Selling.2.YES

January 2020

What we can learn from this Super Bowl (Go Niners!)

The parallels between a successful football team and a successful B2B sales org are freakishly strong – so strong that during this Super Bowl week, it’s fun to break it down in an interesting way beyond the obvious. Grit, determination, perseverance, and preparation are all words that obviously apply to both participating Super Bowl teams and successful sales orgs, but that’s not the half of it.

You won’t be thinking about your sales org when you’re watching my Niners destroy the Chiefs this upcoming Sunday, but maybe Monday morning there will be some parallels from the game that’ll hit you and change your outlook. While I was born five miles from Candlestick Park and was weaned on junk food served in those rickety stands watching the Niners, I’ll keep my passion for the scarlet and gold muted in case I have some Chiefs fans amongst my readership:

The assumed: teamwork (can we check the box and move on?). Everyone on the football team has to move independently and yet, together. Everyone is important and they have to pull their weight. Same with a sales org….operationally, tactically, strategically…everything has to function seamlessly.
Your red-flag challenge: “that’s a bunch of crock…I’ve seen successful teams consistently hit goals even when they’ve had dead-weight sellers…so NO, not everyone has to be “in synch”.
Post-game talking head analysis: so you cleared your goal by 5% and you’re dancing like you’re in the end-zone?? …what could you have done with a team where everyone’s pulling their weight? The job of every good head coach and sales leader is to get maximum value from everyone…even the guy/gal with the lowest quota (and perhaps skills) has to hit it for the team to be successful. (I guarantee there will be a non-starter/non-star player who makes a big impact this Sunday….and his team will need it badly.)

The assumed: strong leadership from the top is key, the Head Coach and CRO set the agenda on everything.
Your red-flag challenge: “my sales leader is a bozo and we’re still crushing it”.
Post-game talking head analysis: I don’t want to play in the Super Bowl once in a while, I want to be there every year. Consistency is the real game. Day in, day out. These two Super Bowl teams exhibited incredible consistency doing the things they had to do throughout the year, and now they get rewarded and will play in a title game. Leadership is everything…."bozos" don’t lead teams in Super Bowls. If your CRO - or even your line manager - is a bozo, figure a way to get some help and get him/her playing at a higher level. It may not happen overnight, but negligence in developing that individual means short-term and systemic trouble.

The assumed: the best communicators consistently beat quotas and create winning Super Bowl teams. I’m talking about in-depth, honest, specific one-to-one communication about responsibilities and performance expectations. Play-calling, go-to-market strategizing…all the same.
Your red-flag challenge: “they’re football players…they go out there and hit each other. Sellers target their prey, stalk and then attack …it’s not that complex.”
Post-game talking head analysis: it is complex….it’s very complex. Communication is the root of all foundationally good habits and the right habits breed winning. This Sunday, freeze your screen during a sideline shot and count how many headsets are being worn…and that’s just for game time communication. Think of the communication that goes into preparing to win a game….the battle doesn’t only occur on the battle-field, it’s behind the scenes during the pre-game. Put in the time to understand your plan, anticipate outcomes, and then go execute!

The assumed: “Nobody remembers the team who loses the Super Bowl.” “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” (Not trying to make my GB Packer friends feel even worse for losing two games to the Niners this year by a cumulative score of 74-28, but it wasn’t Vince Lombardi who originally said that, it was UCLA Football coach Red Sanders….just sayin’.) These are sayings by people who need to be heard…they’re shallow lines.
Your red-flag challenge: “…now we can agree on something...winning IS the only thing.”
Post-game talking head analysis: BULL-TWINKIES! If winning were the only thing, then how do we rank the lessons we learn during the losing? Why does winning elicit such extreme elation? Many times my sales teams have missed our number and yet the effort, brain-power, teamwork, and individual effort I witnessed was herculean; in those instances I’ve been more proud of the application of skill and individual effort than whether or not we “won”. (And I’d argue our number was too high most of those times!!) The Niners were 4-12 last year and our goal this year was just to make the playoffs….we’re playing with house money!!! But I’m seeing foundation-setting for many years of winning ahead and THAT’S as motivating as winning on Sunday. (But don’t get me wrong……!)

Yes, winning shines a light on my value and achievement, but losing makes me feel human. Yes, winning is fun, and losing is painful. Yes, winning brings rewards, and losing sometimes brings unpleasant repercussions. But if winning truly IS the only thing, then I need to change my vocation and find other sports to follow.

Here’s one thing that won’t change if my Niners lose on Sunday (which they won’t)….my dedication and commitment to them. That same enthusiasm and passion drives a lot of good when applied to your selling team too, no matter quota attainment percentages or all the fumbles and interceptions along the way.

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Selling.2.YES is the monthly newsletter published by Core 6 Management Advisors to enlighten, motivate and stimulate all of us sellers and sales managers on topics that need our attention.

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Selling.2.YES

January 2020

What we can learn from this Super Bowl (Go Niners!)

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