Cultivate an Inter-Functional Community the common goal. Everyone on the team has perspective and the capacity not to forget that. Some may have more. Some may have less. All come equipped in good measure. No one falls below the baseline of the needed quantity. It is critical to the project's momentum to provide everyone on the team the opportunity to share their current points of view at the very outset, allow management through the project leader to respond to those points of view, and furnish the participants a clear frame of reference from which to pro- ceed. Once this dialogue has taken place, stuff has to start happening. The design team engine has been turned on. Keeping Universal Issues in Mind It is important to point out within the context of developing a collabora- tive design team that some tasks have established frames of reference (we will explore this in greater detail in Chapter 8). Although specifics as to approach, content, and emphasis will vary from company to company, the team does not have to handicap itself by working in a vacuum. Effective sales plans, regardless of industry or targeted positions, have a variety of common best practice design elements. These elements fall under the basic headings of "keep it simple" and "keep it focused." A well designed plan: provides upside potential within a prudent economic framework. ensures that desired behaviors/results are within the control of the participant. considers team implications for inclusion or exclusion in plan design. aligns desired results with the appropriate type of variable pay program (commission, incentive, or bonus). creates ramping bonus opportunity (accelerators) or multiple rewards carefully and only when significant performance achievement can be obtained. pre-establishes windfall provisions. consolidates various unfocused activities in the sales stream. 193