Making It Stick: Long-Term Strategies for Embedding Collaboration in Your Sales DNA

Collaboration is great in theory, but the majority of sales teams can't sustain it. It dissolves when there's stress, when deadlines approach, or when folks begin defending their territory. If you want collaboration actually to take hold, it must be more than an ideal on a slide—it must be ingrained in the system. Not an afterthought. Not a fantasy. It must be integrated into the daily operations of your sales team.

Here's how to do that in real, practical, and sustained ways.

Redesign Your Incentives

You can't ask salespeople to work together and then pay them a bonus for working alone. If your incentive plan rewards only individual successes, teamwork will always be a secondary consideration. Collaboration has to pay off, not just feel good. That means paying for joint deals, account planning, cross-role assistance, and smooth handoffs. Ensure that individuals understand that assisting others in meeting their targets is part of the way they meet their own. When the reward system supports the message, teamwork becomes the norm—not an option.

Example: Traditional vs. Collaborative Incentives

Incentive Component	Traditional (Solo-Based)	Collaborative (Team-Based)
Commission Structure	Individual deal closes	Shared credit on multi-rep deals
Bonuses	Top individual performers only	Team-based bonuses for pod performance
Recognition	Monthly “Salesperson of the Month”	“Team Win of the Month” highlights
Pipeline Goals	Personal quota only	Pod-level pipeline & conversion goals
Support Role Incentives	Often excluded	Bonuses for enablement, CS, and SDRs
Promotion Criteria	Revenue generated solo	Leadership in collaboration efforts

Switching to a collaborative incentive model doesn’t mean removing individual goals—it means adding shared accountability where it matters.

Bake It Into the Workflow

Instructing reps to "work together" doesn't mean much if the system is tearing them apart. The majority of sales processes are designed to prioritize speed and individual accountability. That's okay for easy deals but not for complicated sales where success requires multiple roles. You have to design collaboration into the process—establish points at which sales need to loop in customer success, product, or marketing. Use a single CRM and insist on updates that are accessible to everyone. Shared visibility should be a rule, not an aside. If teamwork isn't built into the framework, it won't withstand the pressure of a frantic quarter.

Train Collaboration Like a Skill

Excellent sales reps are not necessarily excellent team players. Not because they do not wish to be—it's just that nobody has ever taught them how. You must train for teamwork like you train for discovery calls or negotiation. That means learning how to lead joint meetings, communicate deal context effectively, and resolve conflicts in a timely manner. These do not come naturally. If your reps are never trained in team skills, you cannot expect them to perform well under stress.

Establish Small, Cross-Functional Teams

As your sales organization grows larger, individuals tend to become siloed. They hide leads, don't ask for assistance, and lose sight of the larger picture. You can combat that by structuring your reps into small cross-functional pods. Each group covers a set of accounts and operates as a unit from lead through close. This structure helps build trust quickly, accelerates handoffs, and allows you to identify breakdowns before they cost you a deal.

Persuade Leadership to Model It

If your sales leaders don't act like collaboration matters, no one else will either. Reps follow what their managers do, not just what they say. If leaders jump into deals, give credit to shared wins, and respect every role on the team, collaboration becomes part of the culture. But if they only celebrate solo heroes, expect backchanneling and turf wars. Culture is formed through actions rather than slogans.

Track It Like You Mean It

Measure only closed deals, and you'll have solo wins only. Collaboration? Track it. Consider how frequently deals include multiple roles. Consider how quickly leads are transferred. Check how often key information is shared between teams. Use that in reviews and planning sessions. If it's essential, you measure it. When measured, individuals comprehend its necessity.

Keep Adjusting as You Grow

Even the best systems require maintenance. Collaboration deteriorates as teams grow, roles shift, or tools develop. This is the reason you cannot simply set it and leave it unattended. Continuously refine your processes. Consult with your team about what is working well and what is not. Reward people who build others up—not just people who bring big numbers. Defend the system, particularly as you grow. That's how you maintain collaboration stage after stage of growth.

Conclusion

Working together won't work just because you wish it would. It works when your systems, rewards, training, and leadership all reinforce each other in the direction of teamwork. When you reward collaboration, bake it into the process, and make it a routine—rather than a special addition—it becomes second nature.

If you create the right environment, collaboration is the wise choice, not the go-to extra effort. And when that is the case, your team lands bigger deals, retains more customers, and wins together. This is the kind of sales DNA that not only withstands the test of time but also drives it forward.