You’re a sales manager. How can you foster a culture of inclusion in your team?

So many times leaders tell me that they have clearly communicated their vision. Then I go and talk to the sales managers and sales people and they can't tell me what the vision is. Why? Stating one time what your vision is will not be enough. 1. Start off by clarifying your vision. Write it down. Write out examples to illustrate. 2. Determine at least 3 ways to communicate your vision. Video, graphically, in writing, with words at a meeting, in a song. The more ways you can communicate the easier it will be for others to understand. 3. Communicate your vision consistently, repeatedly over time. One and done doesn't cut it. "I told them at the sales kickoff what my vision was, why don't they know?" Every meeting, in writing, by video.

Fostering a culture of inclusion as a sales manager involves creating an environment where every team member feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their best. For real-life examples like: -As a leader, you should actively engage with all staff and deliberately include voices from different backgrounds and perspectives

Fostering a culture of inclusion in my sales team is crucial for building a positive and collaborative work environment. Here are some strategies you can implement as a sales manager to promote inclusivity: 1. Lead by Example: Demonstrate inclusive behavior in your own actions and decisions. Show respect for diversity and ensure that your language and behavior are inclusive. 2. Communication and Transparency: Encourage open communication and create a safe space for team members to express themselves. Clearly communicate expectations and provide regular feedback to foster a transparent work environment. 3. Diversity Training: Implement diversity and inclusion training programs to educate your team on the importance of inclusivity.

Alignment is the key. When everyone is aligned to overall objective then work is done and dusted. So communicating vision and ensuring same message is received in toto is critical. Further categorization to actionable is done and snap could deliver results if everyone knows their role and how r they contributing to overall business goal.

Simple! Everyone is EQUAL, but, consideration must be given to those who are 'experienced' or have 'tenure'. Their real-life experience is unteachable & thus, very valuable. In the sales world, those who get things done are the most productive. Those that worry about things that are out of their control are a distraction & not contributors to a 'team'.

For sales leaders that want to foster a culture of inclusion the answer is simple. You have the oppportunity to not only talk the talk but walk the walk. Once your organization has defined inclusion it's a matter of you simply recruiting the talent that aligns with this definition. Recruiting, developing and promotion talents from different backgrounds in an inclusive manner is not always easy but it's simple to do. Your interactions with your team need to demonstrate respect and transparency in order to instill this inclusiveness in your team.

I have always observed that "engagement" is the best seed of inclusivity. If I go a little deeper, leading with transparency will foster a culture where every team member acknowledges their lacking skills, and accepts complementing strengths of other team members. As a result, distributed transparency increases overall team success, while strongly enabling an engaged culture. And this kicks off the infinite fly-wheel of: "transparency -> engagement -> inclusion".