Lessons in Leadership: Winning Behavior

Top sales management leaders set clear goals, standards, and measurements for the members of their sales team. One goal of performance coaching is to build MVP, or most valuable player, employees. Using MVP behaviors along with position descriptions, sales managers are able to produce results and improve team cooperation.

This next Lesson in Leadership shows you how to introduce MVP behaviors to your sales team.

We live and work in a world where we are all, at least to some extent, co-dependent.

Everything of value we will ever accomplish will in some way involve other people.

In many ways, a company is very much like a community. Regardless of our department we are dependent on others to perform their functions and responsibilities so our work may have true substance and value. The relationships we have with our co-workers, managers, and other departments can either enhance our opportunity for achievement and happiness on the job or hinder it. Many of us may actually spend more time with the people with whom we work with than we do with our own families. And yet in some cases, these work relationships are strained. This commonly occurs because of someone’s inappropriate or un-adult like behavior.

 

Indifference kills relationships.

Whenever an employee disregards the feelings or needs of his or her co-workers, the almost inevitable outcome will be relationship tension. If that tension is allowed to exist too long without being addressed or repaired the result can be a strained or broken relationship. There are many reasons for this difference in the workplace. We believe the most common catalyst for this irritable tension between co-workers is caused when someone doesn’t possess a broad enough understanding or concern of how personal actions and behaviors impact other people. If this condition exists in any employee, that person may feel it’s less important to consider the possible impact on others before taking action.

A common example of this in the workplace is when an employee makes a decision selfishly. If an employee makes a decision without considering the impact it may have on co-workers, chances are someone’s job is likely to become more difficult. This can cause frustration for the affected department’s employees and substantial friction in the relationship gears.

 

I am responsible for 50% of all my relationships.

We all have a responsibility to conduct ourselves in a professional and adult manner when interacting with other people. Every relationship in the world requires both parties to exhibit a reasonable amount of compassion, effort, and communication if the relationship is going to endure and thrive.

 

I am responsible for 100% of my behavior.

No one can make you do anything. As managers, we’ve learned that we may have the ability to influence you, when you allow it, but any action you take is always your choice. No one can make you happy or sad. You choose those emotions for yourself.  We’re not suggesting when bad things happen it doesn’t impact you. What we’re suggesting is your attitude and the behavior you exhibit as a result of that attitude is your choice. If you are compelled to interact with others you should also feel compelled to exhibit reasonable and appropriate behavior. You should exhibit behavior that will improve relationships, strengthen everyone’s chances for success and enhance your life and the lives of the people around you so everyone can be happier, more productive, and less stressed.

What is the impact on you when someone acts without regard to the implications that action may have on you and your attitude or your work? We know it can be frustrating and can even become somewhat painful over time.

There are many benefits realized when everyone always chooses to act like an adult.

 

The respect of others is earned by our behaviors.

Treat other people with respect and watch how quickly they respect you in return. This really isn’t a secret, but it has sometimes appeared to be less than common knowledge in the workplace. Can you think of an example when someone wasn’t acting the way you felt he or she should? Everyone has their own agenda and rightfully so. We are all responsible for and focused on our own needs. Still, when the employees and managers of any company realize the true value of working in harmony to perform a service in the marketplace, they obtain a much quicker and more potent acquisition of their own goals. In addition, everyone is happier and more satisfied on the job. When this harmony is achieved, it is always more of a win-win situation.

If everyone behaves like an adult does it make a positive difference? Yes! We all know adult behavior makes a positive difference in the workplace. The important question is “How do we get everyone to act like adults all of the time?”

“Change the way you think and act toward others and watch how quickly they change the way they think and act towards you.” –James Allen (paraphrased)

We can’t make other people change, but we can influence them over time with our own consistent, appropriate behavior. We managers recognize most employees exhibit good behavior most of the time. And yet it’s the rarer occasion of inappropriate behavior that seems to cause many of the problems and much of the tell-tale conversation at work. Maybe if we all work together we could completely eliminate the unproductive behaviors from our workplace. When everyone works together to make the workplace a more enjoyable and adult-like environment, everyone wins.

Over time, we’ve been able to identify and document the most important adult or what we call MVP Behaviors exhibited by professionals on the job today. These 13 behaviors are separated into categories that make up the four cornerstones of what is commonly called “Business Maturity.”

The four categories of Business Maturity are:

1. Headset (general mindset or attitude)
2. Adaptability (ability to transition effectively through change)
3. Self-Sufficiency (desire and ability to work independently)
4. Job Effectiveness (ability to perform responsibly the work of the job)

Each of these four categories represents an important component of Business Maturity. Once these MVP Behaviors become the focus of and are implemented by any employee, his or her work becomes easier to produce, there is more harmony with peers, and work becomes a more enjoyable experience.

 

These are the 13 suggested MVP Behaviors combined with the meaning and intent of each:

Headset:

1. Criticizes Privately / Compliments Publicly

This individual understands appropriate channeling and will offer complaints to his/her supervisor only. The individual is mindful of others and their feelings.

2. Exhibits the Appropriate Degree of Humility

This individual shows consistent discipline to control his/her ego in all situations. Confidence is not arrogance that distorts his/her true skills.

3. Supports Teamwork by Helping Others

This individual contributes to team goals, is available and willing to help peers, and participates fully in work related team activities.

 

Adaptability:

1. Actively Seeks Better Ways

This individual maintains sensible flexibility and remains open to change. His/her focus is on continuous improvement.

2. Learns Quickly

This individual accepts responsibility for his/her own improvement and exhibits appropriate levels of determination and zeal in improvement situations.

3. Supports Others in Their Attempts to Deal with Change

This individual understands the emotions of others in improvement situations and supports / assists their efforts as they transition through change.

 

Self-Sufficiency:

1. Attempts to Solve Problems Before Seeking Help

This individual works to find solutions on his/her own versus relying solely on others for answers. He contributes ideas and enjoys problem solving.

2. Proactively Grows Skills and Knowledge

This individual feeds on new experiences and building his/her knowledge and expertise. She seeks information and immerses herself in learning opportunities.

3. Displays Initiative

This individual possesses the inner desire and commitment to move his/her performance forward. He takes appropriate pride in his contributions, and is always looking to make improvements.

 

Job Effectiveness:

1. Develops a Network of Resources

This individual understands the value of leveraged resources and tenaciously works to broaden his/her frequently accessed information and support mechanisms.

2. Avoids Procrastination

This individual pursues goals, improvement, opportunity and achievement. He/she is not afraid to step up and out. He seeks success and is willing to attempt what others are not.

3. Attentive to Details / Highly Organized

This individual’s work effort is disciplined and consistent. He/she desires achievement without confusion or mistakes.

4. Highly Developed Job Related Skills

This individual shows consistent discipline to learn and build his/her competence and confidence. He performs job tasks with east and precision.

 

Consider the job related employee issues that could be proactively averted if all employees would simply follow these easy to understand rules of MVP Behavior. If these behaviors become the standard for all members of any company, everyone experiences more peace of mind, more productivity on the job, fewer issues of conflict and the whole organization can become a more cohesive elite, high performance team.