Growing up, my mom assigned us kids a number of craft projects to “keep us out of trouble” over the summer. And it worked! (At least as far as she will ever know.) One of those projects was a clever little jab at the all-too-human tendency to procrastinate. Mom had us make round TUITs, similar to this:
Once the project was complete, we could never again get away with saying, “I’ll get around to it someday,” because we each now had a round TUIT in our possession. Get it? Trust me, the mom logic here is rock solid. (Much later, I figured out that the unspoken objective of the exercise was actually the extra TUIT we created for my dad.)
But still, the TUITs were a fun, tangible, and memorable way to make a point about procrastination. So I thought I’d try this approach to make a different point…
For decades, I’ve been extoling the virtues of getting beyond the tactical firefights to focus on the more strategic aspects of sales operations. Along the way, I think I’ve provided ample proof and evidence to make the case well beyond any shadow of a doubt, many times over. And, I’ve even provided dozens of suggestions and tips for how to get started.
But it seems that no matter what I do or say, some groups will not budge. They certainly understand what I’m saying. It’s not rocket science. And in most cases, they even agree with my fundamental arguments and assertions. Yet, they aren’t making any effort to move in a more strategic direction. Not even baby steps!
It’s like they’re waiting for someone to grant them permission.
Well…today I’m going to be that someone. And beyond just granting permission, I’m issuing a perpetual license:
Now, before you print this license out and begin flashing it around like a really cool “special agent in charge of sales ops,” be sure to take a moment to recognize and respect its awesome power. In the same way that just possessing a round TUIT completely eliminates a major excuse for procrastination, possessing this license will utterly destroy a major excuse for avoiding those more strategic sales ops pursuits.
So, if you’re comfortable with the status quo and you really have no desire to get beyond the day-to-day tactical firefights, this license may not be for you. Because once you have it in your hands…once it’s been activated…there’s no going back and you must…must I say!…take steps to become a more strategic sales ops function. No excuses. No surrender.
Cheesy? Sure. Silly? Absolutely. But that’s part of the point. If you’re waiting for permission to tackle more strategic issues, that’s just as silly as thinking a piece of paper can provide all the license you need. So stop making excuses already and just get moving!
PS: Laminating the license makes it even cooler. Don’t ask how I know 
From Tactical to Strategic Sales Ops
Some teams are so mired in tactical grunt work and daily firefights that they never make progress on strategic pursuits. How have other Sales Ops teams transitioned into more strategic functions? What steps did they take?
Driving Strategic Decisions with Sales Analytics
In this guide, you'll learn how to look at sales performance in a different way, use sales analytics to answer much more powerful questions; and identify your company's real strategic "sweet spot" in the marketplace.
Developing a Winning Sales Ops Roadmap
For transforming Sales Ops, good intentions aren't enough. You need a plan. In this on-demand webinar, learn about creating an effective roadmap for making Sales Ops a more strategic function.
