Vol. XXXII

Dear Managers,

I have consistently promoted the value of management having first-hand experience in the realities of those they manage. Few of us simply woke up one morning to management; we all took those first difficult steps. While the transition is difficult for many of us, we can at least fall back on the values that provided us with confidence in our previous endeavors. In my case, the need to expand sales efforts was obvious, regardless of my personal abilities to do so. In many instances, business can thrust very good sales people into a management role, whether they are prepared for management or not. Having field experience does not automatically guarantee success in management!

Eventually, I realized that I could provide a great asset to my organization by drawing on my past and remembering how to think like a sales representative. The closer I could stay to that thought process and set of values, the stronger my organization would become.

PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE

I have known and worked with several outstanding sales managers who had little or no actual field sales experience. I have known many more, unfortunately, who failed due to their profound inability to relate. I guess it comes down to ones priority in getting on the inside track. Too many managers are distracted by their own course and fail to negotiate the turns. These individuals expect to play the game on their turf and under their rules. Many will fail, never realizing their potential. Those who find a measure of success, yet begin to believe their own press, will never address their shortcomings. From my experience, and without question, this single dynamic consistently robs many managers and their companies of success.

Unfortunately, some managers with field experience choose to forget their lessons and become what they perceive the role of a manager should be. In conversations, it may seem as if these individuals have now arrived at a higher level. With title in hand, a case of amnesia relating to their earlier times sets in. This attitude reflects the very worst in management.

As suggested, I have known managers with no field experience who have, through their own initiative, developed an amazing sense of awareness relating to sales. Fundamentally, these individuals simply want to understand and develop their success on a level playing field with those who can insure their success and whom they consider their peers. These individuals gain high marks for their obvious willingness to learn, experience, and share their desire to develop this understanding.

THINKING LIKE A MANAGER

Having emphasized the value to management in thinking like a rep, I equally believe that the current business climate now require a sales associate to think like a manager! The dynamics of a field sales person are those of independent, individually focused responsibilities. True, their vision is directed towards success. However, given the daily focus on their individual realities, it becomes tunnel vision directed at only one aspect of success: theirs.

In recent years, I have made it a priority in my hiring process to find sales people who also think like a manager. These are the individuals who have stepped out of the singular and often self sustaining perspective of the sales representative, and realized their greatest asset to themselves and their organizations is to assume a management role relating to their sales region.

Those “managing sales” understand and accept a personal responsibility for meeting the growth potential for their sales region. They are the first to know, and are proactive in their willingness to adjust to, the current and future needs of their sales region. They understand their position of strength comes prior to their manager’s inevitable involvement.

There can be huge rewards for individuals who accept this greater ownership. These individuals relate more closely with their managing counterparts. They speak the same language and have a greater understanding of each others needs; conversations reflect on mutual interests relating to “good business decisions,” for their customers as well as their manufacturer. These individuals find a high degree of support from their “fellow managers” relating to their needs and, in more instances than their peers, enjoy the luxury of the benefit of the doubt.

A NEW BEGINNING

The old school suggested a “hands on” approach to management. If this is still the case in your organization, you are living in the past. Let’s be honest, most of the rules and parameters of past sales policies were established to meet the needs, yet minimize the risk, of the lowest common denominator. Do these out-dated sales policies still exist? Who are they currently intended to protect you from? Where’s the flex to make the deal?!

In the past ten years I have seen a remarkable improvement in the standards being established by the sales professional. With a much greater involvement of women in the professional field, the standards set by the highest common denominator of this combined work force far exceeds the pool of talent available just a few years ago. I genuinely believe we need to ask more, and these individuals want more to be asked of them. We can do so by first expecting them to manage their territories and then by giving them the opportunity to do so.

GIVE ME YOUR TOP FIVE

Allow me to describe your top five sales associates:

• Totally self motivated; you never give there sense of determination a second thought

• Creative and almost startling in their approach to a sales challenge

• Always thinking in terms of second and third generation relating to their long term objectives, while maintaining high visibility

• As professionals, they are always looking for, and intrigued by, finding a more productive way

• They enjoy a much stronger relationship with the decision makers in the field and with their manufacturer(s)

• Finally, these individuals challenge you as a manager, by a multiple of five, as compared to your other associates

Are these not the qualities of a great manager, in addition to those of a great sales person? Should we not be asking more of those who have not yet seen the value in thinking like a manager? Are we going to maintain standards that meet the needs of the bottom five at the risk of inhibiting our best?

RISING TO THE TOP

The first step is to develop an awareness of the obvious disadvantage many sales associates are willing to accept. Why is it that so few get all the advantages? A manager of sales first challenges all the policies, then seizes every opportunity to work the system. From the outset, these individuals understand how to finesse a policy to their advantage within the rules (as best as possible). They have a consistent dialogue and ask all the right questions.

Managers reward creativity and respond to ingenuity, especially in an individual who thinks and plans like they do! While these individuals challenge management at a much higher level, they can’t help but be admired and respected for their efforts. In most instances, these individuals get exactly what they want. Those who never ask simply never enjoy the advantage. Who currently gets the advantage? Less than 20% of the whole! It must be time to spread the wealth.

Who are the most successful managers? Those who can relate with and think like a sales person.

Who are the most successful sales people? Those who can relate with and think like a manager.

Personal Regards,

Keenan

INTERPERSONAL© is published by INTERPERSONALBIZ.COM, Keenan Longcor, Editor, ©2009. Duplication of this publication is permitted for both personal and business use. Excerpts may only be quoted with acknowledgment of INTERPERSONAL/INTERPERSONALBIZ.ORG as the source. For re-publication rights, please contact the editor at KEENAN@INTERPERSONALBIZ.COM