Team Building Agenda: Sales Team Development

An example of a team building program developed for a team of 20 sales professionals from a functional sales team. The program was an afternoon program. The morning was spent discussing sales team "best practices" and an interactive lecture on game theory. Following the sit down portion the participants were challenged and encouraged to put the ideas and theories into action!

12:00-12:10 Introductions and Goals for the Program
12:10-12:30 Animal Types
Overview: The participants are asked choose an animal that illustrates their role in team. Then the team is asked to choose an animal that represents their team
Outcome: The participants get to know each other better; Animal type serves an effective icebreaker. Additionally we discuss various stereotypes that go along with these animals the processing covers the positive use of stereotypes for sales forces.
12:30-1:00 Tying the Knot
Overview: For the group to tie an overhand knot in the middle section of rope without anyone releasing their ropes. Palms stay flat on the ropes.
Outcomes: This deceptively easy challenge is a good indicator of the teams' ability to share leadership and "Best Practices" amongst each other. The conflicts arise when the "Shouters" start to panic and the "quiet ones" cannot voice their ideas because the "Shouters" are not listening. Listening and testing team members' ideas as well as a reflection on how our teams behavior is affecting our speed at accomplishing tasks.
1:00-1:45 Hoopdom
Overview: The group is split into 2 teams that will compete for victory. Each team is given 6 hula hoops and ~30 feet of rope. The teams are challenged to recreate a structure using the hoops and weave their rope through openings in the hoop structure while not physically touching the structure. Following the competition an all team activity takes place where the group is challenged to build a tower of the hoops that is self-sustaining.
Outcomes: FUN! A look on competition vs. Cooperation.
1:45-2:15 Change Up
Overview: This activity explores dealing with change & team goal setting. Each player is given a card and asked to arrange themselves is a variety of numerical and alphabetical orders, each round more challenging than the last. Within the final rounds the team must set a goal for the team.
Outcome: Change Up offers valuable insights into the needs that different team members have for information and detail, how people like to work in either structured or unstructured approach to problem solving (Change). As well as how quickly or slowly people are willing to move ahead with a plan based on how much they know and understand about the solution. The Goal setting component of this activity highlights how the team chooses and works toward shared goals. Leading to a discussion on stretch goals, obtainable goals, and continuous improvement.
2:15-2:30 BREAK
2:30-3:15 Data Dump: Graphically evaluating performance
Overview: The group will split into teams of 3-4 participants. Each team will compete to transmit (move/stack) the information (marbles, balls, etc.) into the customer's reception area (circle on paper) and score your results. The cups will represent the customer's programs and backup programs (? We can customize this more to fit the sales team?). You will use the scores as data for charts and graphs. Each object has its own importance represented by points. Each container also has its own priority level represented by a multiple of 1 through 8.
Outcomes: The team is challenged to prioritize the data and customers needs - additionally they will have to graph their performance and present the data to the other sales teams. Data dump will be used to mimic the sales team - highlighting effective small team communication, shared team leadership, determining what roles and responsibilities are within in each small team, working for process improvement with each successive round as well as problem solving of small teams.
3:15-3:50 Selling Power
Overview: Each participant is asked to choose a partner. Each small partnership will be involved in the following competitive scenario - "You are attempting to sell your services to a large corporation. Unfortunately, the competition from other salespeople is fierce. You need a way to ensure success. A decision maker from the company has agreed to meet with you and another sales person from another firm in a series of meetings. I hope you know what to do to win the sale."
Outcomes: Sales strategy - how the team members can use brain based theory and some game theory to compete with competitors sales team. It is important to have a strategy and determine what steps are necessary to achieve the sales goals. The selling power activity illustrates that sales is not just a man vs. man activity. If you can think and have a clear strategy for success it can be replicated. Can you replicate it is the challenge?

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Michael Cardus serves as Adventure Consultant & Team Building Facilitator for Create-Learning Team Building headquarters in Buffalo NY; We travel to your locations anywhere in the World!