I need everyone on my account team to know what we're trying to achieve this year.

I need everyone on my account team to know what we're trying to achieve this year.

When everyone on the team can repeat the account's goal, their daily decisions start adding up to the same result. That starts with one direction, tied to what the client is trying to achieve.

Five questions to see if your team can do this job today:

1. Could everyone on your account team say what you're trying to achieve this year?
2. Is that goal written down where the whole team can see it?
3. Are your internal goals tied to the client's objectives?
4. Does the team plan, set goals and forecast together?
5. Does the team talk about it as "our account"?

Two or more no's, and your team may be working hard in slightly different directions.

In my last post, I shared how we became the #1 supplier among 80+ at one of the largest life sciences companies in the world. Here's how it started.

The account had been through a long list of account executives, but revenue hadn't changed much. I started with a team of three, and they were skeptical about the future.

So I recruited across the company and invited more than 60 people to join an account community. Participation was optional. People who declined still received our updates and account emails, and some of them joined later.

We treated our team meetings like customer events, where we celebrated wins and built relationships. Virtual meetings kept remote members connected on a regular cadence.

Within two years, more than 50 contributors across departments, functions and regions were working toward the same goal, with no new hires. We became the #1 supplier and won the customer's Supplier of the Year award.

One direction gave 50 people a reason to invest in an account none of them owned. Your team can invite everyone who can contribute, then give them one goal to work toward together.

Our system, the Vitality Index, shows your key account teams where they stand today, the work it takes to level up, and how to do it, until they reach a vital partnership that lasts.

Who in your company could help your largest account but has never been invited?

We built a free, 4-minute Key Account Risk Assessment. It gives you a risk score for your key accounts across team alignment, account planning, account transitions, and visibility. Link in the comments.