A Monday morning quarterback is a spectator who makes all the right decisions after the game… once the outcome has been established. This individual has no input on the contest. They have perfect knowledge and zero impact! But consider a quarterback that performs on Monday morning; a Real Monday Morning Quarterback. A Real Monday Morning Quarterback is a leader with a job to do and that job is to compete and win! And that role also applies to the business. When you are the quarterback, you are the leader every day. And on Monday, the leadership aspect of the job is on full display.

Game Plan
Particularly in sales, the Real Monday Morning Quarterback leads the team in the right direction. Monday is when the weekly preparation happens. “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail!” Growing revenue is not a once per week event. Real Monday Morning Quarterbacks are engaged every day. They have roles and responsibilities that require regular attention. Monday is when plans are reviewed and assignments are confirmed. Preparation and fundamentals are essential to business growth. Those activities include analyzing prior performance, and strategizing future success. Accumulate intelligence for greater performance for the individual, and for the entire team. Details matter. Sales collateral is in order. Call lists are ready. Updated CRM data is confirmed and performance reports are available for analysis. The successful sales leader believes in the system. The plan is structured to empower the professional with tools and knowledge to be successful. Only then, can market facing interactions and follow-up happen that result in more revenue.

Game Execution
Real Monday Morning Quarterbacks manage the processes and people responsible for team progress. They contact established prospects. Follow-up with referrals. Do the lonely work of returning calls, responding to emails, and reaching out to new prospects. And, this is just Monday! They grind! Coach! Grind some more! Leadership is not strategy. Leadership is results. Next, schedule time to talk to even more prospects. Schedule time to talk to more referral partners. Schedule time to connect with other leaders who can facilitate opportunities for future success. Leaders execute such that next week’s results are already planned. Their focus is constantly preparing for next period’s wins. They understand that next quarter’s figures are predicated on today’s activities. So, achieve results today. If this is too hard, then let someone else have the ball before they take it!

In business development the process continues, week to week, month to month, year to year. The results indicate your record. Your team’s discipline toward executing the right strategy reveals your performance. Revenue represents keeping score. Competition continues, both internally and externally. Business development has no offseason. Traditional Monday morning quarterbacks never endure the pain of competition. But, they also never fully appreciate the victories. They only second guess. The thrill of victory is solely for sales champions and business leaders! Execute the plan. Rip victory from the clutches of the competition. Generate more business.

By Glenn W Hunter
Principal of Hunter And Beyond