The Path to Sales Success: How to Create a High Performance Sales Team

This week on the Revenue Insights Podcast, we are joined by Thomas Boccard, SVP of Sales at GlobalData, a leading information services company on a mission to help clients decode the future and profit faster. 

In this episode, Lee and Thomas discuss how to effectively develop a team of sales reps in order to create a high performing team that sets itself apart. Delving into the importance of instilling ownership and accountability, emphasizing the need for leaders to provide support, training, and structured processes and continuous development to help reps succeed, Thomas shares his insights as to what makes individuals make the Top 1%. 

As the Co-Founder of the Top 1% Academy, Thomas shares his motivating journey from an entry-level sales rep to a top leader and now founder in the sales world. After graduating from the University of Alby with an English degree, Thomas started his career by selling gym memberships. Fast forward twenty years, Thomas has a successful career leading the sales team for large companies including Revenue Collective, IQPC, and presently at GlobalData. Thomas’ success has led him to found a private sales network exclusively dedicated for T.O.P members to come together to prepare, learn, and master the art of sales. 

• Thomas Boccard on LinkedIn
• GlobalData Website 
• Ebsta Revenue Insights Newsletter
• Thomas’ book recommendation – Atomic Habits 

Time Stamps:

• 00:57 – From rags to riches 
• 06:27 – Hitting the quota 
• 10:36 – The top 1% – How to set yourself apart 
• 13:31 – Continuous coaching and skill development 
• 23:26 – Growing a culture of ownership and accountability 
• 27:07 – Building a high performance team through strategic hiring 
• 37:32 – The impact of ‘Atomic Habits’ on sales leadership

Highlights:

Hitting the Quota? 

Thomas highlights the common challenges faced by sales professionals in meeting targets, emphasizing the importance of focusing on controllable factors rather than external excuses. He points out the significance of individual accountability and ownership, stressing the need to analyze one’s numbers, examine progression rates, and inspect every facet of the sales process. Thomas underscores the necessity of knowing your territory, refining messaging, and targeting the right personas. He advocates for continuous self-assessment and leveraging internal support to address conversion issues, ultimately promoting a proactive and accountable approach to achieving sales goals.

Continuous Coaching and Skill Development 

When talking about what makes a high performer, Thomas underscores the significance of ongoing coaching and skills development in sales. He discusses the process of identifying coaching opportunities through various channels, including call analysis, forecasting, and pipeline discussions. By focusing on specific areas such as discovery, negotiation, and positioning, sales leaders can tailor coaching sessions to address individual and team needs, ultimately improving overall sales effectiveness.

Growing a Culture of Ownership and Accountability 

Expanding on what sets the top 1% apart from the rest, Thomas emphasizes the importance of instilling a sense of ownership and accountability within sales teams. He discusses the need for leaders to provide clear processes, training, and support, enabling individuals to take responsibility for their territories and results. By fostering a culture of ownership, teams become proactive and self-driven, ensuring consistent performance.

Building a High-Performing Sales Team Through Strategic Hiring 

When discussing his approach to hiring, Thomas says he focuses on candidates’ processes, ownership, and adaptability to the specific sales environment. He emphasizes the need for aligning candidates’ skills and willpower with the demands of the role. He adds that it is important to assess the candidate’s fit for the organization’s sales model, whether it’s full cycle outbound sales, or high-lead inbound environments, ensuring a cohesive fit between the individual and the role’s requirements. 

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