Sprint PCS spent 12 months finding a sales manager to launch its Chicago office. Successful companies also focus on keeping their people longer. Still, some practices crop up with regularity. One strategy is to engineer a steady career progression over the long term, rather than a fast start followed by a mid-career snooze. Another is to create channels allowing feedback to flow both upward and downward in the organization.
People feel more of a stake in a company when they feel they have more of a voice.
The best performing companies train and coach their people in a broad set of skills. These skills include not only using new CRM software and traditional basics like writing persuasive letters and delivering compelling presentations, but also less obvious skills like listening empathetically, handling tough questions and complaints, and negotiating successfully. Just as important, high-performing companies conduct such training in more effective ways. A large pharmaceuticals company took this approach to new heights when it rented out the entire San Antonio Alamodome to train its people to sell and support an important new drug. Finally, the companies that have the best success in imparting new skills to their people are also the ones most concerned with measuring that success.