September 1, 2009
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I’m Lying Awake Worrying, is My Star Salesperson Going to Quit?
Matt Nettleton
Not everybody can sell and among those who can sell, there is clearly a smaller group of truly stellar performers. But based on conversations I am having with my clients, something odd is going on. Nearly every business that I talk to has seen a shift in their marketplace. What worked two years ago does not work today and often the other half of the story is that the star salesperson who has always been the revenue leader for their company is suddenly struggling also.
Talk about tension. Typically, this worry comes from one of two beliefs that owners have. First, is the belief that consistent revenue generation depends on the talents of a few select individuals. Second, is that these select individuals operate in a world lacking both structure and predictability.
Here is the good news. You can control this chaos. In fact, a lack of control actually increases the chances that your star player will leave. In order to effectively run any organization, there are four steps that you must take so that the team is bigger than any individual player. First, your responsibility is to create a strategy that leads to consistent revenue opportunities. Second, you must be able to design and implement a structure that holds all members of the team to specific actions that lead to those opportunities moving through the sales process – from beginning to end. Third, you must make sure that the staff you are hiring is able to do the tasks your structure calls for. Finally, as a leader you must have a systematic approach to growing your team’s skill set.
Sadly, many organizations drive star reps away. Stars leave when organizations build barriers that limit their success. Strong organizations are built so that stars see where they fit into long term plans. More importantly, stars see that whether they stay or go, the organization is going to be fine. As a leader your job is to be sure that the organization you have built is strong enough to survive the arrival or departure of any individual.
If you are tired of spending your nights staring anxiously at the ceiling, take a few minutes and ask yourself which piece of the puzzle you may not have fully developed yet. Can your salespeople execute the skills your structure requires? Do your people have a passion and ability to work in your specific business model? Does your business structure reward for doing the tasks you assign and finally are you clearly leading them in the right direction?
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Indianapolis, IN 46250
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