This article was published a few years ago; however, I thought it would  be worthwhile  to review.  

Winning sales cultures are competent at planning, strategy and execution.  The focus of this discussion is execution. As mentioned in an earlier article, thoughtful plans and effective strategies are essential; however, without effective execution, you will not achieve business goals.  I want to share a simple and proven framework for helping individuals and teams maintain  the alignment and focus  necessary to achieve solid execution and consistent operational excellence. This straightforward management process will serve businesses well, regardless size or industry.

First and foremost, as discussed in earlier articles, creating the right culture is an essential foundation for great sales results. Specifically, two key elements of a winning culture are communications and collaboration. Truly effective organizational communication is not unilateral but is characterized by an open, two-way exchange of vital information. This environment features a robust communications network which facilitates effortless collaboration among Individuals and teams.

So, given capable people with the right communications and collaboration framework,  the following are three cornerstones  for disciplined operational execution:

Accountability – To attain business goals, each person in the business is accountable for carrying out a specific set of responsibilities in a certain way. These expectations must be communicated clearly and confirmed, to ensure there is no room for misunderstanding. Business leadership is ultimately accountable for all aspects of the firm but will delegate responsibilities and duties throughout the organization. Through coaching, training and other employee development opportunities, leadership is accountable for preparing individuals to carry out responsibilities to meet business expectations. And, in turn, employees are accountable to leadership for executing on these duties.

Visibility – Every critical business function must have a clear view on performance and the results therefrom. This includes personal observation, customer and employee feedback processes, systematic reporting of key performance indicators, operations reviews, random inspection, etc. Each of these provide transparent perspectives on how activities and resulting outcomes align with business expectations.

Consequences – This category includes compensation, incentives, rewards and recognition. It also includes coaching, performance management, disciplinary action, etc. Employees carry out activities on behalf of the business which will generate corresponding  results. Said results warrant consequences that must be administered in a timely and consistent manner to ultimately reinforce  those activities and behaviors which support operational excellence.  

The  concept of Visibility, Accountability and Consequences is a way of summarizing the complex and integrated business process of execution in a way that your team can understand and implement.  However, successful implementation is dependent upon management commitment, alignment, discipline and consistency.  

Should you need assistance with planning, strategy or execution as to growing your business, we would be happy to assist. Contact me for a free consultation.