Communicating The New Sales Compensation Plan Part 5: Leverage The Learning Modes

Communicating-The-New-Sales-Compensation-Plan-Part-5--Leverage-The-Learning-Modes

This is a continuation of our blog series, Designing Your 2018 Sales Compensation Plan. Want to begin at the beginning? Click here. 

In my last blogs I’ve written about communicating the sales compensation plan. Click to read about Start StrongCraft the Change StorySee the Organization’s View; or Get the Change Forecast;

 5. Leverage the Learning Modes

Simply announcing the new program or distributing plan documents may get the message across to some, but it is certain to miss others. While developing your communications plan, incorporate a few learning modes that will connect with the range of people in your organization. As proposed in the Theory of Multiple Intelligences by Harvard psychologist and Professor of Education Howard Gardner, there are at least seven modes you can leverage using a range of communications vehicles. Here are examples of some of the learning modes and how you might use them with the sales compensation plan.

  1. Linguistic learners capture information through language, both in writing and orally. They learn by reading, listening, and telling stories. For the sales compensation plan, leverage written communications and conversations in individual and group formats.
  2. Logical-mathematical learners have the ability to see relationships between objects and solve analytical problems. They’ll be the first to backwards engineer the new plan. For the compensation plan, leverage plan calculators and examples and be clear on comparisons to the prior plan.
  3. Visual learners have high visual intelligence and can translate information easily to and from images and pictures. For the compensation plan, leverage visual models of how the components work.
  4. Kinesthetic learners absorb new information through touch, manipulation, and movement. For the compensation plan, leverage demonstrations and role plays of how the plan works.
  5. Musical learners recognize tones, rhythms, and musical patterns and can often remember and repeat a melody after listening it to once. For the compensation plan, leverage messaging and phrases to reinforce the message. One client coined the term, “55 to stay alive” as it introduced a new program, while it operated in quadrant four of the Motivators of Change.
  6. Interpersonal learners connect with people, have the ability to influence people, and are often natural leaders. For the compensation plan, leverage one-on-one and small group communications and enlist them as supporters of the plan in the field.
  7. Intrapersonal learners are keenly aware of their strengths and weaknesses, and have great self discipline. They sometimes prefer to study individually. For the compensation plan, leverage messages about personal growth and allow time to absorb and process new information before following up.

Contact me at mark.donnolo@salesglobe.com with any questions.