Staying sedentary is a poison that can infect even the best salespeople when the wrong management lifestyle takes over their personality. The best way to escape this situation as a sales manager is to find ways to stay engaged with the team. Engagement is the link that will allow natural abilities to shine and become the sales leader that others can look up to.

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.”– Vince Lombardi

An engaged manager is interacting with the salespeople he manages at every possible opportunity. A disengaged manager, on the other hand, is always looking for ways to seclude himself from the customer and the team and only engages with other management staff during the critical crisis. A quick look at the sales environment and each of these manager-types and their styles are present in most companies.

  • Stay on the Floor Manager. Standing and walking around requires more work than sitting behind the sales desk; however, this comfortable position does not give a right to be lazy. The sales office usually provides a bird’s eye view of the floor and careful watch of the team. This allows for involvement in the major sales moments, which can be helpful. On the other hand, manager takeovers aren’t always prompted so that they can undermine the ability of the employee. Other points are that the office Salesforce must be working the phone regularly, which is the only way to create value. The sales manager must then be around to guide, assist and encourage those around them.
  • Field Sales Manager.  Field sales managers cannot manage salespeople, whose primary job is to interact with other clients, by staring at a computer screen. Great sales field managers should be out working alongside their reps, meeting key customers and helping acquire new customers. This is a must and the essence of the job.
    • Reserve time to observe and coach salespeople
    • Coaching pre and post client interaction are allowed, but you will need to be present
    • Getting out of the office will provide this manager with firsthand information on team capabilities, as well as valuable competition and market data.
    • Fieldwork retains key clients and often strengthens these relationships
    • When in the field with fellow salespersons, managers must be completely committed to driving output and performance.
  • Get in Every Deal: “Early and often” is a phrase that managers need to adopt in regards to deal-involvement. Customers don’t care who serves them so long as their needs are served and done so in a professional manner. If managers must demonstrate this a few times to set a strong example for the rest of the team members, then a good manager will do so.
  • Teach Closing Strategy: Closing is part art, part science. A manager who has all of the ability and fails to share this wisdom is both foolish and greedy. A team that is empowered with the directors’ best tools will then eventually become a team of sales masters. Don’t become the manager that fears being replaced and hoards all of his knowledge. Share everything, but in the appropriate moments, so as to empower each individual on the staff as much as possible.

“He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.” –Benjamin Franklin

The output of the sales team can’t be maximized if the manager is constantly sitting at the desk. Even if the final revenue numbers look good, this is only a portion of the story. The sales team members on the team are not represented in that monthly report. A manager with a caring attitude and attention towards the future success of the company will invest in the instruction and involvement with on a daily basis with each salesperson on the team. Anything less and the manager seat is occupied by the wrong person.

“Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, ‘Make me feel important.’ Not only will you succeed in sales, you will succeed in life.” – Mary Kay Ash

Good managers engage their constituents supportively and personally. At some point in the past, all sales managers were out on the sales floor, learning through mistakes and challenging situations. These managers don’t forget those moments and use them to understand their employees better. This empathy is essential to better connecting with the workforce. As such, endearment and respect are both catalysts toward effective leadership.

“Obstacles can’t stop you. Problems can’t stop you. Most of all, other people can’t stop you. Only you can stop you.” – Jeffrey Gitomer

Managers that aren’t connected with their group don’t command the same respect as those that are. If disconnected managers use a down sales month to criticize their team, they’ll lose their credibility. Managers that haven’t been around all month or don’t engage the group on the floor don’t fully understand the situation. Employees won’t support a manager that wasn’t there for them. Show up, get the deals and actively impart wisdom rather than criticize and watch the results. That way, employees will identify the management in a positive and guiding light.

The key is to be the caring teacher for the team. Treat everyone with respect, hold everyone accountable, give them 110 percent and watch them flourish under your leadership.

 

 

 

 

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