SEVEN
PROVEN WAYS TO MAKE A GREAT SALES MANAGER?
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Don't make the same mistake many Marketing Chiefs make by automatically
promoting your company's best salesperson to sales manager, unless he or she
possesses the qualities necessary to manage, not just those qualities necessary
to sell. The jobs are quite different.
What made them all GREAT is that they followed the same eight
practices of the great sales manager:
· They
asked, “What needs to be done?”
· They
asked, “What is right for the enterprise?”
· They
developed action plans.
· They
took responsibility for their decisions.
· They
took responsibility for communicating.
· They
focused on opportunities rather than problems.
· They
ran productive meetings.
· They
thought and said “we” rather than “I”.
The first two practices gave them the knowledge they needed. The next four
helped them convert this knowledge into effective action. The last two ensured
that the whole organization felt responsible and accountable. The great
sales manager, focuses on contribution. He looks up from his work and outward
toward goals. He asks: “What can I contribute that will significantly affect
the performance and the results of the company I work for?”
In addition there are some natural talents and some basic qualities that all
good sales managers possess Fortunately, most can be learned.
Here they are; make sure that if your current sales manager (or someone you are
considering promoting to sales manager) doesn't currently possess these
characteristics, he or she is actively working on developing them.
1. BE PASSIONATE & COMMITED TO YOU PURPOSE.
All the studies by leading research organizations in the field of sales
success, indicate that enthusiasm is the number one characteristic for success
in life. Enthusiasm breeds commitment. A committed sales manager will figure
out a way to overcome adversity especially when the sales graph is
low.. Commitment breed persistence nothing in the world can take the
place of persistence. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. A
great sales manager is committed to the success of the project and of all team
members. He holds the vision for the collective team and moves the team closer
to the end result. It's the great sales manager's commitment that pulls the
team forward during trying times. “many of life’s failures are people who did
not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” – THOMAS EDISON
2. BRING OUT THE BEST IN PEOPLE.
If a sales manager is not people-oriented he or she doesn't have much of a
chance of succeeding in this job. Treat people not as they are, but as they are
capable of being. “our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we
know we could be.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson sales managers must care enough about
their salespeople to help them reach their full potential. This is no easy
task. A great sales manager must be skilled at slowly, but surely converting
individual liabilities into assets. Give your sales force permission to grow
through honest mistakes… that’s how you build a sales force. Don’t assume you
are a genius who never made a mistake and you must have geniuses in the saleforce
who will never fail. “it is amazingwhat you can accomplish if you do not care
who gets the credit.” – Harry S. Truman
3. CREATIVITY … NEW SITUATIONS CALL FOR
DIFFERENT ACTIONS
Creativity is what separates competence from excellence. Creativity is the
spark that propels projects forward and that captures peoples' attention.
Creativity is the ingredient that pulls the different pieces together into a
cohesive whole, adding zest and appeal in the process. Don't throw the same
formula for every sales campaign. New situations call for different
actions. If a sales manager wants different results, he must have
the willingness to try different things. Flexibility and versatility are
valuable qualities in a great sales manager. Beneath the flexibility and
versatility is an ability to be both non-reactive and not attached to how
things have to be. Versatility implies an openness - this openness allows the
leader to quickly change on a dime when necessary. Flexibility and versatility
are the pathways to speedy responsiveness. “An ability to embrace new ideas,
routinely challenge old ones, and live with paradox will be the effective
leader’s premier trait.” – Tom Peters
4. SEE THE BIG PICTURE CONCURRENT WITH MANAGING THE
DETAILS.
Excellent great sales managers see the big picture concurrent with
managing the details. Small actions lead to the big picture; the excellent
great sales manager is skillful at doing both: think big while also paying
attention to the details. The context and structure we work within always have
a set of parameters, limitations and guidelines. A great sales manager knows
how to work within the structure and not let the structure impinge upon the
process or the project. Know the structure intimately, so as to guide others to
effectively work within the given parameters. Do this to expand beyond the
boundaries.
5. INTUITION…
Intuition is the capacity of knowing without the use of rational
processes;. It's something that we all take for granted, yet is it not
remarkable that somehow we can come to correct conclusions without having all
the fact to hand and without using reason? It's the cornerstone of
emotional intelligence How is it that we can form an immediate assessment
of a person the first time we meet them and find that our initial insight is
proved to be correct. And why is it that we can sometimes make a correct guess
at a prospective customer and get it exactly right? People with keen
insight are often able to sense what others are feeling and thinking;
consequently, they're able to respond perfectly to another through their deeper
understanding. The stronger one's intuition, the stronger will be your ability
to interview and select the right people for your salesforce.
6. KNOWLEDGE …the cutting edge of effectiveness
A thorough knowledge base is essential. The knowledge base must be so ingrained
and integrated into their being that they become transparent, focusing on the
employee and what he needs to learn, versus focusing on the knowledge base. The
excellent great sales manager lives from a knowledge base, without having to
draw attention to it. Great Sales Manager are willing to see themselves as
others see them. To be effective they must be willing to ask
questions about their management style and be willing to listen to feedback
from both their sales force and their higher ups.
7. DISCIPLINE/FOCUS…
Discipline is the ability to choose and live from what one pays attention to.
Discipline as self-mastery can be exhilarating! Role model the ability to live
from your intention consistently and you'll role model an important leadership
quality. GET SMART AT DESKWORK (NOT ONLY FIELDWORK). Organization is the
foundation of just about everything in life. For a busy sales manager- too
field bound & prone to neglect his office desk, I strongly suggest that as
a great sage said “It is never too late to be who you might have been.”
WITH BEST COMPLIMENTS
DR WILFRED MONTEIRO
www.synergymanager.net
