I’ve noticed several “Career Advice” requests on LinkedIn
about getting credit for one’s work. In today’s
world is there an increased need by folks to “get credit”?
I’m in favor of giving credit; recognition; attribution to
people who are contributing to the cause.
Leaders; followers; insiders; outsiders; it often “takes a village” for
a cause or a project to be successful.
OK, sometimes team effort and corresponding attribution can
go awry:
The stages of Systems
Development:
1. Wild
enthusiasm
2. Disillusionment
3. Total
confusion
4. Search
for the guilty
5. Punishment
of the innocent
6. Promotion
of the non-participants
Arthur Black
It’s that “promotion of the non-participants” that bugs me;
you? Too many people just take credit,
even when unearned.
Attribution is right and proper as long as the person has
truly “done the work”. But how do you
measure that? In my opinion, that
question has led to some interesting thinking in the sales and marketing professions.
On surface, some say a sales person’s attribution is based solely
on comparing their sales to their quota.
If the sales rep is above quota, he or she is a hero; below quota, a
bum. Can it be that simple? I don’t
believe so.
There are many attributes that contribute to sales
performance; knowledge; skill; effort to be sure. Mental and emotional state (impacted at home
and at the office) also deserve attribution.
A sales rep’s relationship with their manager; the state of the economy;
their assigned territory; competition… a whole host of attributes can
dramatically impact the sales vs. quota outcome.
I have always believed blind faith deserves an attribution
for sale rep success. Because no one actually knows the exact formula that leads
to continuous and dependable sales success, our favorite Unknown Sage deserves
attribution:
Finagle's Sixth Rule:
Do
not believe in miracles - rely on them.
Attribution to blind faith is associated with sales reps’
“variable compensation plans” aka commissions.
I have often said, if a sales rep closes the sale he or she makes a commission
and is able to pay the mortgage. No sale?
Now what? See what I mean about blind
faith attribution?
Marketing has it tough too.
Which marketing metrics matter? Back
to our Unknown Sage:
An old adage was that companies
typically spent twice as much as necessary of advertising but had no way to
figure out which half to cut.
I like to debate with my marketing colleagues about
attribution. I don’t think anyone would
disagree that marketing is a critical factor to a company’s success. At least half of it anyway LoL! “Getting the word out” aka “demand
generation” so prospects will engage with sales reps has been a key business
process for centuries. However, I draw
the line at their request for “revenue attribution”. I’m not the only one.
Annuitas published this article, Revenue vs. Vanity: The Metrics that Matter for Driving Growth (link). Never heard of Annuitas? Well they claim:
From world-class Demand
Marketing strategists, to authors, to Marketing Technology Experts, our talent
and knowledge of demand is unmatched in the market.
“World-class
Demand Marketing”? That’s OK by me. But
“demand” is not “revenue”.
Do you
think me selfish when I say if marketing wants to claim “revenue attribution”
meaning some part of sales revenue comes from demand marketing, they have to
assume a proportionate amount of the sales quota?
The day that happens they may better understand the
motivational attribution of “variable compensation” LoL!
GAP
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