I need sales and delivery to turn their disagreements into progress on my key account.

I need sales and delivery to turn their disagreements into progress on my key account.

Sales and delivery often disagree on how to approach the work in key accounts that are growing. Healthy disagreement is a sign the team is pushing the limits of what's possible. The key account leader's job is to build a path that both sides are willing to take.

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

1. Do sales and delivery agree on the goals for your key account, even when they disagree on the approach?
2. When they disagree, does your key account manager (KAM) find common ground both sides believe would work?
3. Does your KAM separate preferences from what's feasible, then prioritize what's left?
4. Does each side understand what the other is risking, usually time and money, to move forward?
5. Does your team welcome healthy disagreement between sales and delivery?

Two or more no's, and disagreements on your account may be costing you progress.

More often than not, internal disagreements exist between sales and delivery. If you don't have disagreements between these two functions, I would argue that you're not trying hard enough.

As key account leaders, we want healthy disagreement, because it means we're really pushing the limits of what's possible. When it happens, leaders need to:

1. Help both functions realize they're on the same side of the argument, and get them to agree on the goals, even if they disagree with the approach.
2. Find common ground they both agree would work.
3. Prioritize the remaining items by separating preferences from what's feasible.
4. Have each side see what the other is risking (usually time and money) and is willing to let go of in order to move forward.

This is where the leader earns their pay in most cases. People don't have to report to the leader for the leader to have an impact, so long as the leader knows how to lead well.

Don't be afraid of disagreement. It can actually work to your advantage, as a force that moves the account forward.

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.

What was the last disagreement between sales and delivery on your key account, and how did it end?

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.