From Good to Great: How Talent Shapes High-Performing Sales Teams

Today, I'd like to share an inspiring story I recently encountered. It's about a seasoned Sales Leader who recognized the importance of self-improvement, even after years of experience. This leader had a remarkable ability to motivate their team but identified a personal challenge when it came to handling emotionally charged situations. They opened up about a recent incident where their emotions got the best of them when dealing with an equally emotional individual. Despite this misstep, what stood out was their keen self-awareness and determination to learn from the experience. This dedication to self-improvement is a hallmark of great leadership.

This story is a perfect segue into today's focus on the Talent approach in our Team STEP Playbook series. A while back, we introduced the four key habits that underpin the success of Sales Leaders. Today, we delve deep into the Talent lever, exploring how to cultivate and nurture the skills and capabilities essential for building a high-performing sales team.

Recap of the Four Key Habits:

Our journey started with a focus on four pivotal habits for sales leaders. The first is having a documented and easy-to-follow sales process. The second, the Team STEP Playbook, encompassing three key levers: Strategy, Talent, and Energy, culminating in Peak Performance. The third habit is the use of clear and concise performance metrics. Lastly, the fourth habit involves long-term training and coaching for continuous improvement.

While we've already delved into the importance of a well-structured sales process, today, we center our discussion on the Talent lever within the Team STEP Playbook.

Nurturing Your Sales Team's Talent:

Unlike the Strategy lever, which we explored earlier, the Talent lever requires continuous attention. It's not a daily focus, but it's essential to have a monthly commitment to talent development.

Let's begin by drawing inspiration from a quote by Richard Branson: "Train people well enough so they can't leave, treat them well enough so they don't want to." This underscores the significance of investing in your team's growth and ensuring they feel valued within your organization. Building an exceptional sales team isn't as simple as recruiting talent; it's about shaping and nurturing them.

The Art of Talent Blending:

Great sales teams are not just a result of recruiting individual talents. Much like assembling a sports team, you often need a blend of experience and youth. Seasoned professionals impart their wisdom to emerging talent, accelerating their growth. In turn, newer members infuse enthusiasm, keeping the experienced ones on their toes. This synergy is the secret sauce to a high-performing sales team.

Focusing on Talent Development:

Successful sales leaders dedicate a considerable portion of their time to coaching and talent development. Teams that learn and grow together stay together. A culture of continuous learning is essential for team cohesion and sustained success.

Now, let's dive into the critical levers of the Talent approach:

• Sales Skills: What types of sales skills are crucial for your team? Do you need hunters, farmers, or a mix of both? Are you focusing on inbound or outbound lead generation?
• Technical Skills: Assess the level of technical knowledge your team needs, both within and outside the sales team. This determines the training and recruitment approach.
• Business Skills: Identify the key non-technical skills necessary for your team. Negotiation, cold calling, and presentation skills are just a few examples.
• Experience Levels: Balance junior and senior team members, making sure to bridge any gaps to ensure team growth.
• Team Training Program: Develop a consistent and reliable training program, ideally with a balance of formal training (10%), coaching (20%), and in-field experience (70%). Check out this great FREE resource that will help map out your team training.
• Mindset Training: Invest in programs that improve your team's mindset and mental health. A positive mindset is vital for peak performance. For more on this, check out Primely.
• Team Culture: Shape a positive team culture through shared norms and values, emphasizing continuous learning and improvement.
• Negotiation Principles and Delegations: Clearly define what your team can and cannot negotiate, empowering them while maintaining control.
• Remuneration Structure: Determine the remuneration structure, such as fixed and variable components, and communicate it transparently to your team.
• Leadership: Ensure a balance of leadership within the sales team, both formally and informally.
• Market Changes: Encourage your team to collect market data, stay informed about competitors, and share insights. Adaptability is key.
• Objection Handling: Continually focus on how your team handles objections and the effectiveness of their methods.
• Leveraging Support: Determine when and how your team should leverage support from technical or industry experts, suppliers, and partners.
• Self-Learning: Promote a culture of self-learning, encouraging your team to read, listen, interact, and teach.
• Closing Strategies: Develop effective closing strategies and ensure that all team members are proficient in closing deals.
• One-to-One Templates: Establish consistent one-to-one meeting templates, making them time-efficient and focused on troubleshooting and coaching.
• Coaching Model: Define a coaching model, such as the GROW model, to help your team grow and develop their skills.

These talent levers contribute to the talent approach within the Team STEP Playbook.

To master this approach:

• Map out the competencies you need in your team.
• Consult senior team members and stakeholders for guidance.
• Make training a part of everything you do.
• Embed the talent lever in one-on-ones, training programs, and team interactions.

I recently put out a Training Calendar checklist & template to help simplify your training needs, providing editable content to help you develop your team. This resource will be a valuable addition to your talent lever – take a look, and reach out if I can help!

Eager for more insights?

I've got so much more to share with you on the Stronger Sales Teams Podcast – with new episodes dropping weekly, listen in today!

About the Author

Hi, I’m Ben

I’m a builder of incredible sales teams, trainer, coach and an avid believer that the best sales leaders are constantly sharpening their tools to achieve an ‘edge’.

[email protected]