I would bet that most of us have encountered more bad sales leadership than good sales leadership in our careers. This is so for a few reasons; 1) leadership, especially sales leadership, is hard, 2) we have high expectations of our leaders and 3) sale management requires the mastery of several competencies – and very few people have ever been trained in the basics of how to be an effective sales manager.

New sales managers can dig themselves into a hole very quickly. Many fall back to the actions and beliefs that made them a top salesperson, unaware that this strategy can be counter-productive.  Instead of relying on self, sales managers must get things done through others.

Learning to lead takes time. In fact, leadership development is a lifelong process. Unfortunately, sales managers don’t have a lifetime to show results.

Positive momentum is a critical success factor for a sales team, especially for a new manager.  When coaching new sales managers, STM360 has learned that focusing on four leadership fundamentals helps build leadership momentum:

1. Communicate Clear Expectations – You can’t expect a team / person to be where you want them to be if you have not clearly communicated; what the goals are, how to achieve those goals, expected behavior, and where people stand.
   

2. Create a Learning Environment – Make people development a top priority and create a development plan for each person. Don’t fall into the trap of doing a salesperson’s job – this is the quickest way to flame out.
   

3. Remove Barriers and Distractions – Identify and remove whatever is preventing your team from being more successful. Step up to and resolve conflict in an expedient manner.
   

4. Model the Way – Be clear on your philosophy of leadership. Always follow through on your commitments and promises. Set the example of what is expected in terms of attitude, work ethic, competence, etc.
   

Of course, there is a lot more to leadership and sales management than these four leadership fundamentals.  STM360 has created an e-learning tutorial and self-assessment that provides a deeper dive into sales leadership fundamentals. For access to the e-learning tutorial and self-assessment, click on the link below…. 

http://www.stm360.com/leadership-fundamentals-for-sales-managers/