Why You Shouldn't Promote Your Best Salesperson to Sales Manager!

Lessons from the Trenches

A few years ago, I made a brilliant move: I promoted my top-performing salesperson to Sales Manager. It seemed like a no-brainer. They were closing sales left, right, and centre, and they knew our product inside out. They had an infectious energy that motivated the entire team. So, naturally, they were the perfect candidate to lead the sales team, right?

Wrong. As it turns out, I’d made the classic mistake that many business owners have made before me. I was guilty of the ‘promote the best performer’ trap, and the fallout was more significant than I could have ever anticipated. In this article, I want to share the lessons I learned from this experience, the risks of promoting your top salesperson to a managerial role, and how I eventually turned things around through the right training and support.

The Thinking Behind the Promotion

At the time, the decision to promote my top salesperson seemed obvious. They were smashing targets month after month, deeply understood our clients’ needs, and were always willing to go the extra mile. It wasn’t just about the numbers either—they were respected by their peers, which made them seem like a natural leader.

The truth is, I was looking for someone who could replicate their success across the entire sales team. If they could close so many deals themselves, surely they could teach others to do the same, right? And who better to inspire the team than someone who had walked in their shoes and come out on top?

The Harsh Reality

However, it didn’t take long for the cracks to show. The skills that made them a great salesperson were not the same skills needed to be a great manager. Here are some of the issues that arose:

1. Different Skill Sets Required: Being a successful salesperson is all about personal achievement—hitting targets, closing deals, and maintaining a relentless focus on performance. However, being a manager is about enabling others to succeed. It requires a whole new set of skills, such as team management, coaching, and the ability to see the bigger picture. My top salesperson was great at selling but struggled to delegate, coach, or provide the team much needed support.

2. Loss of Motivation: When this individual became a manager, they found themselves bogged down in administrative tasks, meetings, and paperwork—things they didn’t particularly enjoy. Their motivation began to wane, and it wasn’t long before the spark that had driven them to be the top performer in sales started to fade.

3. Team Morale: The team, which once admired its colleague, began to feel the effects of a manager who wasn’t equipped to lead. There was confusion about expectations, inconsistent feedback, and a lack of direction. The once high-performing sales team started to lose confidence, and consequently, performance began to slip.

4. Loss of a Top Performer: I lost them as top performers in their previous capacity by promoting them to a role they weren’t suited for. What’s worse, I now have a struggling sales manager and a demotivated sales team.

After several months of declining sales, poor turnover, and mounting frustration from all sides, I had to face the truth—I had made a big mistake. Promoting my best salesperson to Sales Manager hadn’t improved the team’s performance; it had made things worse.

I realised that I had set them up for failure by not preparing them for the role. I’d assumed their sales skills would naturally translate into management skills, but I hadn’t provided the training, mentoring, or support necessary to make the transition successful. It wasn’t fair to them, and it wasn’t fair to the team.

The Turnaround

Admitting my mistake was the first step, but fixing it required a plan. Here’s how we turned things around:

1. Investing in Training

I decided to invest in proper training for my sales manager. This wasn’t just a quick course or a couple of workshops. I realised that they needed a comprehensive development programme focused on management skills. This included:

- Leadership or Management Training: Understanding what it takes to lead and inspire a team to achieve their goals

- Coaching Skills: Learning how to coach others to achieve their best.

- Time Management: Managing time effectively between individual tasks and team responsibilities.

- Conflict Resolution: Handling disputes and differences within the team.

This training helped them develop the skills they needed to become more effective managers and gave them the confidence to step into their new role properly.

2. Mentorship and Support

In addition to formal training, I also arranged for them to have a mentor—someone who had experience in managing sales teams and could offer practical advice and support. This mentor was invaluable in helping them navigate the challenges of their new role and provided a sounding board for ideas and concerns.

3. Redefining Roles

We also had to redefine what success looked like for this individual. No longer was their success measured purely on personal sales performance. Instead, it was about team performance, employee satisfaction, and overall sales growth. We set new KPIs that were aligned with their role as a manager, not as a salesperson.

4. Open Communication

I made it a priority to have regular one-on-one meetings with the sales manager. This wasn’t just about reviewing performance but about understanding their challenges, providing support, and making adjustments where needed. These conversations were crucial in ensuring they felt supported and understood.

5. Bringing in External Expertise

In some areas, we needed more specialised help. I brought in an external coach who specialised in developing sales managers. This provided an outside perspective and equipped the sales manager with tools and techniques that weren’t covered in the internal training.

The Results

It took time, but the investment in training, mentoring, and support began to pay off. The sales manager started to gain confidence in their new role, and the team responded positively to the changes. Over the next year, we saw a gradual improvement in team morale, a clearer sense of direction, and, most importantly, a steady increase in sales performance.

The former top salesperson became a competent and respected sales manager. While they may not have personally closed as many deals, their ability to bring out the best in others meant that the team's overall performance exceeded previous highs.

Key Takeaways

Looking back, I’ve learned some important lessons that I’d like to share with other business owners who might be considering a similar move:

1. Understand the Different Skill Sets: A great salesperson and a great sales manager are two very different things. Don’t assume that success in one role will automatically translate to success in the other.

2. Provide Training and Support: If you do decide to promote a top performer, make sure you invest in their development. Provide them with the training, mentorship, and support they need to succeed in their new role.

3. Set Realistic Expectations: Don’t expect immediate results. The transition from salesperson to manager is a significant one and takes time to get right. Be patient and provide ongoing support.

4. Be Willing to Admit Mistakes: If things aren’t working out, be honest with yourself and your team. Admitting a mistake is better than letting a bad situation get worse.

5. Consider All Options: Consider all the options before promoting your best salesperson. Could they contribute more to the business in their current role? Are there other ways to reward their success without moving them into a management position?

Final Thoughts

Promoting your best salesperson to Sales Manager might seem like a smart move, but it’s a strategy that’s fraught with risks. I learned this the hard way, but it’s possible to turn things around with the right training and support. Today, I’m proud to say that our sales team is stronger than ever, and the lessons we learned have made us a better, more resilient business.

If you’re considering a similar move, take a step back and think carefully about the decision. Make sure you’re not just reacting to short-term success, but thinking about what’s best for the team—and the business—in the long run. After all, the right people in the right roles can make all the difference.