Can Sales Really Be a "Team Sport"? 3 Ideas to Make It Happen

Many years ago, my weekly recreational league hockey game in Michigan went into overtime.?

And after overtime, it went to a sudden death shootout.?

As a defenseman, you rarely get the call up to participate in this part of the game, but in this particular game, on this night, my friend (and consummate sales professional) Steve Taylor looked at me and said, “LAO! You’re up next.” I was the last shooter, and everything was on the line - if I scored, we won the game.?

I jumped off the bench, skated to my side of the ice, waiting for the referee to point to center ice, and I went in. With speed through the neutral zone, I went to my forehand, faked a shot, then my backhand, then back to my forehand, and shot the puck short side into the net.

And just like that for the first time in my recreational hockey league career, I scored the final (and game winning) goal.?

What I noticed next has stuck with me ever since.

When I turned around (my legs still shaking from my accomplishment) I saw half of my team skate towards me to mob me at center ice, and the other half rush to our goalie to celebrate his unbelievable performance.?

Then, with our respective groups, my goalie and I skated to each other, hugged and said to each other “Great job, man.”?

Today, this moment still sticks with me because it showcased the power of a team performing together to win.?

My goalie had to make the stops.?

I had to score the final goal.?

We all contributed to win the game.?

What if sales became a team sport??

Like, a true team sport - one where everyone contributes to a single goal (target), receives recognition and rewards to hit it, and are invested in the successes of others to make it all happen? What’s the real downside??

Because I’m more of a “Why not?” kind of leader, I want to offer up three (3) ideas to make this dream a reality in hopes that this could spark ideas for the next ideation of your own sales strategy and approach in your organization:?

1. Managers own a book of business. When managers oversee their own (but small) group of prospects or existing customers (or territories), it unlocks a new level of credibility in coaching and leadership. In addition, talking with customers regularly can help us understand the real customer challenges the team is facing, and combining first-hand experience with your team’s feedback can help you be a larger advocate for tools or a process change.?
2. Outline sales incentives at every level of the organization. Individual incentives can only go so far, and can create resentment and a lack of collaboration within a company. What if we also incentivized everyone when the team or organization hits the mark? Outside of creating havoc on your sales finance team, when more people can join in the celebration of hitting short-term team targets, the long-term result could be an increased investment and advocacy in everyone’s individual success, which could lead to better well-being and team collaboration.?
3. Enable splits within your immediate team. Look, it’s hard for a salesperson to be everything to everyone. Some people are good at technical implementation. Some people are great at asking the right discovery questions. Some people are phenomenal presenters. What if we enabled simple deal splits that allow credit and recognition to flow to the team members that are helping each other out behind the scenes?

"If you want something you've never had, you must be willing to do something you've never done.” (Steve would say that this is a cliche because it’s true.) Innovation happens when someone decides to take the route less traveled.

What will you do to lead a new level of success at your organization? Let me know at [email protected].?

Let’s get after it.

KL