10 Ways to Keep Your Business Development Team Motivated and Productive

Recently, I had the "pleasure" of buying an 1887 home that needed more renovation than anticipated—significantly more. As we moved forward with the project, unwelcome surprises would unfold again and again. From the start, we were working with an extremely tight budget. So, when the extra repairs became unavoidable, we were put in a precarious financial position.

Because of this dramatic shift in scope, I adopted an unconventional role in terms of how I engaged with the general contractor and to what level I participated. As I took on this role, I realized that the wisdom I gained from this experience reflects business development professionals' best practices in terms of agile, effective management.

Yes, that's right. A business developer's role does not solely focus on external sales. Depending upon the firm's organizational structure, a business developer is also likely charged with a range of management activities, such as advising on the assembly of a killer proposal, crafting a compelling team pitch, orchestrating a public relations campaign, or even participating in staff development.