Blog

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Why Game Tape Matters

Given that a large majority of sales processes and presentations are now conducted virtually, with call recordings readily available, “game tape” review is an easy addition to team training efforts.

Watching yourself on screen or listening to your own recorded voice in the company of colleagues can be a daunting experience, but game tape sessions are invaluable. There is a lot you can learn by watching your own performance, but incorporating outside viewpoints can lead to even more fresh insights and opportunities for improvement.

While the specific approach to conducting game tape sessions may vary among organizations, here are some essential tips for facilitating them effectively:

Foster trust and openness: At the outset, emphasize that game tape sessions are designed to facilitate improvement and enhance team success. This approach will help team members feel comfortable and minimize unease.

Embrace constructive criticism: Although receiving praise is always nice, the true benefit of these sessions lies in identifying areas for improvement. Recognize that no interaction is perfect, and welcome constructive feedback on parts of the interaction that could have gone better, in addition to reinforcing behaviors to repeat and emphasize.

Apply lessons learned: Implement the insights gained from these sessions in your future interactions, both in terms of what to do and what not to do. Adjust your talking points and visual aids. View these lessons as building blocks toward achieving more polished interactions.

Maintain continuity: Establish a continuous feedback and improvement cycle. At Anova, these sessions are a regular part of our internal processes because we believe in craftsmanship. There is always room for enhancement and growth, and we have found that everyone on the team benefits by reacting to their teammates’ performance; it accelerates their learning, as well.

Similar to how professional athletes and sports teams rely on game tape sessions to optimize their performance, implementing such sessions in a sales organization fosters a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.