As we move into the 'Rev Ops Era' and the business world evolves to need efficient and functioning go-To-market teams, so does its language and concepts. I like to describe RevOps as the place where the business Strategy hits the road and this is one of those concepts that has been steadily gaining traction.
Essentially, RevOps is about unifying the teams responsible for revenue generation in a company (such as marketing, sales, and customer success) and streamlining their goals, strategies, and operations. You can read more about this in my ultimate guide to Rev Ops.
Embracing a RevOps mindset can lead to improved efficiency, better decision-making, and ultimately, increased revenue. But how can you take something that often causes some disruption and make the transition fun and engaging?
In this blog post, we will dive into some (potentially) enjoyable ways to start implementing the RevOps mindset.
(insert Generic Go-team Picture - you know for the SEO!)
Team-building activities and workshops
One of the core tenets of RevOps is cooperation and alignment between different departments. To foster a spirit of collaboration and trust, gather all the relevant teams together in team-building activities and workshops.
These fun events can be anything from a group lunch or a casual game session to a professionally organised workshop that challenges team members to work together towards specific goals.
One of my personal favourite things to do is to have teams build a country together by building the foundations together - you get to learn a lot about each other's priorities, their ways of thinking and what it is they are passionate about.
You can also learn about those that have a softer influence over others. All of these things help you understand how people work, get them used to work in a new setting together to solve a common goal and build trust in one another.
Cross-functional projects and skill-sharing
Another way to bring departments together is by encouraging cross-functional projects.
This can mean pairing marketing specialists with sales representatives or customer success managers to work on shared business objectives.
The result will be a better understanding of each other's roles and responsibilities as well as a shared sense of purpose. Also, consider hosting internal "knowledge-sharing" sessions, where team members from different departments teach others a particular skill, software tool, or concept relevant to their work.
In the past I have found this is really helpful for data analysts, hosting an 'Analysts Anonymous' type session where people come together and build out a framework and definitions to work from helps build a common language and clear understanding of metrics.
Encourage openness and transparency
I can't help but be an open book, but I know others are not as naturally open as me. and so in working towards a RevOps mindset, fostering a culture of openness and transparency is crucial.
Share key company objectives, initiatives, benchmarks, and results openly with all revenue-generating departments at all levels. Make sure employees know they can ask questions or provide feedback without fear of negative consequences.
The more information available to everyone, the better they can align and contribute to the shared goals.
Building a safe environment for failure truly helps build out a successful and proactive team. Having Slack Failure channels that are celebrated or your sharing your biggest failure of the week might sometimes feel like you are focusing on the negative but it helps with people understand where you are and you'll be surprised at the assistance that comes your way by sharing.
In failure there is progress.
Training and continuous learning
Professional development events and focused training sessions on RevOps principles are vital here.
Encourage team members to attend conferences, webinars, or online courses to further their understanding of the RevOps mindset. Promote a culture of continuous learning among your teams, wherein they are continuously striving to expand their skill sets and knowledge.
Recognition and rewards for participation in learning opportunities can keep people motivated and engaged. Be sure not to make this always directly work-related, I have had my teams book out at least an hour in their diaries each week dedicated to learning.
This time has been for them to learn a skill be it work-related or not. One person in my team did a Japanese course whilst another did a music class. It doesn't just have to be learning SQL and completing Trailhead paths, these are useful too but having outside interests will help you in work too.
Gamification and friendly competitions
Lastly, make the transition process fun by introducing gamification concepts and friendly competitions.
Set up contests for departments or cross-functional teams, offering fun perks or prizes for outstanding performance or rapidly implementing a new RevOps strategy.
Make sure the competitions emphasise teamwork and align with broader company objectives. Celebrate wins as a group and use the momentum to maintain enthusiasm for the RevOps mindset.
Adopting a RevOps mindset is the key to driving greater efficiency, alignment, and revenue within your organisation. However, making the transition doesn't have to be tedious or challenging.
By employing these fun and engaging strategies, you can foster collaboration and streamline operations across departments. With the right approach and tips from industry pros, you'll bring your company closer to realising the full potential of the RevOps mindset.
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