Get the power of unity and diversity working for you! To build a great sales team, you need to hire a talented and diverse team… and then unify them with a common purpose.
Let’s start with the diversity part. Each time you have an opening in your sales department, analyze the job, and develop a list of the talents the job requires.
Talents are different than skills. Skills can be taught, talent can’t. Talents are things like being curious and caring. Skills that can be taught include how to find prospects and how to approach prospects for the first time. If you create a list of talents required for the position, and commit to hiring someone who fits your specs, you will end up with a diverse and talented team.
Once you have a talented team, the best way to unify the group is to have common core values and a clear reason for being. If you don’t have a “reason for being,” involve the team and come up with a short statement that communicates the essence of what you do that brings value to clients. Then determine the values that guide your team on a daily basis (things like quality or responsiveness).
To learn more about the importance of balancing these core values against your goals, take a look at our Performance Prism. For a self-assessment that will help you identify growth opportunities in your organization, download 30 Provocative Questions.
John Henley is Chief Operating Officer at The Center for Sales Strategy.
