“You don’t get what you expect, you get what you accept.”
That was a phrase I’d heard many times, and my brain was screaming it as I sat in on my first sales meeting at a division I’d just taken over.
A sales manager had just told my VP of Sales she wasn’t going to hit her forecast. To my surprise, he was quite accepting of that fact.
Suddenly, I realized why this team hadn’t hit their numbers in 4 years. In a word, it was accountability – in fact a stunning lack of it.
I quickly jumped in, asking how we could get back on track, and what help I could offer. The sales manager’s reaction clearly told me this was a discussion which rarely happened. What followed was a healthy discussion and a corrective action plan.
After the meeting I made it clear to the VP of Sales what my expectations were and that I wasn’t happy with what I’d just seen.
Over time, we were able to change the culture and get the business turned around – in large part due to shifting the culture of accountability.
The lessons for leaders are:
· Culture is very much a function of what leaders are willing to accept
· Set clear expectations about what you will and won’t accept
· Lead by example – model the behavior you want
· It’s not OK to criticize people - roll up your sleeves and provide the help your team needs
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