How do I get my sales team to innovate and develop great ideas?

Some people may think my views on business are fanciful and idealistic, and that may be true. However, I’ve been in the sales game long enough to know taking an approach that is anything less only limits success to a lucky few.

I don’t mind people voicing their opinions on matters they are genuinely passionate about – in fact, I encourage it. I’m always enthusiastic to hear when someone has something authentic and valuable to say. There is an abundance of creativity in our world. Humanity is replete with inspirational people who have enormous value to contribute in their own ways – yet most are never seen or heard.

As a collective society, we seldom encourage others to take a path of true innovation, because it’s untested, risky, and breaks convention and related reputations. Most of us are trained to do things based on what’s already done, and that’s okay, but being led to believe it’s the best and only way- isn’t. I’m here to say, there’s always a higher and more powerful way if you dare to jump off the cliff of ‘certainty’ into the unknown realms of ‘possibility’.

Creativity minus support = zero innovation

Next time you’re in a sales team meeting and a colleague offers an ambitious idea – before you shoot them down in flames, take a moment to put some creative thinking around their suggestion. I encourage you to encourage a team culture that supports, not only each other, but the development of bold and ambitious goals.

You don’t need to have your head in the clouds all the time, but being on the ground all day doesn’t serve you either. You need to have a balance of pragmatism and process that allows you to see things from a higher perspective. This is the only way you will rise above ‘what is’ and see the path that leads to ‘what can be!’

Tips to inspire innovation:

• Declare ‘innovation’ as part of your sales culture and elect champions to lead it.
• Set-up a task force responsible for implementing great ideas.
• Support and encourage innovation through recognition.
• If you’re passionate about a great idea – fight for it!
• Launch one great idea or grand idea per financial quarter.
• Reward people not only for results, but also engagement and participation.
• Get everyone involved – great ideas can come from anywhere and anyone.
• When a great idea bombs – be accountable, learn and grow.
• When a great idea flies and really takes off – celebrate and share success with everyone!

What holds many people back in life is their unwillingness to share more of themselves and their value to others. They believe they are not good enough and fear being judged as a consequence. So, it’s up to you to inspire them to see more, feel more and be more in life.

Why is it up to you? Because you’re a leader and that’s what real leaders do!

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Trent Leyshan is the founder and CEO of BOOM Sales! a leading sales training and sales development specialist. He is also the creator of The NAKED Salesman, BOOMOLOGY! RetroService, and the Empathy Selling Process.