Is there a Similarity between Sales Leaders and Embezzlers?
Posted by Frank Belzer on Mon, Mar 15, 2010 @ 07:11 PM
Well I just returned from an annual sales conference where I had a chance to spend some time with sales development experts from all over the world. There was some great content that was shared as well but I thought it might be interesting to share what I learned from some of my "off line" conversations with people like myself.
What were the biggest challenges they faced in helping sales people improve?
Well we all know that sales people struggle with weaknesses, need to be more consultative, ask better questions and stick to a sales process but that is not the most common obstacle I heard my fellow experts discussing. What was it?
Overwhelmingly we find that sales leadership being resistant, evasive and unwilling to change to be one of the biggest obstacles. Sometimes the CEO is the only sales leader, other times it is a VP of sales and then of course there are sales managers. Often it seems that sales people are asking for help with tactics, feel they need to be coached and don't like the way the sales leader motivates. The sales leader (regardless of title) thinks that everything is fine, he has it all worked out, has been doing this for 20 years, has a plan, is working on it, knows what needs to happen, doesn't need help getting it done etc.....
So let me ask you this question - if the biggest obstacle standing in the way of helping a sales organization for people like me is the rotten attitude so prevalent amongst sales leaders, what do you think the biggest obstacle is for your company when it comes to improving your sales organization and culture? I know you are different but what if you are not? What if the person that you have put in charge is the biggest obstacle to the success of your sales people? Scary isn't it? But don't feel too bad apparently it is a global issue.
They are defensive of their people, processes, systems and strategies. They make excuses and they certainly don't welcome the idea of being assessed or evaluated. Often even after they are they work against the changes that we might recommend. Of course there are exceptions and in those cases we can always demonstrate results and they end up saying "thanks".
Would you hire an embezzler as a CFO? Would you hire a convicted thief as a COO? Probably not, because they would probably sabotage your efforts and rob you blind. What if your sales leadership is doing the same thing by not driving and creating the type of success that could be costing you thousands of dollars month in month out? Just to protect their ego.
Is that OK? Is their ego worth it?
