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Question# 1: I recently got hired as my company's sales manager; what advice can you give me around getting the most out of my team? Ken C. Toronto Ontario

Answer: Congratulations on your new position Ken! This answer can fill a whole book, literally. Not to worry I'll try to be brief. A leader’s ability to inspire is a game elevator. At times an emotional experience, inspiring others is powerful because it blows the lid off self-imposed limitations. A great leader always starts by assessing every individual on her team and then develops an optimal method of engagement based on the emotional, intellectual, and social threshold of each individual. Engaging each member of the team in the same way is not only counterproductive but a sign that the leader lacks the intangible skills required to get the most out of a heterogeneous sales team. Salespeople aren’t that different from prospects. You’re going to get those that are self-motivated, and you’re going to get those that are content with making due with a small commission cheque. You’re going to get those who aren’t satisfied till they’ve booked a minimum of 10 appointments for the following week, and there are those who cringe at the thought of picking up the phone and calling a prospect to book an appointment. In the world of sales there are more complainers than superstars; and probably more talkers than doers.

8 A sales leader needs to view herself as a coach. It also helps in some instances to view her team members as clients, and then apply many of the same principles an elite sales professional would apply when dealing with their clients. As with value-based selling, value-based leadership demands that the sales leader uncovers the currency of each team member, and then apply your findings in a thoughtful manner for optimal results. The tricky part of sales leadership is avoiding the currency trap. The currency trap occurs when there is little or no alignment in the value systems of the leader and the team member. Marked differences in personality, character, and even culture can knowingly or unknowingly influence a leader’s judgment and her ability to manage an otherwise capable sales professional.

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As long as a sales professional is a person of integrity and possesses a burning desire to elevate her company through exceptional service delivery, a sales leader needs to focus more on what they have in common professionally, and not how much they differ personally. This is not to say that one’s personal life can’t influence one’s professional life or performance, but the ability to discern what’s actually motivating your management decisions regarding an individual or a group is essential.

8 Remember, a team leader is the link between her team and upper management, who in turn connects the team leader to the overall leaders of the business entity. It’s up to the sales leader to manage the internal relationship between her team and corporate leadership with the view of promoting operational synergy. The sales leader communicates important information on behalf of the corporate leaders to her team—and oversees the implementation of corporate strategy and policy. The leader also communicates any concerns her team may have to upper management and acts as a medium through which problems are resolved and the vision of corporate leadership is shared.

The most successful sales leaders will always be the ones who can effectively inspire their team to greater heights while walking the corporate tight rope, without losing their balance. It’s vital for any sales team to feel that their leader holds their interests in high regard. However Ken, in looking out for your team’s interests, at the end of the day you are a representative of corporate leadership. So much for being brief....Sorry Ken :-)