Bring Sales To Your Sales Team

by Austin
(TN)

Being a manager is more than just 'calling the shots.' It's so much more than having the authority to hire and fire, set office policies, and come and go as you please.

To be quite honest a true manager who is also a LEADER doesn't approach his or her job with that mindset.

A true leader is a combination of many traits, however the two most important are:

1. Be a servant to your employees. Don't just sit back and hope that your sales force goes out and opens accounts just so you can sit back and earn overrides while tooling around on the internet.

Get out on the battlefield with them and use the skills you've obtained over the years that got you into this position.

I'm a sales manager of a mortgage company and just began 30 days ago. My 2nd week there I made a cold call to a huge builder in our community. Instead of going alone in hopes of earning and servicing the account myself, I took one of my new loan officers with me to present ourselves as a 'team.'

By the end of the meeting the builder told the other lenders who were to come in behind us to just go home. He decided to go with us, and I passed the account on to my loan officer.

That's how you serve and take care of those who take care of you.

2. Lead By Example. Don't expect your sales team to go out there and pound the pavement if you aren't willing and able to do the same thing. By 'doing what you say, and say what you do' you'll earn the respect and admiration of those you are in charge of. They'll see you more as a team member who leads them vs. a plain old 'boss.'

Serve your employees. Lead by example. Show them you are willing to go to war with each and everyone of them anytime, anywhere.

That's how a true leader approaches each day. Anything less than this and you are no better than a receptionist painting her nails while the phone rings.