Salespeople in popular culture are too often portrayed as sleazy car salesperson types, out for their own good. This perpetuates the idea that sales are a zero-sum game with one winner and everyone else a loser. But at Sentinel Way, we believe it doesn’t have to be that way.
I’ve seen many different B2B sales leaders in my career. I’ve worked alongside people who were promoted because of their big personalities and confidence with customers allowing them to exceed sales targets. In the leadership role, they were quick to fire the reps who weren’t performing well to keep the team’s numbers high, instead of offering mentorship, upskilling, or transferring opportunities for their team members. This approach is more likely a reflection on the leader’s inability to handle tough questions or senior people they deem as a threat than a reflection of the outgoing team’s ability to learn sales.
Often, sales leaders are employees who have done their jobs well. They’ve gotten promoted because they exceeded their sales goals and expectations. However, being good at sales doesn’t necessarily make them a good team leader. It’s not the track record or the size of the personality that determines success in sales, and certainly not a cutthroat attitude. Successful team leadership is more than leading by example, it’s about developing the team.
Finding a balance
To be impactful, sales leaders need a specific set of skills. First, it’s important that the leader has done the sales job and that they’re good at it. They need a deep understanding of the field and its nuances to best support the team. They must know how to crunch numbers, analyze data, and meet sales targets.
Also, and perhaps more importantly, a successful sales leader coaches and supports their team members. They have a vested interest in the success of the individual and the team. And they are committed to providing opportunities for team members to develop in their careers, thrive in their roles, and feel supported in their struggles and successes.
An effective sales leader leverages their knowledge and skills of the sales market to support team members through the ups and downs, while guiding them to solve problems and instilling the confidence to be stronger salespeople.
Empowering the team
When sales reps have strong leaders, they feel empowered in their roles. They have the confidence to solve problems and push themselves to reach ambitious targets. They’re comfortable being autonomous in their work but also know when to circle back to their leader and ask for help.
An empowered team is often a better performing team, and that’s great for the leader. Regardless of how the team is performing, it’s important to stay engaged by celebrating the small wins and keeping the communication lines open.
A good sales leader might:
- Invite external sales trainers or coaches to help inspire and educate the team
- Streamline the CRM to better support workflow
- Celebrate small wins
- Lead by example and demonstrate the behaviors they expect to see
- Build personal relationships with individual team members to build trust
One of the best sales leaders I met in my work designed and oversaw the development of modifications to an ERP software suite. He worked hard for his clients, was a great presenter, and was willing to get his hands dirty and test the modifications before client approval when necessary. He knew his clients, the industry they worked in, the software they were implementing, and the process for ERP software modification. Though the firm he worked for was highly competitive, he understood that helping others on his team was good for everyone. As a mentor, he made time for one-on-one conversations with his mentees to offer support and encouragement. And, in turn, his success grew with the success of those on his team.
Another sales leader who both sold well and mentored was willing to give feedback on a presentation and do the work himself. He worked alongside his team to get the job done, while sharing valuable sales knowledge and skills to his team members.
In both cases, it was a balance of empathy and competency, like the pillars in talking to customers, critical to leading, developing, and growing a successful sales team.
At Sentinel Way, our goal is to prove a model of sales and sales leadership that teaches and instills sales skills in those willing to learn and grow. We want to see our team and our client’s teams grow and mature, bringing increasing benefits to their companies and their own careers.
If you are interested in learning more about the role of effective leadership in B2B business growth, you can reach us here.
