We have found that the most successful organizations focus not just on setting goals but on identifying the specific behaviors that drive those goals. They recognize that achieving success isn’t just about chasing outcomes — it’s about defining the daily actions that lead to those outcomes. By focusing on what individuals can control, such as their habits, routines, and sales activities, these organizations create a powerful recipe for collective success.
Consider this: many sales leaders may be tackling the wrong end of the challenge. They often find themselves engrossed in spreadsheets, call sheets, and revenue reports, managing numbers rather than behavior. It's a common scenario – identifying who's on track, who's not, and setting quotas that are met with resistance. Salespeople express doubt about reaching these quotas, and what's missing is a clear path on how to achieve these targets.
The key insight here is that people can't manage anything they can't control. Salespeople can't control the yes's and no's, the actions of the competition, or the unpredictable shifts in the economy. What they can control, however, is their behavior.
As a sales leader, consider this approach:
- Convert Revenue Goals into Behavioral Plans: Transform revenue goals into actionable plans – a recipe for success or a cookbook. This entails outlining daily, weekly, and monthly activities that individuals can control, providing a tangible roadmap for success.
- Shift Focus from What to How: While most people understand the "what" (the revenue goal), they often lack clarity on the "how." The cookbook bridges this gap, offering a guide on the daily behaviors needed to attain success.
- Cultivate a Culture of Accountability: By defining daily tasks and creating a culture of accountability, individuals gain a sense of responsibility and control over their destiny.
Beyond the practical benefits, such as creating a roadmap, this approach also positively impacts the psyche of salespeople. Understanding the daily actions required to achieve success provides a sense of accomplishment, even on days when a sale isn't made. This reverse-engineered sales process ensures that, mathematically, hitting the numbers is inevitable.
In sales, where losses often outnumber wins, a cookbook becomes a valuable tool for maintaining self-esteem. By implementing a cookbook not only for your sales team but also for yourself as a sales leader, you'll likely witness a significant boost in your numbers. It's time to shift the focus from managing results to managing the behaviors that drive success.
