are many contributors to a High–Growth Sales culture. Some of the elements great sales leaders are sure to develop include:
The great leaders are obsessive about who they “let in” to the team. They refuse to let toxic personalities destroy what they have meticulously built. Teams with great cultures experience lower turnover rates, significantly higher sales engagement rates, and are able to attract the best talent.
A great culture is never accidental. It is something you work carefully to build and protect at all costs.
The most successful leaders get their salespeople to buy-in to the fact that the company is working to do something big. This vision is what fuels “Mission Mentality.” Great leaders paint a vivid picture of where the company is going in the short and long term, and how each rep fits into this plan.
Vision is never limited to just the numbers. Vision has to be more than just a big sales outcome. Vision as a key for inspiring both the members of his team AND their customer base. Solve big problems. Achieve Big Results. This helps you raise the eyebrows of your prospective customers and fuel the passion of each member of your team.
Our ability to help those we work with “Think Big” is a huge catalyst for success.
Smart leaders do two things in regards to vision particularly well:
But leaders have to do more than think big and talk big. The best leaders give each team member a reason to believe. Talk is cheap and your reps are smart. They will disengage quickly if you don’t have a genuine connection between the goals of the company and the aspirations of the rep.
Building a well-lit pathway and showing commitment by allocating resources is critical. Great leaders make well-thought plans and then execute assertively to make the vision happen.
Scott Adams, the creator of the comic series “Dilbert,” has a famous quote: “Losers have goals, and Winners have systems.”
Great sales leaders understand the need to take more to your team than just the sales goal. The most successful sales leaders create systems for each part of the sales process.
Systems are the secret to scaling a sales team. The better your systems the less variance that happens in the process of developing customer relationships. Great systems create predictable moments that matter in the sales process and the customer experience process. Customer experience-based systems that create “WOW” moments for customers are what the best systems do for the best teams in the world.
CEB has shared that 53% of customer loyalty comes from the original sales experience. This is an example of why systems are so crucial to every customer-facing team and a primary reason why de-mystifying the pathway to any performance goals with systems is a hallmark of every great sales team.
The greatest sales leaders do more than have a sales process. They are part of the 3% that have a structured 1:1 coaching process so they can create unique plans for each individual on their team. Great coaching is the most effective lever a team can use to create legendary success.
Coaching is the element that separates the good sales leaders from the great ones.
Only 13% of salespeople say they get “meaningful” coaching from their leader.
48% say coaching never happens at all.
Here’s the crazy part: 83% of sales managers say that not only are they doing coaching…they claim they are “Awesome” at it.
The reason this gap is worth looking at is the managers are doing things they THINK are great coaching. The disconnect isn’t a lack of interest in coaching, the disconnect is just a lack of understanding of what makes for great coaching.
But this is a big one to get right because when a rep thinks they are getting “meaningful” coaching 89% of the time they try to change.
And when a rep thinks they are getting “meaningful” coaching, 86% of the time they hit their goal.
The best sales leaders create “New Normals” with every rep…regardless of what their performance level is.
And when every rep on a team is creating New Normals…that’s when you create a sales dynasty.
Great sales leaders engage differently. They don’t rely on spreadsheets or “armchair quarterbacking.” The most effective sales leaders are actively involved. They know each member of their team and more importantly, they know what drives each individual. They understand the individual aspirations of each team member and help build individual plans to get there. They know how to do the job and won’t ask anyone on the team to do something they can’t…and won’t do themselves.
Great sales leaders prioritize their time to continue to build a personal relationship with the individuals on the team…rather than just when it is convenient. They believe in the mission of the company and lead by example. They are first in and last out…and their work ethic sets the tone for the entire organization. They are people the team is willing to fight for. And that level of engagement is earned…never asked for. The great leaders don’t demand that kind of loyalty. This is given by each team member because the leader is so authentic in their commitment to the mission, the team, and the individuals.
Finally, these leaders understand the balance of the now and the future. They don’t trade their future for the necessity of the moment. This is perhaps one of the greatest challenges…and greatest hallmarks of the great leaders: Healthy growth vs. growth at all costs.
If you are interested in reading what successful sales leaders have to say about these building blocks, please download our ebook Building Blocks of 1:1 Coaching for additional insight.
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Steve Jensen is Vice President of Marketing at Xvoayant