We live in a diplomatic world and this applies especially to sales teams. Ensuring your sales people are delivering the right message and confirming to the ethical requirements of your organization are paramount to a sales team’s success. Lets face it, your sales team are your brand whether you like it or not.
Firstly, it is important to acknowledge a combination of testosterone, estrogen and above all egos in your entire team. We need to make clear that we at Salexo are not gender biased though we do appreciate the nuances that different members of our team provide and enhance our sales process.
Clearly the first mission in your quest to deliver a high performing team is to realise that you need harmony between all your people. You need to address the impact of a toxic performer and what that will do to the performance of other team members. This actually happened to us recently: We had a top biller who was amazing in achieving sales results, however what was noticed over time was that this person was actually reducing the performance of other team members by their toxic personality. It was a hard decision to let them go but overall, it made the team feel more fulfilled, empowered and interestingly it lead to increased team results.
We can all learn from this, often we are blinded by an individual’s performance only to realise that the overall result is actually less because someone is a part of team.
So, whilst we do not presume that we hold all the answers there are some fundamental lessons we have learnt that may be beneficial for you and of course, most importantly, your team.
Firstly – Harmony. We are all in sales. We get it. We are all there to achieve results both individually and as a team. Hire and retain people who are in it for themselves but equally for the team. Hiring a high achieving loner can seem like a good idea especially when you look at their individual numbers, however when you look at the bigger picture and impact on your people you do really have to question if it is worth it. Of course, if you can manage it then good luck to you.
Secondly – Rely on your team. These people work together for and with you for the maximum result. It someone is not right hopefully they will tell you. Most often they tell you after the toxic person is removed, which is not the best timing but does give you the reinforcement that you did the best for your team.
Thirdly – Trust your people. We hire our sale people for a reason and we believe in them from the hiring process. Support them, guide them, don’t micromanage them! We are all adults and respect breeds respect.
Fourthly – Buy in is critical – Obviously the sales team have to work with a new hire. Within reason give them the power of veto. Include the team in the interview process. At Salexo our team has the final say on whether we should employ a potential consultant or not. Sure we have made some mistakes, but generally speaking we have succeeded with people only if the entire team including management have endorsed them. We are seeing more regularly the involvement of the team in hiring decisions with our clients and this is a seriously good thing.
Finally – If it is not right, act. It is very demoralizing for a sales team that knows someone is not right for the team and no one from the management team does anything for a protracted period of time. You know if someone is just not the right person for the team. Whilst it can be more challenging in larger corporations, it is important to act and be transparent with your team to avoid any possibility of resentment from any of your performers.
There is no secret formula to guaranteeing a team of top performers, not 11 secret herbs and spices that you can sprinkle on your team to deliver top results. Having said that, if you are true to your team, have common values and are true to them yourself, you are well on your way to delivering sales results.
At Salexo we specialize in the supply sales professionals who are revenue generators. One of the aspects that is most important to us is whether someone fits the team. A standout top performer does not necessarily guarantee that your team will deliver their top performance. We recognize and understand that. We would welcome the opportunity to talk with you, understand your team and work with you to deliver a high calibre sales candidate that will enhance your team results instead of reducing them.
No one person is bigger than the team. We understand that and respect that your team is everything in terms of the overall results.
