Leading Accountable Teams
Recently I was speaking with a young professional and he was frustrated with his assigned team and their lack of urgency and accountability. He is working on landing a new client and needs help from finance, distribution and operations to demonstrate to the client his company’s ability to earn them as an account. He is on the front line with the client, but needs the support of his team to be successful.
If you are facing the similar challenges, it can be very frustrating. You are likely making commitments to the client and you need a team that shares your passion and enthusiasm you have for the account. In addition, you are also making personal commitments to the client to earn their respect and trust. So, what can you do?
1) Show Your Leadership – This is a great time to demonstrate your leadership by staying focused on the desired outcomes, stay action oriented, remain constructive with feedback to the team and be sure you are on task with your required actions. You may be frustrated, but understand that the best way to meet your client’s needs will be to coalesce your team and deliver on your commitments. You will also earn respect from your team and your client.
2) Have Friends in High Places – Ask for help, early and often, to someone who can provide you the resources you need to be successful. Whenever you have an assignment that needs additional support, be sure you assess the team early and ask for help from your manager or sponsor to be successful. Anticipate the needs of your assignment and don’t wait till the last minute or until the project is in trouble. If you do, it maybe too late. Be specific on what you need and have a few suggestions on how your manager or sponsor can help.
3) Align Your Goals – Sometimes the team member goals are not the same as yours. Try to understand how success with your project or client will positively impact your team and their individual metrics. If you are driving to land a new client, show your team how the new client will positively impact the goals of the company and how they will benefit from successfully meeting the client’s expectations. Whether it is a new client or an internal initiative, they should be aligned with the company’s strategic agenda and have long term value to the company.
4) Keep the Client First – Try not to over commit, but deliver on your commitments. Be sure to communicate with your team on how important the client is to the firm/company, and remain your client’s advocate. As an advocate, you need to effectively present your client’s needs to the company and design the actions that are necessary to fulfill the client’s expectations. Remember, your goals are to gain the trust of your client, deliver on their expectations and place yourself as the most important person to them in accessing your company’s services or products.
If you don’t have the A Team supporting you, your leadership will be important! Stay positive, speak clearly to your client’s needs and get help from your manager or sponsor as soon as you can. Above all, take this as an opportunity to build a personal relationship with your client. How you handle this situation will hopefully positively affect your relationship with a good client throughout your career.