Hey Sales RX'ers,

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2024 is off to a blazing start. Whether you're knee-deep in Katt Williams drama, or following investor headlines, you can see the crazy from 2023 is carrying over. This is why leadership is due for an overhaul to help better enable your sales team.

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The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. So here's some new fuel for your a/b testing fire when it comes to developing a high-performing sales team, that is bought into your GTM motions, decisions, and strategies.

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Striking the Balance

We've seen the pendulum swing between hard-nosed management and a more soft, people-centric approach. However, neither extreme is ideal. Sales leaders must aim for the middle ground, where they combine authentic leadership with operational rigor. This balance allows sales professionals to trust their leaders while still being pushed to excel.
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At The Sales Doctor, we always say be okay with “NO” but expect to hear why. Don’t try to get people to UNDERSTAND your position, but help them think critically about why you hold the beliefs you do. This creates a healthy dialogue in orgs to allow for more diverse viewpoints and help eliminate the tunnel vision most teams suffer from.
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The Power of Understanding

To embody authenticity via rigor, sales leaders must have a deep understanding of their business operations. This involves knowing how every dollar flows in and out, recognizing risks and opportunities, and communicating this knowledge succinctly to the sales team. When salespeople see that their leaders truly grasp the business's inner workings, trust and buy-in naturally follow.

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It goes hand in hand with raising quotas, or disputes about quota relief as it pertains to PTO. Guide reps through the business unit side of your team, and why things do or don’t happen. A great example is highlighting how their annual OTE factors into their annual quota targets.

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Making the Unpredictable Predictable

Unpredictability can be a significant source of anxiety for sales teams. The solution lies in maintaining a highly consistent flow of information. Monthly or quarterly meetings, where leaders transparently discuss financial performance and decision-making processes, can turn the unpredictable into the predictable. This transparency empowers teams to adapt and align with evolving strategies.
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When you pull back the books and aren’t afraid to share the hard data with your team, you can earn a new level of trust that most sales teams never experience. Make your team part of the conversation early and often.

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Conclusion

Authenticity via rigor is the winning formula. By striking the right balance between nurturing leadership and operational precision, sales leaders can inspire trust, transparency, and alignment within their teams. Embrace this approach to foster a culture of authenticity, making the unpredictable predictable, and ultimately achieving the best results as your sales team marches forward to hit their sometimes seemingly unsurpassable goals.

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Time to get prescriptive ya'll 🩺

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