We have discussed the importance of our salespeople as they are the drivers of business for the company. Without them and their high level of performance, the company could not survive. The role of leaders is to keep them inspired and motivated, interested, eager, enthusiastic, and dedicated to selling.
Retaining this talent is always a challenge. Acknowledging that the salespeople, as well as all other staff in the company, are valuable assets, it is beneficial that they develop loyalty and affinity from the staff.
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
I recall this quote from American Poet, Maya Angelou early in my career and it continues to have an enormous impact on me.
It highlights a management concept that is so logical, relevant, and meaningful. It supports “respect” for people, especially our staff. It emphasizes how we should treat others, especially those who are heavily influenced by managers and leaders. Here are some reminders of some skills that help us as managers.
1. LISTENING is a skill that many believe comes naturally. However, we constantly find that this is perhaps one of the skills that is most lacking. More often than not, we all want to talk, and tell our story and are less eager to listen to others. To manage, we must learn to listen and value what we hear. “Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood.”
2. TEAMWORK is a term used often very loosely. We talk about it a lot, but execution can be elusive. No man is an island, and no man stands alone. In one of my previous chapters, I stated that it is seldom “I” but more often “We” to get things done. Leaders need to constantly promote this so that everyone believes they are part of the solution. They will perform better and develop loyalty if they feel this way.
3. While we expect our salespeople to be dependable, DEPENDABILITY is a two-way street. We cannot depend on them if they cannot depend on us. Successful leaders express and emphasize dependability consistently to the staff. This gains trust and confidence in them and they act accordingly.
4. It is no surprise that at any level of management, LEADERSHIP is a driving factor for success. We all want to and need to be led. We expect leadership to guide us through good and difficult times. Staff lose interest very quickly when they don’t visibly see or experience leadership.
5. Keeping the team MOTIVATED keeps them together. Staff react and follow when they are motivated to do so. They want to feel wanted and needed and when that happens, they are happy to continue.
6. Successful Leaders believe in receiving and providing FEEDBACK. Whether it is positive, negative, or constructive, Feedback represents communication, and an open channel with the staff.
“Ask for feedback and you might get it.” “Wait for feedback and you likely will never get it.”
Successful leaders will stress the importance of creating an environment where feedback is frequently sought and frequently given “up and down.” Surveys have indicated that 40% of workers are actively disengaged when they get little or no feedback. On the contrary, 82% of employees appreciate, value, and seek feedback, positive or negative. They want to communicate and understand their position.