Don't Tell Them They're Accountable!

Fridays are notorious for destroying work ethic, because I want to go home and spend time with my family! Friday mornings are usually full of weekly recap meetings and the office is usually a ghost town come 4:30 p.m.... and that's perfectly okay!

My team is still has productive as they were on Wednesday morning, because they know what they have to accomplish before the week ends. Each member of my sales team and office staff completely understands what a 'good day' looks like, because we have outlined what success looks like.

It wasn't always like this, and we still have a lot of room for improvement! Our team has gone through some revolutionary change since I stepped into my role as Head of National Accounts, but no one brings up how 'things were so much simpler back when...'. This isn't because of any stellar performances, or because I did anything drastic to evoke some big pivot in department culture. It has changed because of the people I have on my team and the power they have to control the outcome of their day.

We just simply have the right people in the department that feel accountable for their actions and performance. They are so sure in what they have to accomplish because they have the following:

• The right skills, tools, and resources to get the job done.
• Very clear Expectations of their role.
• Key Performance Indicators to know that the actions they do on a daily basis are leading to a 'Job Well Done'

The right skills, tools, and resources are provided by hiring the right people, firing the wrong people, and providing training and attention to areas in which each employee could use improvement. This might sound very 'Black and White' but, have the right talent is key to success and as I have mentioned in other articles... the wrong people can destroy an amazing team.

Expectations are what most people call 'Metrics'. Each of my reps understand they are responsible for 'X' amount of Dollars billed each year. My Vendor Management Coordinator knows they are solely responsible for the compliance of documents in their systems to make sure we don't lose money or miss payments... and I could go down the whole line of employees in my department.

Key Performance Indicators are often neglected and considered the same thing as metrics and there might be some overlap in how they look, but outcomes are quite differently. To explain, if I hired a Salesperson and told them that they are responsible for bringing in 4 new accounts per month and maintaining profitability, how likely do you think they are to be successful?

Now, if I said to that same Salesperson... "Linda, in a daily basis you are responsible for 30 cold calls to introduce the brand, keeping your list of available prospects over 200, and checking in with each current customer, weekly that we service, to ensure they have received their shipments"

...then I ended the conversation with...

"We typically see 4 new accounts converted per month off your list of 200 doing the 30 calls and that customer satisfaction, the highest driver for profitability, is greater when you check in each week. So that's the reasoning on why the expectation is 30 cold calls, 200 prospects, and weekly check-ins."

Even though these are very crude examples, you will see a drastic difference in performance off of the individuals who have clear defined KPI's.

Lets recap on what the difference is...

Metrics

• 4 New Accounts Per Month
• Be Profitable

KPIs

• 30 Cold Calls (Daily)
• A Maintained List of 200 Prospects
• Weekly Client Check-Ins

The KPIs are designed to let the person know that all they have to achieve each day are the exact numbers and that they will be hitting metrics. If my Salesperson follows each of my KPIs and doesn't hit the annual metrics... then, I have failed as their leader and need to reevaluate what success looks like.

When Metrics and KPIs don't align you have one of two issues:

1. The KPIs do not indicate success and the tasks assigned do not create the desired outcome.
2. I have not provided the skills, tools, and resources to the Salesperson to properly conduct what is expected of them.

Each of my department's have clear defined KPIs on what they need to achieve each day that will help in satisfying their Metrics; which, ties directly to the Metrics and Goals of the company as a whole.

My job here is to understand that problems that arise on a daily basis and either remove the obstacles they face or help the team members use their own problem solving skills to tackle their difficulties. It is my responsible to motivate my team and provide the right coaching and training for them to accomplish their own goals. When times get tough, I am accountable for my team and I'm willing to roll up my sleeves and do the dirty work with them.

Back at the office, our meetings are short, we check statuses and see how people are doing, our training is intensive and challenging, and our days are productive. We don't have to talk about holding each other accountable, because we all know what is expected. I don't have to tell anyone they're accountable because the proof is in the work. All we ask is that you hit all of your KPIs and care for the other members of your team; for we are all in this, together.