Most organizations and sales managers think of accountability or performance management as “micro-managing.” Jim Collins has been quoted as saying “There is no such thing as 'micro-managing.' There is either managing or not managing.” There is a lot that a manager must bring to the table to be effective at setting standards and gaining accountability with their team. And it is a difficult job to gain that fine balance of supporting and guiding your team without crossing over the line, providing your recommended solution. This ultimately does not allow your salespeople to navigate the sales situation and figure it out. Helping them self-discover is how salespeople become more skilled and effective sales leaders can achieve sales team excellence.
What are the competencies and behaviors of those leaders who seem so talented at helping others achieve their very best? We rely on the pioneer and #1 sales management evaluation by Objective Management Group to help understand exactly what it takes to create effective accountability with your sales team. The Accountability Competency measures if a manager holds their salespeople accountable to measurable, forward-looking metrics. By using forward-looking indicators rather than lagging indicators, especially with longer sales cycles, you can make adjustments and mid-course corrections.
Here are the Accountability Competencies below.
- Manages Behavior
You can improve your ability to hold your salespeople accountable by measuring their success based on KPI's related to daily behaviors, as opposed to lagging activities such as sales. - Doesn't Accept Mediocrity
You are not willing to accept mediocrity, even if that means salespeople may be unhappy with you. - Takes Responsibility
Your tendency to take responsibility when you don't achieve results helps you hold your salespeople accountable when they don't meet expectations. - No Need for Approval from Salespeople
You are able to hold your salespeople accountable without worrying about how that might affect whether they like you. - Beliefs Support Accountability
Your beliefs related to sales management tend to be strongly aligned with the role and importance of holding salespeople accountable. - Asks Enough Questions
You have good listening skills, which encourages your salespeople to share their concerns, frustrations, expectations, problems, and feelings with you, and in turn helps you hold them more accountable. - Manages Pipeline
Your strengths in the Pipeline Management Competency support your ability to hold your salespeople accountable
Performance management and accountability are all about setting higher standards for success, holding people accountable to the effort and execution to hitting those standards and changing the definition of ‘good’ in an organization. Take a few minutes to evaluate your effectiveness on these accountability competencies listed above. The path to achieving sales team excellence includes your ability to become better at and ultimately master these skills.
