It takes a huge leap to go from managing people to leading them. In 2014, Deloitte leadership gaps executives’ top business challenge.” Harvard Business Review, likewise, stated “nearly 60% of companies face leadership talent shortages that impede performance.” Your managers may be depriving the village somewhere of an idiot.
The remedy? Enhance your selection process.
Don’t hire someone just because you like them. Being likable has very little to do with the track record, skill sets and a desire to improve and excel. I’ve stopped many clients—particularly sales execs—from making a bad decision when their No. 1 reason for potentially hiring the person was “I really like her.”
If your company doesn’t have a great interview and selection process, get outside help. One question to ask is “What is the last sales book you read?” followed by “What new skills did you put into practice from the book?”
The VP of sales must be a “driver.” That describes someone who is on their game and gets the group in the same mindset. In many instances, the VP is more of a nice person then one who asks questions of his team such as “Who are you seeing next Wednesday? Why? What are you going to learn? And what personal value will you deliver?” And more, similar questions. This is what proactive leaders do: They got their group to think before acting.
When is the last time you invested in coaching your VP? How much money will you invest in their mentoring? In addition, plan on follow up to ensure the VP implements the new skills. Invest in the VP before you invest in the troops. As the VP goes, so go the rest of the group.
Training and Education
An overwhelming number of corporations invest more time into money and product training than they do into skills training. You do want experts who know product, industry, and the competiton, but without superior sales and leadership skills they won’t get too far.
The best investment is one-on-one mentoring. Targeted education has been proven to be more valuable than almost all sales training classes. After each session, require that certain newfound skills be implemented by particular deadline dates.
Again, a follow-up program must be in place. Why? Think of all the seminars your team has attended. Then ask yourself “What did they act on?”
The best formula is a combination of education, in-house training, and field training. How do you have a great VP unless he has continuously had mentoring himself? Does that VP score a nine or 10 in the three categories in this paragraph? Can he or she be a nine or 10? If the answer is “yes,” then invest. If it’s a “no,” maybe that person can serve everyone better in another position. To be fair, I have seen managers grow from a 5-7 into a 9-10. It requires a great mentor—and a great student.
Whether it’s training or education, about six new skills should be agreed-upon after each session. I’ve had clients follow this rule for a long time–with success. Can you Imagine a VP and sales group acting on approximately 25 new skills by year-end? In such a setting, competitors doing the same-old, same-old don’t stand a chance.
(A caveat here: Everyone must act on the investment. Any holdout must be invited to join a mediocre competitor.)
Once while interviewing a candidate, I asked the mundane question: Why did you leave XYZ company? The person replied, “they relocated and didn’t tell me where.”
Interview over. I think that candidate got lost in thought—unfamiliar territory for him.
Social Skills
Harvard economist David Deming found that those who emphasize social skills grow by a whopping 24% while tasks requiring technical know-how and intelligence experience little growth. He also found that salaries/bonuses/commissions increase the most for those that place extra emphasis on social skills. Those who lack them stick out like a pig among show horses.
Examples of low social skills include: interrupting others (clients hate it!), rambling on, putting their belongings on a client’s desk, not completely accomplishing goals and objectives, failing to ask (the right) questions, and acting like a know-it-all. These people kill relationships both internally and externally. You can catch them off-guard with comments like “If I agreed with you, we would both be wrong.”
Why do the chiefs often let people get away with these and other related issues? I found that most of them don’t have the skills to encourage others by telling them the truths about deficiencies. I hear too often, “I hate confrontation.” It’s not confrontation. Rather, it’s leadership. If you don’t tell your group the truth, you are hurting them.
Here’s an example of social skills: On the first visit, a salesperson sees about 20 golfing photos in the client’s office. So, what do mundane sales people talk about? Oh, things like “I see you play golf.” How many times has a client heard that? Learn more about the person and his corporate goals versus chit-chat about golf. These salespeople set low performance standards and consistently fail to achieve them.
Better: Keep finding out the things no one else uncovers. You may hear “my daughter” or “our sales are suffering a bit.” Keep asking follow-up questions. If the client’s sales are stale, give him the last sales book you read. Sign it: “Dear Mary, during our last visit, you mentioned that your revenue was being challenged. I like the ideas in this book and I hope you do too. Bob.” That’s an example of social skills including listening, providing value and thinking of and for others. It beats selling things at a price.
Earn the business. When I provide field training, I bring one of my books for each client with a personalized note. When’s the last time your clients had a visit from an author? Naturally, I always want their toughest-to-sell clients.
Hopefully, you do too, because it means you’re up for the challenge and your social skills will land more new business than your competitors.
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad. Wisdom, to me, means, “I’m going to grow and bring more value to clients.”
Humor
A chief who lacks the fun factor makes work H. A. R. D. Want to diminish recruiting, creativity and revenue? Be a member of the NFL: a No Fun Leader.
AccounTemps talked to 1,400 CFOs and found that nearly 8 of 10 said an employee’s sense of humor was important for fitting into a company’s corporate culture. Even CFOs now appreciate humor or fun! Yes, it’s a serious matter. Your goals should be to have the most fun place to work and ensure your salespeople deliver fun during client visits. It’s the joy and value factor. The book delivered is value and humor is the joy. Unbeatable combination.
An easy exercise I do for fun is to utilize postcards I’ve collected from visits ranging from Hawaii to Europe. I simply write, “I look forward to meeting you. Sincerely, Bill.” No last name. Often, when I call, an assistant will answer and ask, “who is calling?” “Bill”. The assistant’s voice elevates with “Who are you? It’s been driving us crazy!” Easy appointment.
Or, if you have done prior homework, cut out an interesting or fun article right up the client’s alley. Include it with a simple note “I thought you would appreciate this. Sincerely, Bill.” It’s proactive and sets up the image “I am different.”
In both cases, the card stays on the client’s desk until you call. In this fast-paced world, personal cards versus just email set you apart.
Applying for a new job? Take a postcard with you–postage affixed. Take it immediately to the post office after the interview. They will probably receive it the next day when they are reading your follow-up email. You will be the only one to do this. If you are a great candidate, your chances for being hired just went up. (Icing on the cake: I have two postage stamps. One with my photo and the other is a photo of one of my sales books. That’s an example of social skills–being different.)
It’s hard to make a comeback when you haven’t been anywhere. Just act on one or two items from this article and see where you can sell almost anywhere to almost anyone. Or, if you decide you’re not up for doing new things, at least be creative about it. Like “I don’t do new things on days that end with a ‘Y’.”
Inspiration and perspiration are related more than by rhyme alone.
