As I coach producers, I see one common theme that really seems to hold them back: a lack of planning and accountability. It’s a shame really, and completely unnecessary.
For whatever reason, producers within agencies seem to be off limits when it comes to setting expectations and monitoring (the right) results. I always hear, “As a producer, I have the ultimate accountability because I am paid on commissions.” I get that, but by the time you can measure production, it’s too late. Production results (versus behavioral results) are a lagging indicator and only tell you what has (or hasn’t) already happened.
If you hope to have an opportunity to make adjustments, you have to identify the behaviors (leading indicators) that drive the production results.
To make matters worse, many of the same personality traits that make producers successful, at a certain level, also become an impediment to even greater success. Producers tend to approach their days, weeks, even the year in too random a fashion. They wander into the day or the week and just wait to see what finds them now. While the good producer will stay busy, and probably even hit their sales goal, they will miss an opportunity to become a great producer because they aren’t purposeful enough about how they are spending their time.
The answer is really simple, or at least part of the answer. If, as a producer, you would take time at the beginning of the week, plan for those critical “have tos” you need to accomplish for the week, and then make yourself accountable, you will become that great producer. If you will do the following for four straight weeks, you will see the results (behavioral and production) I mean.
- Before the week starts, identify the top 2 accomplishments you need for the week in the following areas.
