Ever seen a new sales rep come aboard with lots of energy, only to run out of gas? Why is that? Is it peer pressure from fellow team members, fearing the new sales pro is outshining them?
Or is the newbie, in regard to himself, thinking, “Hey, I’m the only one working my tail off around here! Maybe I should slack off and join the pack.”
When new sales pros arrive and see their colleagues’ pace, they tend to adapt to that speed — monkey-see, monkey-do.
Embracing accountability
How can you, as a sales manager, get your team members to embrace accountability? Indeed, how can you hold them accountable unless they know exactly what they’re being held accountable for? To get the best results, make sure your employees have a thorough understanding of how their duties fit with the corporate goals.
Few things take the wind out of a good sales rep’s sails more thoroughly than being trapped in a corporate culture that seems to reward mediocrity. This can make even the most gung-ho team member feel like he’s unappreciated and wasting his time in this workplace. What’s the point of trying to be a “cut above” when you’re held accountable to the exact same standards as the people who consistently do as little as they can get away with? Most people want to be held accountable, especially if they’re doing a good job and want to be recognized for it.
Ways to Encourage accountability
- Initiate meaningful dialogue with your team,
- setting up areas of responsibility
- creating specific performance standards
- establishing intelligent criteria
- Keep in mind that your team members are individuals with motivations as different as their work styles.
- Respect and respond to their differences so they’ll perform above and beyond expectations.
- Treat your team members with the same respect you treat customers.
- Find out what each member of your sales team truly values.
- Create a follow-up system and hold your people accountable.
Define Success
You’ll risk losing your best sales pros if you don’t find ways for them to feel successful and accomplished in their jobs. The best way to understand what people value is to engage. So by all means, talk with your sales reps and really listen to what success means to them.
