Chapter 3: Graduation Day

Wednesday, April 17th, was a very special day. It was graduation day for my consultants, for my role as a CRO, and for our organisation. 6 months ago, I walked into a product-focused organisation with the typical silos of sales, marketing, bids and account management. On this day, I looked out toward a highly skilled, well-integrated CRO team that had been through extensive training, coaching, team building and rigorous assessment that has not only developed the individuals but has been a driving force in developing our company's culture.

Starting Over

My fellow executives and board trusted me to totally dismantle the old organisation, replacing systems, processes and, with a heavy heart, people. When the music stopped and I finished the reorganisation, only one person (Nick Hulin) was sitting in the same chair they had started in. As you can imagine, replacing 10% of our organisation with graduates and changing the focus of our market engagement from selling products to solving customers' problems created risks for the business. Sales momentum stalled as we trained consultants, created new processes and implemented new systems.

A thriving culture

Recruitment was driven by attitude, not experience. I chose people with a growth mindset, resilience, curiosity, and drive. I created a multilayer training program with world-class instructors to shape positive behaviours aligned with developing high-value customer engagements. We deployed new processes but weren’t afraid to adapt and improve them to become more efficient and effective. We installed new systems (Salesforce, Altify, M365 and Fathom) to support the processes and customer engagement style, reducing the administration burden and improving reporting and forecasting capability. Most importantly, throughout this transformation, we create a physiologically safe environment where people can be challenged, fail, be supported, and grow. This creates a culture of high self-worth, collaboration, innovation, personal growth and confidence. Individual contributions are valued wherever they come from, from graduates to veterans with decades of experience.

"Hire character. Train skill."

Peter Schutz may have said this, and maybe it's a cliché, but it's also true. Interviews were conducted with existing staff and new candidates, and my focus was on understanding their character, not assessing their skills, which would come later. Evaluating someone’s character extends beyond their words or perceived reputation; it's about observing their consistent actions and behaviours over time. It’s essential to note the alignment between what they profess and their interactions, particularly with those in revenue-generating roles. I considered their body language and style of communication, along with the impressions they left on those who knew them closely. Character encompasses more than mere attitude, it reflects an individual’s fundamental values, virtues, and moral fibre. I aimed to identify patterns that reveal the true essence of a person, not just the fa?ade they present temporarily. Concentrating on their actions over time would give me a clearer, more accurate insight into their underlying character and suitability for a specific role or situation. So I understood that while I might make the right call for most of the roles, only time would tell if I’d made the correct call for all of them. More on that in later chapters.

Boot Camp

"I’ve learnt more in 4 months here than 3 years in university”, Wesley Highfield. So what did we cover:

1. Foundational Sales Training: Fundamental sales concepts and techniques.

a. Suk Gill: sales coach and trainer

2. Altify Complex Sales Training: Advanced strategies for complex sales situations

a. Martin Willard: Sales Effectiveness and Leadership Coach

3. Consulting Skills: Enhancing consultancy abilities for a more client-focused approach.

a. Paul Millerd: Curious Human & Writer | Author of The Pathless Path

4. Negotiation Skills: Techniques for effective negotiation.

a. Jan Potgieter: Superpowers For Business Negotiators.

5. Finance for Non-Finance: Basic financial concepts and applications in sales.

a. Kyle Attawar: Head of Commerical and super genius

6. Salesforce User Training: Comprehensive training on using Salesforce effectively.

a. Mohammed Sabbir Ahmed: Salesforce guru

7. Book Club: Discussions on sales and strategy literature for continuous learning.

a. Hope Is Not a Strategy – Rick Page

b. Influence – Robert Cialdini

8. Mentoring & Coaching: Personalised guidance and skill enhancement.

a. Me

9. Final stage: account plan, customer presentation and Q&A

a. char.gy board and C-suite

This was on top of learning about the market and competition and building account plans to understand the “wicked problems” of our customers. No wonder we were all exhausted

Our journey begins

So, as I look back on these first 6 months, I see a roller coaster rather than a smooth road. Those who made it to this stage deserved their badge and the “certified consultant” title. Their journey is just beginning, skills may have been acquired, but mastery will take time, resilience, perseverance and a growth mindset. I do not doubt that as we look ahead, the roller coaster journey will continue for them, me and us; the difference is that we will all now have our hands in the air, thrilled to embrace the challenge.

This dramatic change and accelerated personal growth could not have happened without much help and support. This starts at the top with the board and the executive team, providing the foundation of support to address our own “wicked problems”. Collaboration from other functions is required to embrace the changes and improve communication. It requires world-class recruitment and training to find the right people and equip them with the right skills. So, I’d like to thank those who have supported our journey so far.