Now, more than ever, it is critical to get your team involved in your planning process. Times are tough right now (I’m sure you needed me to tip you off!). Whatever you’re selling, it is harder than ever to close business. And you’re probably tinkering with your sales team to adjust to this new environment we are in today. Perhaps you’re going farther than just “tinkering”, too. Anything between a complete restructuring and “tinkering” is probably where virtually everyone is these days.
So why get your team involved? You’re the Sales Manager afterall, right? You have earned the right to make all of the decisions afterall. Right?
Uhhh…no. And here is why.
First of all, you don’t have a monopoly on all of the good ideas out there. The sooner you realize this, the better. Set your ego aside and focus on making the best decision no matter where the ideas come from. Your team is on the frontlines and they will think of things that you don’t. They are doing it every day and have a view that you just don’t have. The collective view from your entire team offers a wealth of knowledge that should not be ignored.
Secondly, you will improve morale by involving your team. I’m sure you need all the help you can get when it comes to morale anyway. Your team members will appreciate being asked for their opinions by their Sales Manager. They will feel better about you and your company and that alone will earn you increased productivity.
Thirdly, people (Well, almost everyone.) care about decisions that impact their futures. Don’t you want to weigh in on any decision that is going to impact you? Of course. Your team feels the same way. This ties into my second point regarding improved morale. Teams work better when they operate like one. You want your team members to care about what happens and they will care a lot more if you invite them into the decision making process. If you show them that you care then they will, too. Morale will be better and so will your sales results.
Finally, and most importantly, the best way to ensure success is for your team to believe in what you’re doing. You need their buy-in. If they are part of the planning process and have helped build the plan then they will believe in it and execute it far better than a plan they had nothing to do with creating.
Do you have to take everyone’s feedback and recommendations? Of course not. And it will help to tell them that upfront so their expectations are set accordingly. Ultimately your job is to make the very best decision for the team as a whole. But your job is also to be successful. Get your team involved and that success will follow.
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