Negative Impact of a Sales Leader

Today we are talking about Sales Leaders that are leading down the wrong path.

???? Ask the question… who wants to be a sales leader and most hands will go up. Right?

Everyone wants to lead.

?? Why is this? What makes leading so attractive?

For some… it’s a status thing. They want the Title… Sales Manager ??VP of Sales ?? CRO.

It sounds so sexy, I know. Maybe it’s the pay they are after.

How does one become a sales leader… killing it in sales, of course.

Most leaders were high-performing sales reps that have been rewarded with a leadership position. ????

Which in theory makes sense… if they know how to do it themselves, then they can teach others to do it too.

Problem is… it’s not always the case.

A bad sales leader can lead to**…**

• Lack of Direction
• Low Morale
• Poor Communication
• High Turnover
• Loss of Trust
• Poor Performance Management

Here are some of the reasons why it’s hard for so many to translate being great at sales to being a great leader.

?? The Mystery of “Why”:

So many know what to do to close deals, but they don’t always know WHY they do what they do. The problem with this is they have a hard time coaching their team.

Knowing WHY they do it the way they do it helps to coach what to apply when so they understand the process for themselves.

?? The “Watch Me” Dilemma:

What comes next is… “Just watch me”. The hope is that the sales reps will pick up what you are doing and then learn it.

What I have seen over and over with this approach is sales teams are able to copy exactly what they are doing but they don’t always apply it in the right ways. They can say word for word what their manager says but use it out of context.

YES… seeing their leader in action is awesome but needs to follow up with why they are doing what they are doing.

?? The “Don’t Think Like You” Challenge:

You go from being a top performer to now being thrown into the deep end with a team of different styles and personalities. It doesn’t make sense… they just need to think like you do. But they don’t.

Figuring out how to communicate with different people and get them to grow in a different way that is better for them is a challenge. ?????

?? The “Challenges” You’ve Never Seen

This especially true over the last few years. Biz was GOOD… really good. A lot of sales reps were promoted because they killed it.

Problem is… the landscape has changed. What worked before… doesn’t anymore. If you’ve always relied on doing it how you were taught, it can be extremely difficult.

Knowing how to make pivots and create strategies based on the current world is a must. Not about just doing more of the same thing… you have to change with the current world we live in.

So what do you do if you have a current leader who is struggling…

• Find a mentor to help them
• Identify areas that they are lacking and communicate these.
• Hire someone to come fill the gaps they are missing with a new strategy or building your sales process

If you are looking to be a leader, do this…

• Pay attention to WHY you are doing what you are doing.
• Don’t just go through the motions.
• Mentor others and teach them why… pay attention to how it helps them or doesn’t.
• Look for ways to make pivots on your own rather than always waiting for your leader to make pivots for you.

The reality is... your leaders are leading. It just might be in the wrong direction. The best leaders know inside and out how and why you do the things they do.

They can teach it, communicate AND hold others accountable.

PS... I'm looking to start a group for those wanting to be sales leaders. Meet once a week and discuss ways to prepare to be fantastic leaders. If you are one looking or know someone that is... message me at [email protected]