Crafting Your Team Playbook: Empowering Individuals to Drive Results
Outstanding leaders achieve results through their people. A motivated team tends to stick around longer, forms better client relationships, and navigates challenging situations with more ease. It's no secret that dedicated, high-performing employees are a treasure, yet it's surprising how many #leaders are well-versed in every detail of a client, project, or process, yet fall short in truly understanding what motivates their team. This is an opportunity begging for attention!
As someone with a commercial leadership background, I'll be sharing examples that will resonate with client-facing executives, but remember, these principles are applicable to all.
When I work with #salesleaders, I liken team engagement to an internal account playbook, detailing key interactions that ensure a robust 'renewal rate'. By this, I mean teams that turn up consistently, eager to achieve their own goals while contributing to the wider organization's success. It's indeed a revelation for #managers to see how their external sales skills can be effectively utilized for internal leadership.
Common leadership missteps include:
Thinking hybrid can’t contribute to personal connection
Over-reliance on metrics
Believing only one model can work
Focusing on task management without adding value
Misunderstanding that caring about your team doesn't detract from results
When executed well, you can nurture authentic connections that endure over time, fostering a team that is driven to perform at their peak – for their own growth and for you.
This discussion fits snugly within my proprietary leadership framework at Promote Leaders, dubbed 'Intentionally Balanced Leadership'. Its five pillars are clarity, conscious action, connection, communication, and catalyst, all geared towards shaping executives into leaders others aspire to follow.
5-Step Tactical Playbook – Account Planning for Teams
Background & Expectations
Key Milestones & Goals
Quarterly Business Review
ROI Report
Multi-Year Deal
(1) During the interview process & their start (Clarity)
This stage is akin to giving a company background in an account plan, which includes background, baseline, growth trajectory, and hypothesized gaps. It's a crucial period to set the tone for your future relationship.
Leaders should communicate their strategy and expectations, and then ask their new team member:
How do they envision contributing?
What's the optimal environment for them to do their best work?
How can the leader recognize when they're stressed or overwhelmed?
How do they prefer to receive feedback?
What are their hopes for this role/experience?
Reinforce why they were chosen and the unique value they bring. DiSC or other assessments can be beneficial, but not essential.
Foster a relationship based on shared agreement and accountability.
The above presumes you've already conducted your 'market analysis' to identify the gaps within your team, the culture you aim to foster, and why someone would want to work for you.
(2) Optimizing 1:1s (Connection)
This is the key milestones page of your account plan. How are we progressing towards our goals? Are they still relevant? It's time to use those sharp discovery skills.
This is an opportunity for rapport building and reviewing upcoming personal milestones or goals.
Broaden the definition of a win. Encourage them to share monthly wins, process improvements, deal closures, and new connections.
Discuss their plan for achieving targets, areas of excitement, and potential challenges. This is also the time to set goals and reinforce expectations.
Encourage growth on their terms. If they could do one extra thing to achieve their target, what would that be?
Understand how you can support them. Do they need more independence or assistance?
If it's 'crunch time', like the end of a quarter or fiscal year, or the team is lagging, how can they contribute? Their responses will vary based on their strengths. Some may want to share best practices, others might plan a team event, or mentor a new hire.
(3) Providing Feedback (Communication)
This is your QBR with a client, a time to zoom out to ensure you're still on the same page, identify trends, celebrate successes, and pinpoint areas for improvement. This should be done at least quarterly, including the end-of-year review. The goal is to avoid any surprises at the annual review.
As a leader, solicit feedback. What do they need? Your response to their feedback is vital.
Reconfirm their goals and victories. Do you truly understand their motivators? Are you LISTENING? Pay attention to their words, body language, and tone.
Have you set meaningful and realistic milestones? Agree on next steps together.
Frame feedback in relation to what matters to them, not you. Show empathy but don't shy away from giving necessary feedback. Address issues directly.
Collaborate to understand what improvement and development look like, and what resources will be required.
Use DiSC/assessment sessions to identify communication styles that can help deliver tough messages in a manner that they will understand and accept.
(4) Rewards & Recognition (Conscious Action)
This is your ROI report, a chance to celebrate impact, encompassing both qualitative and quantitative metrics to highlight successes.
Leverage everything you've learned about their strengths and communication preferences to tailor rewards.
Expand the concept of a win/productivity. How can they help others, and what victories have they observed? Celebrate the process, not just the final outcome. What are your mutually agreed metrics of success?
Express gratitude sincerely. Occasionally highlight small accomplishments. Remember, it doesn't cost anything to be kind. A tight budget is no excuse.
How do they like to be rewarded? What was their most memorable team outing? What achievement would they proudly share with friends or family? Be open and flexible - rewards don't always have to be financial; perhaps they'd prefer skill development over a certificate.
Publicly acknowledge victories - in meetings, emails to senior leadership, or group slack channels.
(5) Assisting them in achieving personal goals (Catalyst)
This is like building a multi-year deal, assisting the client in driving change within their organization or personal lives.
What does your team member ultimately want to achieve?
Be supportive if their next step leads them outside your team.
How can you help them bridge skill or network gaps to reach their next phase?
How can they help you identify and groom the next generation of superstars?
Implementing these steps can help build a loyal, productive, and ambitious team, irrespective of the department or their level within an organization. If you're interested in discussing building this playbook for your team, schedule a complimentary session with me using this link.
https://calendly.com/promoteleaders/introduction