Hands Off!
OK. This one is for the sales managers. Grab a cup of coffee, and take a minute for a quick quiz. Daniel Sitter at the Idea Sellers blog has come up with some key questions to help determine if you're getting the most out of your B2B sales team. "Do your salespeople view you as an asset or a liability?" he asks. "How do you view your responsibilities?"
His quiz may help you determine your management style. Sitter asks, Do you regularly engage in any of the following?
- Request an itinerary from each salesperson for each week?
- Demand detailed call reports?
- Demand that all field decisions are approved by you?
- Regularly travel with your salespeople?
- Take charge of sales calls in the field?
- Regularly question your team's judgment and strategies?
If you answered yes to most of these questions, congratulations! You're an excellent sales manager—for novices. However, if your sales staff are trained professionals, the news isn't quite so good. With an approach like this, you may be stifling their creativity, and limiting their results, Sitter says. His advice? Try a more hands-off approach.
"A sharp sales manager encourages an individual's responsibility for their own success and development. A great sales manager creates an environment where sales professionals can thrive and continuously develop," he concludes.
The Po!nt: Trust your people. By training your B2B sales team to take more responsibility for their strategies and results, you may well boost your bottom line.
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