You're aiming to strengthen your sales operations team. How can you unlock their leadership potential?

A vision is an aspiration on a road map on a mission or campaign journey. Sharing the vision is a critical process in the transformational change campaign. This vision must be aligned by all stakeholders involved in the transformational change. A vision must be broken down with SMART goals that are achievable from a daily to full year variables A vision should also include the tools, resources, channels and sales operations strategies needed to succeed in the visionary campaign. As each team member meets their vision expectations, growth nd development is inevitable.

The key to cultivating vision in a sales team is aligning their goals with a clear, shared purpose. Encourage ownership by fostering open communication and setting realistic milestones. Celebrate wins and provide feedback that keeps the team motivated, while ensuring each member sees how their efforts contribute to the bigger picture.

To unlock your team's leadership potential, you first need to start by helping them see the bigger picture. Share the company’s vision and how their role contributes to it. Encourage them to think beyond day-to-day tasks and envision the long-term impact of their work. When they understand the vision, they can align their actions with it, driving not just sales, but meaningful progress. Inspire them to take ownership of that vision, seeing themselves as key players in its realisation.

I think you need early buy in from the team in relation to the overall vision you have. I suggest inviting your team to participate in defining the broader vision for sales operations. Encourage them to brainstorm how their roles align with overall business goals. This involvement creates ownership and motivates them to lead initiatives contributing to that vision.

En mi caso he incentivado la innovación y entregarles las herramientas para que desarrollen proyectos, se comuniquen con diversas áreas, expongan a la gerencia, defiendan su proyecto y piensen como líderes. Cuando están a cargo del proyecto, ellos son los jefes y deben movilizar a todos, lo que terminará enseñándoles liderazgo y comunicación efectiva, además de ser persuasivos en vender su proyecto o idea. Siempre deben ser apoyados de su jefatura, para brindarles un piso sólido, pero el exito dependerá definitivamente de cuánto ellos logren movilizar y persuadir con sus ideas.

Responsibility should come with authority for the sales operations team to be able to make some decisions. This encourages and developes independent thinking and project management skills. The idea is for leaders to develop more leaders, and not for leaders to develop more followers in the organisation. This responsibility given with authority allows the development of strong leadership qualities.

Give team members the autonomy to make decisions that support the vision. Trusting them with responsibility in key areas—such as optimising processes or improving forecasting—will build their confidence and leadership skills.

Empower your team by giving them the autonomy to make decisions. Trust them to handle key aspects of sales operations and encourage them to take initiative. When they feel trusted, they’re more likely to take ownership and act with leadership. Create an environment where it’s okay to take calculated risks and learn from mistakes. This not only builds their confidence but also strengthens their ability to lead and innovate within the team.

Upskilling teams and team members happens either on the job or off the job. A highly skilled and highly trained workforce in a sales operations organisation is a big force multiplier to productivity. Continuous learning means daily weekly monthly quarterly half year and full year training.and development. Internal trainings can happen on the job or by coaching and mentoring. External training could also occur where facilitators are brought to share knowledge that would deliver successful outcomes A small well trained team in an organzation can significantly reduce the market share of a bigger organzation that have limited training.

I believe each sales operations team member has unique strengths and development needs. I'll begin by assessing their skills and creating personalized development plans. For example, I'll provide relationship-building training to enhance interpersonal skills, while strong collaborators will engage in cross-functional projects for broader exposure. It's also essential that each Sales Operations team member take ownership of their growth. In this way, we are able to continuously evolve and drive organizational success.

It is essential to follow a clear learning path rather than just trying. The 80-10-10 rule helped me a lot to enhance my sales skills. Rules are simple: 80% on-the-job training (this is feedback from peers, managers and clients) 10% coaching from managers and a driven approach. 10% is classroom training, role-based training, and online training. Focus on what brings harmony and gives space to reflect on the time spent on the job. Those 20% might be small but can have a considerable impact.

In Sales Operations, we collaborate closely with Sales, Product, Finance, Marketing, and Delivery teams. Encouraging cross-functional teamwork fosters a culture of open communication and broadens team members’ perspectives. This approach enhances their ability to lead diverse teams and gives them valuable exposure to understand the operations of other divisions. Ultimately, this helps them appreciate how each function impacts sales operations and contributes to overall organizational success.

It is essential to share achievements with the voices of the stakeholders. What do I mean here? If your team member has a success, you can "pimp" that even more if you quote your customer (internal or external). This can help bring encouragement or boost morale and make the achievement credible.

Motivation should aim at gingering teams or team members to successful outcomes. Recognitions and rewards are ways to motivate people and it could come in simple thank you notes, public praise, plaques or award celebrations. These activities ginger people to do more. When individuals meet their targets and expectations, they can be encouraged to share their best practices so other team members can learn. When the entire team meets their targets and expectations they can be taken on an incentive trip or team celebration or team binding activity to encourage a repeat performance. .

Leadership potential flourishes when people are challenged to grow. You need to set ambitious but achievable goals that push your team members out of their comfort zones. Provide opportunities for them to lead projects, solve complex problems, or mentor others. These challenges build confidence and skills, helping them realize their own capabilities. Support them through this growth process, offering guidance and feedback, so they know they’re not alone in the journey.

Challenging the Sales Operations team beyond their comfort zone drives innovation and prevents complacency. By setting ambitious yet achievable goals, providing opportunities to lead projects, manage escalations, and handle resources, we continuously broaden their skills and knowledge. Regular progress evaluations and constructive feedback are essential to building resilience and fostering continuous improvement. This approach ensures the team remains adaptable and strives for greater success.

To unlock the leadership potential of your sales operations team, focus on developing their strategic thinking, problem-solving and communication skills. Provide training and mentorship programs that encourage innovation, creativity and data-driven decision making. Empower team members to take ownership of projects and initiatives, and offer opportunities for cross-functional collaboration and leadership roles. Foster a culture of continuous learning, feedback and coaching, and recognize and reward outstanding performance. By investing in their growth and development, you'll unlock their full potential, driving sales excellence and business success.

Additionally, provide constructive feedback and mentorship throughout these experiences. This guidance will help them navigate challenges, develop their leadership skills, and gain confidence in their abilities. By actively supporting their growth and providing opportunities to shine, you'll empower them to become future leaders within your organization.