Unlocking Sales Success Through Trust & Culture with Lindsey Scrase, CRO, Checkr

A high-performing sales enablement team is more crucial than ever before. 

But the key to success in today’s competitive market isn’t just about building sales skills. Organizations must create a high-performance culture where employees can continuously learn and grow to maximize their potential. 

Lindsey Scrase, CRO, Checkr joined the LEARN Podcast to dive into the critical role of trust and culture in building competitive sales teams. Lindsey shares her approach to success from her experience at Google and Checkr, including the importance of setting high expectations, fostering ownership and accountability, and creating a culture of trust and transparency. 

Building trust for high-functioning teams

Lindsey emphasizes the significance of trust in unlocking a team’s full potential. 

By building trust, leaders can create an environment where individuals feel empowered to give their best. Lindsey believes that trust starts at the top and extends to the entire leadership team. 

“I believe so deeply that when you truly build trust, and there’s a lot of ways to do this, you have a much better and more high-functioning team,” she says. “You’re going to get the best out of your people; you can’t force someone to give you their best.”

It takes intentional effort to build trust. For example, Lindsey incorporates what she calls roses and thorns in leadership meetings, where she encourages people to share something that’s going well and something challenging. 

“I really encourage people to share, not just about work, but you as a whole human,” she says. “Just bring people together and get everyone on the same page, on the same team.”

She promotes open communication, transparency, and vulnerability to foster a deep sense of trust among team members.

Read more: Creating a Winning Workplace Culture

A People-centric approach to sales management

Lindsey’s approach to sales management revolves around putting people first. 

She focuses on creating a culture where individuals are not just executing tasks but actively problem-solving and contributing to overall company growth. 

By empowering team members to take ownership of their work and outcomes, Lindsey cultivates a sense of accountability and encourages creativity. 

“I really push for a culture of ownership and accountability,” she says. “No matter what role you are in, owning not just the inputs but the outcomes. Whether you’re an AE or sales manager, owning your number, not making excuses, knowing what the issues are, but then figuring out what’s the plan to fix them. 

“And so I want people who are brought in not just to execute, but to figure out, what are the problems we’re trying to solve? How should we solve them? And they probably know better than I do or anyone in leadership does of how we’re going to get there day to day tactically.”

This approach enables teams to adapt and thrive, even in rapidly changing environments.

Read more: What is People-Centric Leadership

Setting high expectations and promoting excellence

Leaders must set the bar high to drive exceptional performance. Lindsey believes organizations should aim for ambitious goals, pushing themselves beyond their comfort zones. 

By instilling a culture of excellence, leaders can inspire their teams to constantly learn, grow, and deliver beyond what they thought possible.

Lindsey’s emphasis on ambitious goal-setting and continuous learning and improvement creates an environment where individuals and teams can achieve remarkable results.

Cultivating ownership, accountability, and transparency 

Lindsey believes that top-performing teams must value ownership, accountability, and transparency. She encourages team members to take ownership of their work and outcomes regardless of their role. 

By creating a culture where individuals feel a sense of ownership, they’re more likely to find creative solutions, take risks, and be proactive problem-solvers. Additionally, Lindsey values transparency and providing team members with the necessary context and information to perform their best. 

“They’ll perform better, they’ll have better ideas,” she says. “They’ll bring the right solutions to the information flow, and that’s another key role of enablement, explain the why, and giving context. Not just like they have it and are better at their job, but so they can help solve for our next growth phase.”

This open flow of information empowers employees to make informed decisions and contribute effectively to the growth and success of the organization.

Read more: How to Future-Proof Your Organization to Thrive in an Ever-Changing World

Empower employees and build high-performing teams

Lindsey’s experience and insights offer valuable lessons for sales leaders and professionals to build high-functioning teams and drive sales success. 

By prioritizing trust, focusing on people-centric approaches, setting high expectations, and cultivating ownership and accountability, sales organizations can create an environment ripe for growth, innovation, and outstanding performance. Lindsey’s journey at Google and Checkr is a testament to the power of culture, excellence, and transparency in achieving remarkable results.

Check out the full episode to get more insights from Lindsey. Subscribe to the LEARN Podcast on Apple, Spotify, or Google for expert advice from the top leaders in SaaS on revenue enablement, customer success, customer education, employee development, and more.