Learning Map + Company Vision = Achievable BHAG’s
In order to think big we need to proactively look how our learning map and vision aligns with the specific and measurable outcomes that tie back to the organizational BHAG’s. So how do you plan forward? Think about the vision and result you have for your organization, team and/or employees and then reverse engineer how you will achieve that vision.
Let’s consider a specific example. Company XYZ has determined that one BHAG they have is to increase phone sales by 50% without adding headcount or new automation tools to their process. As an operational and/or learning leader, your challenge will be to set the vision for what this will look like when the goal is achieved and then work backwards to create something that will bridge the gap.
Step 1: Identify the vision and result. This organization has a vision to be able to gain more customers through phone calls and customer engagement. Overall goal is to increase phone sales by 50%.
Step 2: Set the baseline. Today, total phone sales make up 1,000,000 of the total sales in the organization. In order to increase that number by 50% to meet the goal, phone sales must be $1,500,000. There are 25 phone sales reps which means that each one is expected to bring in $60,000 a year in sales or $5000 a month. The product costs $50 so they must sell 100 units to reach their target. Currently sales representatives are expected to bring in $45,000 a year or $3750/mo in sales or 75 units/mo. We will need to increase their sales close rate by 25 units a month.
Step 3: Determine what the challenges and constraints are to closing more sales by each rep. Then determine the appropriate intervention that will help increase their close rate (note: this is not all one solution- training, rewards/comp, tools/resources, culture, etc are all factors)
Step 4: Reverse engineer a path forward. Here is an example of a path forward for Company XYZ. Before you design a single page of training or even map out a full performance solution, you must map out the process, current state and desire future state. Otherwise, all you are doing is providing content and throwing it against a dart board.
In this example, you can see when you look at performance that the sales team needs the most help between answering the call and engaging the customer. For some reason, there seems to be a challenge with being able to continue the call once the person answers. Assuming that each sales rep knows the identified process (you would be surprised at how many companies don’t have their process clearly identified) then it is clear that the focus of the training should be in that step. Then supporting training can also address the other steps in the process.
Step 5: Measure and reward as a team
Interested in learning more about this approach to designing learning? Feel free to contact us for a free consultation where we will look at a similar map to identify how you can reverse engineer your plan starting from a clear vision.
In the meantime, here is a version of that results map that you can start using today!
