The Benefits of Sales “Never” Management – What is that? Find Out HERE: Sandler Training

 

 

Written by Hamish Knox; President of Sandler in Calgary, Canada

Creating accountable, sales focused organizations in Calgary

 

 

A few weeks ago a client came in for a training session looking a little down. Gently asking what was up, they shared that their sales team hadn’t been accountable to doing a new activity that my client, their manager, implemented the week before.

After learning what they had already tried to do to get their team back on track and alleviate their frustration, I suggested asking their team “how do we never have this conversation again?”

“How do we never have this conversation again” when delivered gently in the face of excuse making from employees seeking to dodge accountability has the following benefits.

1. You recruit them in fixing the problem caused by their lack of accountability, which reduces the likelihood of them being unaccountable for that same task or activity in the future. If they do miss their accountability again they may be seeking negative strokes from you to get their emotional needs met.
2. You reinforce your expectations around behavioral performance, which enhances your corporate culture.
3. You save time because you make clear to your employees that you won’t get sucked into their game of “managing up.”

When you do have a “never” conversation to make sure it sticks:

1. Confirm with each person in the conversation that they understand the actions you and they will take based on your conversation.
2. Confirm that they will do those actions and by when they will start (and complete if applicable).
3. Co-create consequences for not keeping their commitment by their implementation date.
4. Circulate a message among the conversation participants that lays out in clear language exactly what each of you will do, by when and what the consequences will be for not taking action.
5. Schedule another conversation, before this conversation ends, in -1-2 weeks (depending on implementation dates) to check-in and celebrate successes, discuss learnings and/or implement consequences.

A manager’s only valuable is their time. Save both your time and emotional energy by having a “never” conversation the first time an employee doesn’t keep their accountability.

Until next time… go lead.

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