Keys for Successful Teams
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February 25, 2013

All of the time, we get asked, “What is the secret to developing the perfect sales team?”  Although there is no silver bullet, there are some things you can do to set a strong foundation for long-term success.  I have detailed 6 keys for success below:

1. Hire the right people.  When interviewing candidates, I always use the mentality of “once a winner, always a winner.”  Even if someone lacks the ideal background experience, if they have a proven record of winning and succeeding, then I want them on my team.  Also, in order to hire the right person, we need to know what we are looking for in a candidate.  This is simple, before you start interviewing, make a list of the qualities you want and use this as a guideline.
2. Set clear expectations from day 1.  By ensuring that new employees understand their position and the associated requirements, then holding them accountable to results and behaviors becomes easier by leaps and bounds.  All employees should understand the minimum requirements of their position, but you should also work with each person to develop personal goals on top of their requirements. 
3. Provide the tools and empowerment to succeed.  In today’s work environment, providing tools can range from on boarding and training to providing a laptop and means of mobile communication.  Additionally, people like to have a say and be involved in the success of the company they work for.  Allow for communication and collaboration, but also give employees some empowerment to make decisions.  This will keep them feeling invested in the business and create a sense of confidence.
4. Provide positive and negative consequences.  For every action an employee conducts, there should be a positive and negative consequence dependent on the outcome.  In order to do this, we have to hold people accountable and inspect what we expect on a regular basis.  This can be in the form of 1:1s, team meetings, CRM reporting, etc.
5. Motivate and Incentivize.  To promote the right behaviors, create incentive programs for both individuals and the team.  Help gain buy in for these programs by working with the individual employees to set the goals. 
6. Lead by example.  Employees always march to the beat of their leader’s drum.  If we want to instill certain habits and behaviors in the team, then we need to take initiative and start the march with us.  This means going out in the field and knocking on doors, making tele-prospecting calls, and even being on-time, every time.  All of these will send positive messages to employees and set the bar where it should be.

Although there is no perfect method, if you follow these 6 steps and add a little bit of your own personal flare to the mix, then I have no doubt you will begin to see success from your team.  Building a foundation for your team doesn’t happen over night, but with a little input each day, you will be paving the pathway for the future in no time. 

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