Barbara Hauser
Our guest post today comes from our Certified Partner in Southern Florida, Barbara Hauser.
No heroes need apply….
Yours is a small business with the passion and enthusiasm to grow and conquer bigger and better sales opportunities. You’re convinced that if you can make the major sales, you gain the momentum you need to make your big, hairy audacious goals for the year. No one can keep that commitment along – you need a team that’s set up to work together for success.
Jane, president and owner of a boutique travel consultancy, identified her short list of target large accounts for the year, and landed on a formula that netted her not only profit but a culture of collaboration that has helped her score home runs year after year.
MINDSET FOR THE BIG SALE
She started by making her beliefs as an entrepreneur explicit for her team. If you want to play this game, she said, you’ll buy into these beliefs:
“We’re all responsible for sales – period.”
“The promises one person makes to a client are our promises….”
“If somewhere along the line, we don’t know what to do next, we’ll figure it out – together!”
Jane’s got a no nonsense approach and knows that people are free to have their own thinking – but if you want to be on her team, these beliefs are not optional.
SKILLSET FOR THE BIG SALE
Jane created high standards for all her personnel and trained them on the basic skill sets for getting work done with others, including:
- careful listening (clarify, clarify, clarify)
- making clear requests (Will you get me the report by Wednesday, the 16th, before the end of business?)
- grounding your assessments (You’ve missed our last 2 meetings. When you came to the meeting on Thursday you didn’t bring your agenda. You have 5 inches of paperwork on your desk and when I ask for something you often can’t find it….I think you’re disorganized and that’s getting in the way of the team getting its work done. Does that sound about right?)
TOOLSET FOR THE BIG SALE
Jane makes it easy for staff to collaborate by setting up systems that support teamwork:
- Outlook for scheduling and confirming attendance to meetings and client calls
- Google Site for sharing key information
- All hands meetings for coordinating actions and managing accountability
- Open spaces for spontaneous brainstorming and problem solving
In my experience clients who carefully create the conditions for collaboration get the results and the satisfaction they’re looking for!
Barbara Hauser is a Whale Hunter partner and business coach located in South Florida. With over 20 years experience with business clients worldwide, she specializes in leadership and communication.
