We do live in a Miracle, a Universe and we can get caught up in controlling outcomes. It’s not our job. Many CEO’s and Sales Leaders that I first meet are caught up in the “what did you close lately” mentality. They spend time looking at the daily sales numbers for their team and all their talk is about the numbers and close ratios. This kind of misdirected leadership focuses their sales teams strictly on outcomes. It puts pressure on sales people to just deliver without regard for quality and integrity. Just look at what happened to Wells Fargo. The pressure, from the top, led to sales contests to “stimulate” the sales team and the sales team had so much pressure to perform, (outcomes), that they sacrificed integrity for the sake of bonuses and awards. Google “Wells Fargo improper sales activity” if you haven’t read about it. I doubt you missed it though. Focusing on outcomes cost them dearly, dinging their reputation.
“Well Steve, you may be asking, what should the focus be on…?
Behavior. Our behavior and the behavior of our sales teams. Good leaders are teaching their teams to manage their behaviors for success. Good behaviors lead to good outcomes. Instead of asking what did you close lately… teach your teams to work from the end in mind. Build a list of ideal future clients from your existing customers who love you and are most profitable. Then start asking “who on our ideal future client list did you meet this week? What did you talk about? What can we help them with? Did they have a significant reason to change? Detaching from outcomes can help sales teams actually care about your customers as opposed to the “Wells Fargo” method… I call it “commission breath”… they were so focused on outcomes that they had no concern whatsoever for their customers… only their own goals. Their behavior includes having integrity and keeping their word. You get what you give in a cause and effect world, which in itself is the best argument to manage the behavior of your team.
The amazing results my clients have gotten over the past 20 years is testimony to managing behaviors and not outcomes. You can speak to them if you wish. Many have been with my coaching and training for over 16 years… it takes a commitment to change behaviors and reinforcement … over time because people tend to revert back to old default patterns without it.
Because it’s just plain easier to ask “what did you close lately”? as opposed to “let’s build a behavior program of success together…” and I have no attachment to the outcome of this blog post. I just do what I am committed to doing… that is what I can control.
Gratefully yours,
Steve
