Salespeople have their own unique sets of beliefs, some of which limit their potential in sales. For instance, as we are witnessing now, during a pandemic, some members of a sales force may believe that strong sales are impossible. But if one person increases their sales, what seemed an inevitable fact will suddenly appear more like a thin excuse for poor performance.
Within every sales team, there are individuals who hold a number of empowering beliefs. Giving them an opportunity to share those beliefs along with the evidence that supports them can be a very transformational experience for the entire team.
Some members of a sales team may be extremely competent and, if they are not stretched, there is a danger they could become complacent. Therefore, utilizing these salespeople as coaches and mentors for less capable salespeople produces an all-around win. This is the “Power of Responsibility.”
We would go even further and suggest that maximizing a sales team around one common goal that creates value for the customer, the organization, and the individual sales person is the only way to focus the activities of a sales team.
It is critical that each individual is able to measure the value of each activity undertaken during the day and can make the connection to the overarching goals of the organization. If there is no clear line of sight between what they are doing and the value to the customer, they are clearly doing the wrong thing.
When a sales team views mistakes as opportunities for improving their team’s process and results, it’s a sign that the sales leader has successfully created an environment that promotes problem-solving, because people are problem-solvers by nature. When they are allowed to create their own solutions (rather than having expert solutions imposed upon them), salespeople are more proactive and engaged.
Sales teams also have greater ownership of the solutions they discover for themselves. Creating an environment that promotes problem-solving is a key component in creating an effective sales team structure.