Leadership is about guiding people, not managing them. Kevin “KD” Dorsey, CRO at Finally and Founder & CEO of Sales Leadership Accelerator, has refined this distinction through years of experience scaling SaaS sales teams, including two unicorns. His approach underscores a fundamental truth: leaders guide people, but they manage processes.
“People are unmanageable,” Dorsey asserts, highlighting the futility of trying to control others. Instead, great leaders focus on inspiring and motivating their teams, providing guidance rather than micromanagement.
In this article, we’ll walk through a framework for revenue leadership that will help you drive the results you’ve always aimed for.
Lead people and manage processes
Dorsey’s philosophy is rooted in a simple truth: you lead people, but you manage processes. Leadership is all about guiding teams towards a shared goal. This means ditching micromanagement and fostering an environment where people are empowered to perform their best.
“People don’t wake up thinking, ‘manage me, please,’” he points out. Instead, they respond to leadership that inspires and supports them. Leadership is about motivating the individual and creating a system that allows them to succeed. But even with empowered teams, how do you ensure you’re steering them in the right direction? This is where metrics come into play – but not just any metric. It’s about zeroing in on the one that truly drives performance.
Metrics matter, but they aren’t everything
Identifying a single, key metric that drives success is crucial for effective leadership. Instead of getting lost in multiple data points, like revenue or churn rate, focus on the one metric that encapsulates your team’s performance.
“Everything you want to know about your business is reflected in your number one metric,” Dorsey states. This metric should guide your strategies and decisions, allowing you to shift from merely reacting to past results to proactively influencing future outcomes. By concentrating on this pivotal metric, leaders can create actionable insights that drive their teams toward greater success.
Most leaders are figuring it out
Most leaders are still figuring things out. The reality is that very few have received formal training on how to lead effectively, and instead, they learn on the job. This lack of training often leaves leaders feeling overwhelmed, constantly reacting to problems rather than preventing them.
But this challenge also presents an opportunity: the chance to embrace continuous learning. Leadership isn’t about perfection; it’s about building systems that enable proactive management. Without these systems, leaders can easily become bottlenecks, limiting their teams’ potential.
That’s where the BIPSY framework comes in. It offers a structured approach to help leaders dig deeper, uncover the root causes of performance issues, and take action that drives real results.
The BIPSY method: A practical framework for leadership
At the core of Dorsey’s approach is the BIPSY framework, which stands for behaviors, individual Diagnoses, process, skill, and you. It’s a method designed to break down the factors that directly influence results, giving leaders a roadmap to diagnose and improve performance.
1. Behaviors
To improve any metric, start with the behaviors that drive that result. For example, improving a close rate isn’t about focusing solely on the percentage itself, it’s about identifying the specific actions that lead to successful deals.
“Look at the controllable behaviors that impact that outcome,” Dorsey explains. This might mean more follow-ups, better preparation, or improved prospecting. The key is to control what’s within your reach, as behaviors are the building blocks of success.
2. Individual Diagnoses
No two team members are the same, and as a leader, it’s your job to figure out what’s really going on with each person. Sales performance is tightly connected to motivation and personal well-being, and there could be countless reasons why someone isn’t delivering at their best. The goal is to get to the root of it.
It’s critical to dig into whether the issue is one of skill or will. If it’s a skill gap, you can work with that and coach through it. But if it’s a lack of effort, that’s a whole different conversation. Leaders need to be patient with skill and much less so with will. Knowing the difference is what makes the real impact.
3. Process
Sales leaders need visibility into the processes their teams are following. If you don’t know what your team is doing on a daily basis, it becomes nearly impossible to diagnose issues or replicate success. A well-defined process allows for predictability and scalability in results.
Dorsey notes that many leaders fall short here. Without a clear process in place, teams end up putting out fires instead of moving towards their goals. The process is the foundation that gives leaders the ability to manage outcomes without having to micromanage people.
4. Skill
Skill development is another cornerstone of the BIPSY method. According to Dorsey, skills aren’t just learned, they’re practiced. He highlights the importance of regular, deliberate practice in developing a high-performing sales team.
“Practice isn’t just for game day,” Dorsey emphasizes. True skill-building happens before the high-stakes moments. By practicing daily, salespeople are better prepared to execute when it matters most. Leaders need to provide the tools, training, and opportunities for their teams to refine their skills in a controlled environment.
5. You
The final component of the BIPSY framework is a reflection on leadership itself. Dorsey urges leaders to ask themselves tough questions: Are you truly supporting your team? Are you providing the right coaching, recognition, and resources? Here’s a checklist to help you understand the types of questions to think of.
Self-awareness is critical. Great leaders take responsibility not only for their team’s successes but also for any failures. By regularly checking in on how they can improve their own leadership, managers can create a culture of accountability and growth.
The beauty of the BIPSY framework is its practical application. It allows leaders to break down complex challenges into manageable components and gives them the tools to lead their teams effectively. By focusing on behaviors, diagnosing individual issues, implementing robust processes, honing skills, and holding themselves accountable, leaders can build high-performing teams that consistently deliver.
At the end of the day, leadership is all about creating the conditions that make achieving those results inevitable. Kevin Dorsey’s BIPSY method offers a clear, actionable path to doing just that.
