Welcome back to the fourth and final part of the SaaS Channel Playbook. In this installment, we’ll explore how you can build a superstar channel team.
Whether you recently transitioned into a new management role, or are an individual contributor looking to become more influential, these five channel leadership principles will help you unlock your team’s potential and foster behaviors that will drive success.
1. Cultivate Trust
No matter the industry or role, trust is a critical component to individual and team success. When cultivating trust, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Trust is a choice, not a given. People must have a genuine reason to trust you and your organization.
- Be specific and intentional. Spend time connecting with and understanding the strengths, abilities, and personal challenges of individuals on your team.
- Be compassionate and open. The world and business environment are rapidly changing. Recognize change and lean into conversations around new and persistent challenges.
As your company prepares for the future, building trust in the workplace will set your organization apart and help you attract and retain higher-quality talent.
2. Commit to a Values-Driven Approach
A company’s culture directly influences individual and team success. As the modern workplace evolves, you must commit to a values-driven leadership approach, which means putting your values into action. Prioritize culture with these three actionable steps:
- Clarify your company’s values. Your team should have a strong understanding of what your company stands for and the type of behavior that is expected.
- Collaborate with your team. Your team has a unique mission and purpose. Discuss the values and priorities essential to your team and incorporate these things into your everyday life.
- Embed those values in your daily work and actions. Be aware that your team will mimic your behavior. As a leader, you must walk your talk.
By building a strong company and team culture, you will increase team performance, improve employee retention, and achieve higher revenue growth. A strong culture also differentiates your company from your competition, making it easier to attract higher quality talent and to build a superstar team.
3. Stay Open, Honest, and Consistent with Communication
Two-way workplace communication is essential to building a strong, unified, and superstar team, but effective communication is often difficult for teams to master. Here are three simple steps you can take today to improve your team’s communication:
- Set clear communication expectations for your team. As a leader, it is your responsibility to set the standard for communication and help your team build effective communication habits.
- Actively Listen. Effective communication is not just about what is said but also about what is heard. Listening to your team members builds trust, boosts morale, and increases productivity levels.
- Be open, honest, and consistent. Remember to be authentically vulnerable with your team by vocalizing your own challenges and successes.
By prioritizing strong internal communication, you will not only boost engagement, trust, and productivity levels on your own team but also positively impact external relationships.
4. ‘We’ is Stronger than ‘I’
Working in a silo is damaging to individual morale, company culture, and team success. We’ve all heard the saying, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” And it’s true. Think about the most successful sports teams –these teams are successful not just because they have the most talented players but because they have learned how to work together and play to each other’s strengths.
There is tremendous potential for teams that collaborate well and work together toward a unified goal. To help your team become a stronger ‘we,’ consider ongoing development and training such as the AchieveUnite Leading through Complexity program. This virtual training helps leaders and their teams better understand their organizational strategy and explores ways to optimize their team and drive results.
5. Make it Fun!
Finally, add a little fun to your workday! Working in the channel can be arduous, but it shouldn’t feel like a chore. As a leader, you should spend time connecting with and learning about your team outside of work. Whether in person or through a virtual setting, intentionally connecting with your team in a relaxed and safe environment is proven to help prevent burnout, boost productivity levels, and positively influence their relationships with current and potential partners.
Conclusion
With continued investment in your team and by implementing these five principles, you will be on your way to creating a unified, collaborative, and results-driven superstar channel team.
A huge thank you to industry experts, Angus Robertson, Chief Marketing Officer of Chief Outsiders; Kristi Kirby, Vice President, Vendor Management, Endpoint Solutions, Americas at Tech Data; and Jasmina Muller, VP of Channel at EverBridge, who we sat down with to discuss how to build channel superstars. Click here to view the full LinkedIn Live Video Recording.
Building a channel? Learn more about AchieveUnite Channel Education and Leadership Programs including Channel Acceleration Bootcamp (CAB) designed to help you deliver a unique channel strategy that fits your business needs and drives value for your partners.
