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with them. Our own vice president of global accounts, Brian Sullivan, put it best when he said, “When a sales team knows that a sales manager is going to bat for them, they will work harder and ultimately sell more to show their appreciation. The most effective teams have sales managers running interference on the endless administrative tasks and talking with other functions about limiting the amount of administrative tasks in general.” In other words, the less red tape your team has to deal with, the more money they’ll bring in.
benchmarks aren’t met? A superior sales culture reframes this as a chance for teammates to help. In a team huddle, he says, “Each person states his or her goal for the week and then explains in a sentence or two why they fell short or met their goal. They can then add: ‘And here’s the help I’d like from all of you.’” By the way, this meeting should be quick so everyone can get back to making things happen: “No criticism; no long discussions; get in and get out.”
5. DON’T WAIT FOR YOUR SHIP TO COME IN — SWIM OUT TO MEET IT.
3. TRADE IN SALES PRIZE GIMMICKS FOR SHARED TEAM GOALS.
Teams excel when the vision and mission are bottom-up rather than top-down. Great leaders channel the genius in the room; they don’t bark out orders and call it a day. Instead, they work like savvy football coaches, mixing motivation, encouragement, and steely-eyed resolve to reach the shared goal. This framework stresses character, courage, and the stamina to press toward a mark that every team member believes in, and it encourages teams to be proactive rather than reactive. I can’t promise these five strategies will completely turn your sales around, but they’ll certainly bring your team together and make its performance the best it can be. In these difficult times, that’s a huge step toward success. –Jim Stephens
A sales prize may spur some short-term excitement and spark. But it also pits salespeople against each other. “Sales team leaders should not get distracted by all the gewgaws that surround sales: incentive awards, prizes, motivational programs,” says Rick Maurer, the author of “Why Don’t You Want What I Want?: How to Win Support for Your Ideas without Hard Sell, Manipulation, or Power Plays.” He continues, “What is most important is the one single goal for that team. Once that’s set, ask the team what currently helps them move toward that goal and what gets in the way. Listen to what they say and try hard to take their advice.”
4. MAKE INDIVIDUAL TARGETS COOPERATIVE. Maurer also says that even the best teams can and should encourage individual goals. But what happens when those
THE SMART WAY TO RESOLVE A CONFLICT AND WHY PLACATING ISN’T THE ANSWER
When a conflict arises, most people try to smooth it over as quickly as possible. Placating the other person or simply turning away from the problem can be tempting strategies to avoid a shouting match, but they aren’t really resolutions — they’re conflict avoidance measures.
placating someone may ease their feelings, but it doesn’t actually address the underlying issue. In fact, you may end up inadvertently prolonging the problem! Lastly, Healthline reports that avoiding conflict and bottling up your real feelings can cause health problems, including loneliness and depression. That’s the last thing you need if you’re already dealing with a problem at work. So, what is the best way to resolve a conflict? Escalation isn’t the answer, but another option falls between escalating and placating: taking the adult approach. Using smart habits and effective communication strategies, you can demand civil behavior without burning a bridge. Here at Sandler Training, we’ve put together a list of habits that demonstrate the adult approach, as well as a short synopsis of TransactionalAnalysis, a tool we use in our Selling System to help prospects, customers, and internal clients resolve conflicts without creating disharmony. If you’d like a copy, then send your request to Stephens@Sandler.com today.
Take placating, for example. If you don’t think you’re conflict-avoidant, then consider this: Have you made concessions to appease
another person only to realize those concessions aren’t possible? Have you let an issue slide after hearing the other person’s subjective vantage point? Have you purposefully minimized your concerns to make another person feel better? If you have, then you’ve given in to the temptation to placate. Using placation to solve workplace disputes creates a few problems. First, it isn’t an effective method of communication. It involves either concealing or minimizing your concerns, so you’ll likely send mixed signals even if you have good intentions. This can cause confusion and misunderstandings in the office. Second,
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