The Balanced Scorecard

1. Master the 3+1 Rules: Develop People, Run Business, Serve Customers, Manage Yourself

"Your #1 job is to help your SE team become even better SEs, and then to help them grow and to expand beyond the traditional SE role."

Prioritize people development. The 3+1 Rules provide a framework for effective SE leadership:

1. Develop and Serve Your People
2. Run Your Business as a Business
3. Serve Your Customers
4. Manage Yourself (Rule #0)

By focusing on these rules, SE leaders can drive team success and achieve business goals. Developing your team members' skills and careers should be the top priority, as it leads to improved performance and retention. Running the business effectively involves setting metrics, analyzing data, and making strategic decisions. Serving customers means understanding their needs and delivering value. Managing yourself is crucial for maintaining balance and effectiveness in your role.

2. Implement RADAR: Recruit, Attract, Develop, Advance, and Retain Top Talent

"Recruiting is one of your most important job responsibilities."

Build a strong talent pipeline. RADAR provides a comprehensive approach to talent management:

• Recruit: Actively seek potential candidates from diverse sources
• Attract: Create a compelling reason for candidates to join your team
• Develop: Invest in continuous skill improvement and career growth
• Advance: Provide opportunities for progression within the organization
• Retain: Implement strategies to keep top performers engaged and satisfied

Effective implementation of RADAR helps create a high-performing team and reduces turnover costs. Focus on non-traditional sources for recruiting, such as partners, customers, and cross-functional teams. Develop a strong employer brand to attract top talent. Invest in training and mentoring programs to develop your team's skills. Create clear career paths and advancement opportunities. Regularly assess retention risk and take proactive measures to keep your best people.

3. Craft a Compelling Sales Engineer Value Proposition

"Productivity: Will you help me do great things, be productive, and be the best I can be?"

Address key employee needs. The Sales Engineer Value Proposition (SEVP) should address five key areas:

1. Productivity: Enabling SEs to achieve great results
2. Teaming: Fostering collaboration and belonging
3. Coaching: Providing guidance for improvement
4. Rewards and Recognition: Acknowledging contributions fairly
5. Development: Investing in personal and professional growth

A strong SEVP helps attract and retain top talent while driving performance. Clearly communicate expectations and provide resources for productivity. Create opportunities for teamwork and cross-functional collaboration. Implement regular coaching sessions and feedback mechanisms. Develop a fair and transparent rewards system. Invest in training programs and create individual development plans for each team member.

4. Leverage the Balanced Scorecard for Strategic Metrics

"The worst place to run your SE business is from behind your desk."

Measure what matters. The Balanced Scorecard approach divides metrics into four categories:

1. Learning and Development (People)
2. Internal Processes
3. Customer
4. Finance

This framework ensures a holistic view of the SE organization's performance. For each metric, consider:

• Why are we measuring this?
• What is a good and bad range?
• What actions should we take based on the results?
• What behaviors might this metric drive?

Implement a mix of leading and lagging indicators. Focus on metrics that drive desired behaviors and outcomes. Regularly review and adjust your metrics to ensure they align with business goals and strategy.

5. Cultivate Strong Partnerships with Sales and Cross-Functional Teams

"Your success and happiness as a first-line SE Manager are directly proportional to the quality of the relationship with your first-line Sales Partner."

Build strategic alliances. Strong partnerships are crucial for SE success:

• Sales: Establish clear communication channels and align on goals
• Professional Services: Collaborate on solution design and implementation
• Support: Share customer insights and product feedback
• Product Management: Provide market intelligence and feature requests
• Partners: Enable and empower for mutual success

Regular communication and joint planning sessions are key to building these relationships. Understand each team's goals, metrics, and challenges. Look for ways to create mutual value and solve shared problems. Leverage your team's unique insights and capabilities to become a valued partner across the organization.

6. Embrace the Power of Coaching and Recognition

"Coaching is a question-and-answer-based discovery dialogue of what you both see and feel so you both can move ahead on your vision for shared success."

Develop a coaching culture. Effective coaching and recognition drive performance and engagement:

• Set clear expectations and goals
• Provide regular feedback (positive and constructive)
• Use a structured approach like "Review & Plan" sessions
• Recognize achievements publicly and privately
• Tailor recognition to individual preferences

Implement a regular coaching cadence with each team member. Use a mix of formal and informal recognition methods. Train your team on peer coaching to create a supportive environment. Leverage coaching moments in daily interactions and customer engagements. Celebrate both individual and team successes to reinforce desired behaviors and outcomes.

7. Build and Live Your Personal and Team Brand

"A brand is what people say about you, your team, and your company when you are not around."

Craft a compelling narrative. Your brand shapes perceptions and expectations:

• Define your desired brand attributes (3-5 key elements)
• Align your brand with your values and mission
• Communicate your brand consistently in actions and words
• Encourage team members to develop their personal brands

Regularly assess how your brand is perceived by stakeholders. Adjust your behaviors and communication to reinforce your desired brand image. Use your brand as a decision-making filter for priorities and actions. Encourage your team to live the brand in their customer interactions and internal collaborations. A strong brand can differentiate your team and create opportunities for influence and impact across the organization.

Last updated: July 23, 2024