Category: Uncategorised

In last week’s blog, we discussed ‘The Challenger Sale’ by Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson, and discussed how their research had uncovered five different types of sales reps:

 The Hard Worker

The Challenger

The Relationship Builder

The Lone Wolf

The Reactive Problem Solver

This week, we explore which of these sales types their research showed was the most successful in terms of sales performance.

As discussed, their research compared top / star performers to those in the ‘core performance’ bracket. Interestingly, when the performance of core performers was reviewed, it was a relatively even spread across all sales types. 

“No profile dominates among average sales reps”

However, whilst the research indicated there was no specific profile for core performance, it actually indicated that one type stood ‘head and shoulders’ above the others in terms of performance.

 You’ve probably already guessed which based on the title of the book, it was of course: The Challenger

 Nearly 40% of high performers in the research displayed ‘The Challenger’ characteristics.

So, why is this profile so much more successful?

As we discussed last week, Challengers like to debate, teach and provide new ways of thinking. The most significant traits identified to their success were:

• Offers the customer unique perspectives
• Has strong two-way communication skills
• Knows the individual customer’s value drivers
• Can identify economic drivers of the customer’s business
• Is comfortable discussing money
• Can pressure the customer

Moving on through their research, Dixon and Adamson realised that these characteristics could be put into three categories – which they believe sum up the key abilities of a Challenger:

 The Challenger is defined by their ability to do three things: Teach, tailor and take control.

• Because they have a unique perspective on the customer’s business and strong two-way communication skills, they can teach for differentiation during the sales process
• Because they know the customer’s value and economic drivers, they can tailor for resonance
• Because they are comfortable discussing money and can apply pressure to the customer, they can take control of the sale

If you want to learn more in the meantime, the book can be purchased here about B07SG7LNS3.

Today, we finish our discussion around our latest Lockdown read, ‘The Five Dysfunctions of a Team’ by Patrick Lencioni.

If you didn’t catch our first four blogs, around Absence of Trust, Fear of Conflict, Lack of Commitment and Avoidance of Accountability, they can be found here.

This week, we will explore the next dysfunction:

 Dysfunction Five: Inattention to Results

Lencioni believes that the ultimate dysfunction can be for team members to care about something other than the collective goals of the group. He adds:

“An unrelenting focus on specific objectives and clearly defined outcomes is a requirement for any team that judges itself on performance.”

Lencioni points out that results in this context are not just limited to financial measures – but also the goals and objectives that are set along the way.

So, is ‘Inattention to results’ a dysfunction of your team?

 Here are some of the traits of teams with an inattention to results:

• The team is easily distracted
• The company rarely defeats their competitors
• The company and team stagnates – and loses achievement-orientated employees

So, if we know this is a dysfunction of our team, how can we address it?

Lencioni suggests some of the below tools:

Public declaration of results: Lencioni suggests that a good way to increase focus on results is to publicly commit to intended success. He believes that teams who do this, are more likely to work with a passion and focus to achieve these results. Teams that say “we’ll do our best” rather than commit to a specific result are already preparing themselves for failure.

Results based rewards: Lencioni believes that an effective way to focus team members on results is to their some of their rewards / compensation to the achievement of specific outcomes. Allowing someone to take home a bonus when results have not been achieved sends a message to the company that achieving outcomes might not be important.

 And what if you are the leader of a team where there is an inattention to results?

Lencioni believes that the leader must set the tone for a focus on results. If the team members see that the leader doesn’t place importance on achieving results, it gives them a pass to do the same. The leader should also ensure that rewards and recognition are for those on the team who have contributed to the achievement of the team goals.

Over the last few months, achieving results may have seemed harder than ever.

Have the goals and targets you set for the team been forgotten about?

Have you accepted a “we’ll do our best in the current climate” approach?

Have you created a new set of targets or left the team drifting?

Or perhaps your team hasn’t experienced an inattention to results at all – in which case Lencioni would expect you have seen some of the below advantages:

• The team have avoided distractions
• You have retained the achievement-orientated employees
• You have enjoyed success
• You have minimised individualistic behaviours in the team

We hope you have enjoyed our exploration of Lencioni’s work – if you want to learn more about this subject, the book can be purchased here about 0787960756.

Today, we continue our discussion around our latest Lockdown read, ‘The Five Dysfunctions of a Team’ by Patrick Lencioni.

If you didn’t catch our first three blogs, around Absence of Trust, Fear of Conflict and Lack of Commitment, they can be found here about The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: Part IV.

This week, we will explore the next dysfunction:

 Dysfunction Four: Avoidance of Accountability

Lencioni believes that in the context of a team, accountability refers to the:

 “Willingness of team members to call their peers on performance or behaviours that might hurt the team.”

Whilst he appreciates it might not be politically correct, Lencioni discussed that the most effective and efficient way of maintaining high standards in a team is peer pressure – believing there is nothing more effective that the fear of letting down respected teammates to motivate people to improve their performance.

Lencioni discusses that there can be a tendency to avoid difficult conversations within a team, for fear of upsetting personal relationships – which is exactly where an avoidance of accountability can come from.

 So, is ‘Avoidance of Accountability’ a dysfunction of your team?

Here are some of the traits of teams with an avoidance of accountability:

• Deadlines and key deliverables are missed
• Mediocrity in the team is encouraged
• There are different standards for performance across the team – leading to resentment amongst team members

 So, if we know this is a dysfunction of our team, how can we address it?

