One of the great privileges of working in the sales and sales leadership space is that I have the opportunity of working with wonderful people across multiple industries, people from different backgrounds and people with varying levels of experience and capability. And irrespective of the individual’s capability, there is one key ingredient that will either enhance or hinder their ability to achieve sustainable results. This one ingredient is the environment.

It is disappointing to see people of high potential attempting to apply their sales trade in an environment that has not been set up for success. A telling example of this took place this week. I am working with a person who is brand new to sales, and whilst he is exceptionally excited about the prospect of forging a successful sales career, he is not operating in an environment that has been created to maximise success.

When I first started working with him, I asked him to describe his initiation and on boarding process to the role. This was his reply, verbatim; ‘I was handed a spreadsheet with the names and account numbers of 300 customers and ex customers, and told “go sell”’. This was the extent of his on boarding and training. There was no account handover, no background provided in many cases, no contact name, and certainly, no sales training. I was staggered that an organisation of reputable size could have an indoctrination process for a new sales person lacking just about every fundamental. The upside was at least the company now recognised the need for some sales training and sales coaching, however, sales training and coaching could be so much more effective if a strong and solid foundation was first in place. Continue Reading