Skip to Main Content
HBS Home
  • About
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Giving
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions
Faculty & Research
  • Faculty
  • Research
  • Featured Topics
  • Academic Units
  • …→
  • Harvard Business School→
  • Faculty & Research→
Publications
Publications
  • Article
  • Harvard Business Review (website)

How a Fast-Growing Startup Built Its Sales Team for Long-Term Success

By: Frank V. Cespedes and David Mattson
  • Format:Electronic
ShareBar

Abstract

It’s common for leaders of sales teams to focus almost exclusively on short-term tactics and current operations while failing to think and act in a way that supports the longer-term needs of their businesses—and it’s hard to fault them. The biggest problem with a short-term approach is that managers develop blind spots around crucial processes such as recruiting, hiring, and training and development. This is a problem because it can stall a company’s scaling efforts. To prevent this from happening, companies must make core processes like recruiting, interviewing, and development a real priority in daily practice. As Aristotle emphasized a long time ago, “Excellence is a habit.”

Keywords

Business Startups; Salesforce Management; Management Practices And Processes

Citation

Cespedes, Frank V., and David Mattson. "How a Fast-Growing Startup Built Its Sales Team for Long-Term Success." Harvard Business Review (website) (December 4, 2017).
  • Register to Read

About The Author

Frank V. Cespedes

Entrepreneurial Management
→More Publications

More from the Authors

    • Top Sales Magazine

    Get Ready to Sell

    By: Frank V. Cespedes and Bud Hyler
    • July 2020
    • Faculty Research

    Shindigz

    By: Frank Cespedes
    • July 2020
    • Top Sales Magazine

    Reframing Value in a Crisis

    By: Frank V. Cespedes and David Hoffeld
More from the Authors
  • Get Ready to Sell By: Frank V. Cespedes and Bud Hyler
  • Shindigz By: Frank Cespedes
  • Reframing Value in a Crisis By: Frank V. Cespedes and David Hoffeld
ǁ
Campus Map
Harvard Business School
Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
→Map & Directions
→More Contact Information
  • Make a Gift
  • Site Map
  • Jobs
  • Harvard University
  • Trademarks
  • Policies
  • Digital Accessibility
Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College