1. Create a culture with NO SURPRISES. Be transparent and communicate whenever possible to ensure your team feels supported and successful every single day. 

2. Make sure you have systems and processes set up that allow everyone to get the same opportunity to succeed at the job. Examples include sales training, solid onboarding programs, and one on one meetings with each sales rep. 

3. Track two or three key metrics you know are critical for reps to hit their overall number consistently. Examples of these types of metrics would differ based on your industry, but select metrics that matter, and make sure your team understands why they are so important. 

4. Be transparent about the key metrics and performance indicators that you decided on in step number two. Post them publicly so everyone understands them and knows where they measure. Discuss them in every one-on-one and training meeting. 

Aidan Hutchinson was a consensus All-American and the Defensive Player of the year. He grew up knowing that he would follow in his Dad’s footsteps to play football at Michigan.  David Ojabo grew up in Nigeria and moved to America when he was 15 years old. Different from Aidan, he had little experience, playing only  26 snaps in his two years at Michigan.

The story showcased the immense changes that had happened on the Michigan team over the last year. Last year, Hutchinson was hurt; Michigan only won 2 games all season and even forfeited their last game to Ohio State. Quite the disaster, it would have been easy for Hutchinson to head to the NFL as a projected first round draft pick.

But, he didn’t take the easy way out. Hutchinson was committed to leading his team to a succesful season, one where they finally beat Ohio State.

What caught my attention wasn’t his passion for leading the team in season, it was actually what he did in the offseason.  Hutchinson worked with the strength and conditioning coach every single day. David saw his drive and joined him, saying  “I’m going to be in your hip pocket every day.”