Recently, I saw an interesting LinkedIn post from my friend and colleague Joe Terry, CEO of Culture Partners. Joe shared that the fastest sales cycles involve the seller spending 53% more time discussing the next steps during the first two calls. He also noted that close rates for sales drop by 71% when the next steps aren’t discussed at all on the first call. If you’re in sales, this should resonate—it highlights the importance of addressing the next steps in every conversation.
This practice is equally crucial in leadership, whether you’re leading a team internally or externally. When you leave a meeting without clear alignment on next steps, ownership, timelines and deadlines, the effectiveness of that meeting is significantly reduced. I may not have the statistics Joe shared, but from experience, I can tell you that without defined expectations for action, timelines and accountability, the outcomes of your meetings will fall short.
When meetings lack structure, they often become a waste of time. People start to feel that the discussions lead nowhere and nothing concrete gets accomplished. To make your meetings impactful and engaging, ensure there’s alignment on the next steps: assign ownership, define expectations and establish deadlines. This approach fosters momentum and enthusiasm, making people look forward to contributing and executing shared goals.
Thank you, Joe, for the insightful post—it’s a great reminder for all of us.