Lencioni suggests some of the below tools:

Publication of Goals and Standards: Lencioni suggests that a good way to increase accountability in a team is to clarify publicly what the team needs to achieve, who needs to deliver what and how everyone must behave in order to succeed. By removing any ambiguity about goals, agreements are visible and not easily ignored.  

Regular Progress Reviews: Lencioni believes that team members should regularly communicate with each other, giving feedback on each other’s behaviours and performance. To ensure that this happens, he suggests having a structure in place to help the team do this – otherwise it is likely to be avoided.

Team Rewards: By moving rewards away from an individual to a team-based performance, the team will create a culture of accountability. With the reward being team-based, individuals will be less likely to allow a peer to under-perform or not pull their weight.  

 And what if you are the leader of a team where there is an avoidance of accountability?

Lencioni believes that managing this dysfunction can be difficult for a leader as they must balance being able to instil accountability into the team, whilst ensuring it is the team members who are the ones holding each other accountable, not deferring to the leader to do this task. By creating this culture of accountability, the leader should only need to intervene when the team itself has failed in the task.

 Over the last few months, more of us have started working remotely.

Has this impacted how your team are interacting and their levels of accountability to each other?

Has working remotely given some ‘room to hide’ in relation to their actions?

Have key deadlines been missed with limited challenge as to why?

Has a level of mediocrity settled across the team?

Or perhaps your team hasn’t experienced an avoidance of accountability at all – in which case Lencioni would expect you have seen some of the below advantages:

• Poor performers have felt pressure to improve
• There is a high level of respect amongst team members
• Potential problems have been resolved quickly by questioning each other’s approach without hesitation
• Excessive bureaucracy has been avoided.

 
Next week, we will explore the fifth dysfunction that Lencioni identified: Inattention to Results.

If you want to learn more about this subject, the book can be purchased here about 0787960756.

Today, we continue our discussion around our latest Lockdown read, ‘The Five Dysfunctions of a Team’ by Patrick Lencioni.

If you didn’t catch our first two blogs, around Absence of Trust and Fear of Conflict, they can be found here about The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: Part III.

This week, we will explore the next dysfunction:

 Dysfunction Three: Lack of Commitment

Lencioni believes that in the context of a team, commitment is a function of two things: Clarity and buy-in.

He believes that the biggest causes for a lack of commitment are:

Consensus: Lencioni believes that a great team understand that people do not need to get their own way in order to support a decision, but do need to know that their opinions were listened to and considered before that final decision was made.

Certainty: Lencioni advises that “A decision is better than no decision”. He believes that great teams understand this and will therefore fully commit to a decision once it is made. If it proves to be wrong, the same level of commitment will be shown to the new decision. This level of certainty prevents the team being paralysed by indecision and stops a lack of confidence spilling across the team.

 So, is ‘Lack of Commitment’ a dysfunction of your team?

 Here are some of the traits of teams with a lack of commitment:

• The same discussions and decisions are revisited again and again
• There is ambiguity in the team around direction and priorities
• Opportunities are missed due to excessive analysis and associated delay

 So, if we know this is a dysfunction of our team, how can we address it?

Lencioni suggests some of the below tools:

Cascading messaging: Lencioni suggests that at the end of each meeting, key decisions are reviewed and agreement is made on what needs to be communicated to the wider team. By following this process, it will identify any decisions where the team are not actually ‘on the same page’ so that this can be addressed before the meeting ends. By confirming which decisions are to be communicated and how, it also ensures that all staff receive the same consistent message.

Deadlines: A simple but incredibly effective tool is to have a clear deadline for when a decision needs to be made by – which is adhered to. Lencioni suggests not only having final deadlines, but also issuing them for key milestones and intermediate decisions, to keep focus.  

Worse-Case Scenario Analysis: Where a team are struggling to make a decision, Lencioni suggests clarifying the worse-case scenario – this will typically allow the team to reduce any fears associated with making the decision and they realise that should the decision be incorrect, it is probably less damaging than they might have initially believed.

 And what if you are the leader of a team where there is a lack of commitment?

Lencioni believes that the leader must be the most comfortable in the team with potentially making a wrong decision – this will then allow them to push for the team for closure on various issues, whilst ensuring they are adhering to the agreed deadlines for these decisions. 

Over the last 12 weeks, every business has faced a time of uncertainty.

Perhaps there have needed to be decisions around furloughing staff?

Perhaps there have needed to be decisions around cutting costs?

Perhaps there have needed to be decisions around new sales and business development plans?

What will have been the consistent for everyone, is that we are in unprecedented times – did this cause your team to lose commitment to decisions?

Have you been in ‘Ground-hog day’ meetings, where the same items are debated again and again – with no clear decision?

Have the wider team been impacted – are they still clear on the company vision, long-term and short-term plans? Or is there now ambiguity across departments?

Or perhaps your team hasn’t experienced a lack of commitment – in which case Lencioni would expect you have seen some of the below advantages:

• You have taken advantage of opportunities before competitors do
• The whole team is aligned around common objectives
• There is clarity for all around direction and priorities
• The company is moving forward without hesitation – but also has an ability to learn from mistakes

Next week, we will explore the fourth dysfunction that Lencioni identified: Avoidance of Accountability. If you want to learn more about this subject, the book can be purchased here about 0787960756.