Should the sales manager be a better 'sales performer' than their team?
Being a sales manager of a team brings its own rewards
and challenges – managing sales colleagues, sales performance
reporting, financial projections, hitting/exceeding team targets, and developing
a portfolio of clients. Most are responsibilities that the 'solo' sales
executive may have had limited, if any, exposure to. Yet there are times where
a high performing sales person is promoted to a team manager position as a way
of retaining them. This often occurs when the companys’ ability to acknowledge the worth' of the sales person is limited, or when the justification for an increase in salary requires them to have a role with a 'higher level of responsibility'. All too often the 'new' sales manager receives the trappings of their new role - upgraded tools and toys, bigger salary and greater capacity for commission - yet is simply left to get on with it.
There are many good sales managers out there who do develop their team members and who involve colleagues in various aspects of the sales managers’ tasks; though this is not always the case. With an absence of support (such as mentoring and coaching) or solid leadership the new manager is at the peril of their inexperience and other ‘forces’.
Of course it can all work out well, particularly if the sales person has a desire to be a team manager. Though by simply moving your best sales person into a management role, rather than assessing their ability to lead a team, you may have already taken a risk with your customers, the team and their results.
Recognising that it’s the sum of parts (the team) that leads to the greater success is sometimes overlooked. Think of the coaches who have supported successful sports people – some were good, yet few were great in their own sporting career – however it’s their ability to work with and enhance the performance of their protégés that make some of them great coaches.
This is the same for good sales managers who lead, coach and mentor their teams. They are able to demonstrate skills and provide qualitative feedback that enhances the abilities and results of their sales people. Yes, individuals transcending into sales management should be good at sales, however sometimes just picking the best sales people to be the team manager is not always best outcome for your customers, the business or the team.
What do you think?
John is a Director of Vector Resources Limited and helps
businesses increase sales and improve sales performance. Find out more at www.vector-resources.co.uk
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