What Skyscrapers Can Teach Us About Sales Structure
Imagine trying to construct a skyscraper without blueprints or support beams. Even with the finest materials and most skilled workers, the building would never stand tall—or worse, it might collapse. The same is true for your sales organization. A well-designed sales structure is the framework that supports everything your team does. Without it, your efforts might look busy but lack the stability and scalability needed to grow.
From Steel Beams to Sales Teams: Why Structure is Everything
A solid sales structure acts as the steel frame of your business development skyscraper. It dictates how efficiently tasks are handled, how well your team collaborates, and ultimately, how effectively deals are closed. Conversely, a shaky structure causes confusion, inefficiency, and underperformance—no matter how talented your team is. Just as engineers routinely inspect the integrity of a tall building, leaders must regularly evaluate their sales structure to ensure it’s supporting performance and growth.
Common Sales Structure Issues: People vs. Process
Sometimes the issue isn’t the talent, but how the talent is deployed. Overloading your salespeople with too many responsibilities—prospecting, nurturing, closing, account management—can lead to burnout. In construction terms, it’s like asking the electrician to also handle the plumbing and design the HVAC system. It’s unsustainable.
Sales structure issues usually fall into two categories:
- People Problems: When sales reps lack the skills or motivation to perform well.
- Process Problems: When workflows and systems are inefficient, creating bottlenecks.
Diagnosing the true source of stress—whether it’s the worker or the design—is the first step toward rebuilding with strength.
The Rule of 3s: Diagnosing Structural Weak Points
In our IMPACT courses, we introduce the Rule of 3s, a diagnostic tool that functions like a stress test on your structure.
- Rule of 3s: If more than one-third of your salespeople are underperforming in your top three metrics, you likely have a structural problem—not just a few weak links.
This test can reveal if your sales “building” is being held up by temporary fixes or if it’s time for a more permanent structural overhaul.
Exploring Different Sales Organizational Structures
Choosing the right structure is like selecting the right architectural model. Each type has its strengths and limitations depending on your growth goals and market landscape:
- Functional Structure: Teams specialize in different parts of the sales cycle—like framing, wiring, or finishing. It increases efficiency but requires careful coordination.
- Geographic Structure: Reps are assigned territories—like assigning teams to different construction zones. It’s cost-effective but may limit specialization.
- Market-Based Structure: Organizing by customer type or industry fosters deep knowledge—akin to designing buildings for different climates—but it demands agility and adaptability.
- Product Sales Force Structure: Organizing by product allows for highly focused sales strategies—just like customizing building materials per floor—but it can create silos.
Understanding these blueprints helps you construct a sales organization that’s built to last.
Implementing Changes: Laying the Foundation Right
Once you’ve identified structural weaknesses, it’s time to renovate. Here are the key steps:
- Evaluate Your Current Structure: Like inspecting an aging building, assess what’s working and what’s not.
- Define Clear Roles and Responsibilities: Avoid overlapping duties, just as no one wants multiple crews pouring concrete on the same floor.
- Foster Collaboration: Encourage communication across departments—because no part of the building goes up alone.
- Provide Training and Support: Equip your team with tools and knowledge, like supplying your crew with the right machinery.
- Monitor and Adjust: Keep checking the structure over time to ensure it’s holding strong under the weight of growth.
Leveraging IMPACT Courses for Long-Term Stability
Our IMPACT Leadership System helps you reinforce your foundation and elevate your sales structure. Through these courses, you’ll learn how to:
Identify whether problems stem from People or Process.- Clearly define those problems before jumping to solutions.
- Implement the right structural changes based on your diagnosis.
- Continuously monitor performance and adjust as needed.
Just like engineers rely on instruments to ensure a building’s integrity, your sales leaders need frameworks like IMPACT to build sustainable success.
Conclusion: Build High by Building Right
Your sales team is only as strong as the structure supporting it. Like a skyscraper, success is not just about height—it’s about stability, design, and foresight. By identifying and solving sales structure problems early, using tools like the Rule of 3s, and implementing thoughtful changes, you can create a sales organization that doesn’t just reach for the sky—it’s built to stand tall for years to come.
