Change the way your team THINKS to change the way your team SELLS

Hello Sales Reset Leader

When faced with the need to improve sales results, many sales team leaders' first response is to press the “MORE” button. More prospecting, more calls, more meetings, more proposals, etc.

It’s because we all know there’s a strong correlation between activity and results.

But how much effort goes into helping team members improve how they’re THINKING in comparison with what they’re DOING?

What impact might it have on your team’s results if you could help your team members think differently and better?

You might even find yourself pressing the button for: “More thinking, better thinking”!!

(Just so long as the thinking doesn’t compromise the need for sufficient activity!! 😀)

The rest of this email newsletter assumes you have read this week’s Weekly Sales Reset“:

• Title: Change the way you think to transform your sales results

• Subtitle: How to choose the values and mindsets that will deliver the best sales outcomes

How to improve your team's results this week

• Evidence of Values and Mindsets in Your Team

• Recommended Coaching Session Agenda for Better Val …

• Expected Pushback about Values and Mindsets

• Values and Mindsets Role-Play Recommendations

• Leadership Reflective Practice

Evidence of Values and Mindsets in Your Team

Our topic in this week’s newsletter is not typical for sales training.

Values and mindsets have only recently emerged as a significant theme for improving sales team performance. You may not have considered this topic deeply.

For the first time in these newsletters, we recommend that you review the evidence of your own values and mindsets.

It’s likely that you’ve been exposed to conventional sales training for longer than many of your team members. This means that it’s possible your values and mindsets might need some attention. You might find some of your long-held convictions are now in conflict with your current priorities and aspirations.

For instance, how often do you or your team members speak about “overcoming objections”?

Until very recently, overcoming objections was an unchallenged component of all sales training. At Sales Reset, we see “objection handling techniques” as one of the best examples of sales behaviours that are incompatible with coaching and co-creating proposals.

As you reflect on your own values and mindsets, you might choose to do the practical exercise at the end of this week’s Weekly Sales Reset yourself.

Then, think about each of the members of your team and plan how to coach them this week. Which value or mindset should each of your team members prioritise? What might they choose to do differently and intentionally this week to develop more appropriate values and mindsets?

Recommended Coaching Session Agenda for Better Values and Mindsets

Before leading your coaching sessions on values and mindsets, ask your team members to review the current edition of Weekly Sales Reset.

Give yourself time to reflect on WIIFM, “What’s in for me,” and empathise with your team members about how they might be sufficiently motivated to undertake the hard task of changing the way they think.

Here’s this week’s recommended coaching session agenda:

1. Start with a brief review of their experience and results from their previous coaching session.

2. Ask this team member for their observations about values and mindsets.

3. Together, review the evidence you found in your preparation with each team member.

4. Identify and prioritise a small range of specific practical things that this team member can do differently and better to develop better values and mindsets.

5. Spend some time role-playing (working with these guidelines).

6. Finish the coaching session with agreed and specific action conclusions.

Expected Pushback about Values and Mindsets

So you know what to expect and can be prepared, here are three areas of possible pushback from your team members on the theme of values and mindsets:

1. I’m confused: Perhaps a different way of stating this pushback is they don’t understand the difference between values and mindsets. If these are new ways of thinking about selling, it’s no wonder they’re confused! It will take time to develop sufficient understanding.

2. I don’t see the relevance: Some members of your team might see insufficient relevance to their selling role. Some might even reject the importance of seeking to improve values and mindsets.

3. I can’t change: Some team members might believe that change is unavailable to them for a range of reasons. How can you help them identify one area of available change and an associated small but worthwhile change that is available to them?

Now that you know these potential pushback areas, what are your best responses?

Values and Mindsets Role-Play Recommendations

1. Good Values vs. Bad Values: Choose a pair of contrasting values, such as “Focus on customer success” vs. “Focus on winning the business”. Role-play a typical sales conversation with the salesperson, emphasising the behaviours associated with each value.

2. Good Mindset vs. Bad Mindset: Choose a pair of contrasting mindsets, such as “Growth Mindset” vs. “Fixed Mindset.” Role-play a typical selling conversation with the salesperson, emphasising the behaviours associated with each mindset.

(You may find these recommendations about using role-play helpful.)

Leadership Reflective Practice

At the end of this week, ask yourself these key questions:

We hope you’ve found this edition of Sales Reset Leaders valuable.

Have a great week!

The Sales Reset Team

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