“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” – Michael Jordan

 “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much”  ― Helen Keller

Winning sales cultures are characterized by a high degree of collaboration and teamwork. In fact, the most enlightened business leaders leverage collaboration in a way that it becomes a strategic asset for enhanced performance.

Here’s an illustration as to how this concept applies to improved sales effectiveness and business growth:  

The performance gap between average salespersons and star performers can be as much as 50% or greater. Further, since the average performer typically comprises 60-70% of the sales team, even a small improvement within this group as a whole represents a significant opportunity for enhanced overall growth for the business. Astute leaders create an environment that fosters collaboration; top salespersons are openly provided recognition (and perhaps incentives) by senior leadership for sharing best practices. To that end, business leaders will create energy, emphasis and focus such that collaboration and teamwork becomes a central feature of the business culture, an organic and continuous improvement of the team’s “collective sales IQ”. Thus, the business lays the foundation for the improvement of the organization’s sales capability in both the near and long-term. Moreover, this collaborative atmosphere enhances employee engagement and provides an opportunity to identify potential future leaders. 

The following are key factors for the success of this strategic initiative:

• Commitment and Partnership – Business leadership must openly express support for those salespersons who initiate the process for sharing best practices. Top salespersons are always important; however, those who actively participate in sharing winning strategies and techniques on behalf of the team are truly special. And, they should be treated accordingly.
• Thorough assessment and debrief – Once best practices are identified and confirmed, there must be a full understanding and delineation of the specific details.
• Sales manager ownership and accountability for employee coaching and skill development relative to best practices. This includes disciplined execution relative to skill/knowledge transfer through effective coaching, including role play and personal observation.
• Recognition of Key Contributors – People who demonstrate leadership in the sharing of best practices must be acknowledged and shown genuine appreciation by business leaders in the presence of the employees’ peers. It is imperative that leaders will take the opportunity to acknowledge key contributors in both informal settings and more formal employee recognition events.

Leaders in winning sales cultures place a high value on collaboration and teamwork, focusing their energies and resources to build this kind of environment because they understand that the benefits of such are enormous.

If you need assistance in building a such collaborative atmosphere for your sales team, you can contact me at 281-817-7391, or email me at adam.vital@avbgs.com.