COMMENTS
Great blog Dave. The number of elite sales managers is a bit surprising [48%] right? Would you guess that this number is higher for the group you test since you are getting company's that want to improve or would you feel that this number is accurate for all sales teams managers? Also could you do a post sometime on the sales pipeline?
Great stats, Dave. I'm always amazed by the number of strong sales people who get promoted to sale managers. It serves their ego well, for a short time. Then, they realize how much they love the "sales" in sales management, but hate the "management."
The Sales Management Express Screen when used, will reduce headaches for those who shouldn't be in sales management anyway.
Amazing what you can find out when you have the data. Maybe Dave you could post something to help us understand what leading indicator data a company should mine that will allow them to predict future success.
@Doug - 7% of the sales managers are elite.
@Danita - great point - most sales managers were good salespeople and should have remained good salespeople.
@ Tony - good suggestion - look for the answer in a future post.
Hi Dave,
Sadly I was not surprised by your data on sales managers. It is an indictment on senior management that succession/career advancement of sales people into sales managers goes on. Successful sales people rarely have the traits or people management skills to move from sales into sales management.
It is pretty obvious if you understand how the majority of successful sales people operate - and that is pretty much diametrically opposed to the traits of a good sales manager.
A good sales manager inspires people, rarely telling. A good sales manager communicates, rarely dictating. A good sales manager understands and tolerates a certain level of failure - failure is sometimes the greatest teacher. A good sales manager is flexible (within absolute boundaries) - we are in the negotiation business.
Finally a good sales manager understands the dynamic within a team and can be an agent to change that dynamic to ensure the team works with each other, for each other. Essentially a real leader.
I think the essence of why "successful" (I could debate that term for days) sales people fail is arrogance, orientation, and misapprehension. Arrogance in regards to appreciating differences. Orientation in regards to only focusing on the end result. Misapprehension in regards to the sales manager role being more of the same, but with a bigger salary and more recognition within the company.
They bring with them a self belief that the way they do things is the best way - and the right way - after all it was just reinforced by their promotion.
They are generally dogmatic, determined, results focussed people fullstop.
So they lack flexibility. They lack understanding. They struggle with recognising different methods and attitudes within the individuals in their team.
They also struggle to tolerate failure and do not deal with it objectively and positively as a learning opportunity within their team. They have been conditioned that you cannot fail in sales (again a topic worthy of much debate).
Most of all, above all, they are more concerned for them, than they are for their team members, lacking the wisdom to understand that being more concerned for their team members will ultimately ensure their own success. It is their competitive nature to be seen as the best that neutralises their potential.
So it is hardly surprising that most "successful" sales people fail as sales managers.
Bad sales managers take the easy way out when dealing with sales people behaviours, managing around flaws, which ultimately is contemptuous; it is like a band aid losing it's adhesive; it soon falls off exposing the untreated wound.
They can't grasp the whys and hows because at day one the target blinds them and takes precedence over anything else. Instead of being measured, strategic, inspiring and insightful in managing the team, "getthereitis" takes over.
I have seen it time and time again and it is a pity - a frustrated sales person being mediocre in a role they accepted because of their ego and the associated prestige of the role and supposed salary package gain.
kind regards
Sean Smith
Sales Managers always blame the Sale Mamagers.....maybe it's the losers HR DEPT. HIRES ....
Yeah Maybe.