If your best or only sales person quite, or if the “go to” person in the company left, what would you do? How would it impact your business? Unfortunately, many would flounder for some time, reeling in the absence trying to pick up the pieces and fill the gaps while they hire and then train and still try to get their work done. And as a result of the recession, most companies and organizations lack or cut their depth in key positions. What that means is if someone left, there is no one to take his or her place, formally by succession or informally for transition/interim.
Consider what we often see and help our clients prepare for: the star sales person is the sole sales engine for the company. The dangers of this person leaving are obvious. When the person leaves, the sales pipeline dries up and the company is in serious trouble. But there is a less obvious problem and that is the sole sales person has the ability to hold the company hostage to his/her personal interests. Poor behavior can then be tolerated – why because “we can’t lose him/her – our sales will dry up”. It is difficult to initiate change if the star salesperson does not agree with the change. No company should – nor can it afford to in the long run – be held hostage to any one person in the organization. But this is exactly what happens when you are “one deep”, and it happens often.
And if you think this only happens in small companies, you would be wrong. It happens in big companies also. When Mark Hurd, CEO of Hewlett Packard resigned, there was no obvious replacement. When Kenneth Lewis, CEO of Bank of America resigned, the Board of Directors could not identify a replacement.
And what about company values, such as teamwork? Well in a company that is one deep, the values are upheld only if this person feels they apply to him or her.
One deep is a dangerous strategy for any company.
Great football teams have what is called a depth chart for each position. They do this to protect against an injury adversely affecting team performance. The result – these teams win more often.
In our Quick Tips we will discuss ways to protect your company against the one deep risk even if you are a small company.
Copyright 2010 Kubica and LaForest
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