The big sporting news today is the trade of Randy Moss from the New England Patriots to the Minnesota Vikings.  Randy Moss is arguably the second best wide receiver of all time, behind Jerry Rice.   In sales talk, Randy Moss is a rain maker.  He is your best sales person.

Check out his numbers, impressive.

• Most touchdown receptions in a season – 23 (2007)
• Most touchdown receptions by a rookie in a season – 17 (1998)
• Most seasons with 17 or more touchdown receptions – 3 (1998, 2003, 2007)
• Most seasons with 16 or more touchdown receptions – 3 (1998, 2003, 2007)
• Most seasons with 11 or more touchdown receptions – 8 – tied with Jerry Rice
• Most seasons with 10 or more touchdown receptions – 9 – tied with Jerry Rice
• Most games in a season with at least 2 touchdown receptions – 8 (2007)

Despite these unbelievable numbers, the New England Patriots traded Moss today.

So what it is the lesson?  The lesson is no one, I mean no one is indispensable and if you build a good system the loss single person won’t break it.

Sales is notorious for letting their best sales people get away with murder.  Fearful they will leave, sales organizations turn a blind eye to the negative behaviors of their best sales people.  This will kill a sales team.

I admire the New England Patriots because they have built a system that people fit into.   They bet on the system, not the people and it has worked for them.   Moss has been whining, complaining and not being the leader he had been the previous few years. Despite his numbers Randy was not helping the team.  So, the Patriots sent him packing.

Sales can learn from this.  Build a system that is bigger than your rainmakers, bigger than anyone person.  Build a sales team that is committed to the system. Find sales people who fit the system and cut those who don’t.

Keeping rainmakers who are toxic doesn’t help anyone.  Getting rid of rainmakers who don’t fit in has been sales biggest weakness.  We’ve failed at if for years. Maybe after watching Bill Billichick the Patriots send Randy Moss packing, we’ll change our ways.  We should.

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