Sales Leadership: How We Approach Others

Did You Ever Wonder Why…

I recently worked with 32 sales leaders and managers, and we discussed three types of sales people and how they naturally approach people and clients. The first group is naturally more assertive and pushes to make things happen. The second group moves toward people, and are more concerned with boundaries, rules and responsibilities, and naturally do not “push others” to make things happen, instead earning their way. Our third group of sales representatives tends to withdraw and move away from other people, often finding life more exciting in their mind and imagination.

As a sales manager you might have all three triads represented on your team.  While this can create balance it can also be difficult to manage the three styles as each has their own strength and shadow side to manage in the sales process.

So what are some of the distinguishing factors between these three styles? As a manager, how can you help them play to their strengths and manage the shadow side of their unique approach and talents?

1.     Assertive Sales Representatives:  Focused on making things happen and quickly move into action—primary focus of thinking and doing while expanding self to move forward when faced with stress. This group views themselves at the center of attention and believes that everything meaningful (i.e. events, walking into a room, etc.) is in relationship to them.

Strengths in Selling: Prospecting, Proposal, Negotiating, Closing the Sales

Key Talents:  Persuasive, Competitive, Controlling, Outgoing, Achieving and Decisive

Areas to Monitor (Shadow Side to Talents):

1.     Focus on building relationships. This group is naturally focused on “tasks” and may miss out on developing key relationships.

2.     Slow Down!! Assertives tend to move quickly and may be “pushing” too hard versus letting the process unfold naturally. When do you feel yourself pushing versus inviting others into a conversation? Are you trying to force others to make a decision?

3.     Listen and Probe.  While this group is strong in persuading others they may miss key opportunities to learn more about their client by not listening.  Collaborative partners learn as much as they can about each client and probe deeper to form a strategic alliance based on value. Vendors tend to push and sell products, rarely learning what their clients really need. How well do members on your sales team ask questions (without already knowing the answer), listen and probe?

2.     Earning Your Way (EYW) as a Sales Representative: Focus on providing service to other people. This style has a very strong sense for responsibility and trying to find the right thing to do while meeting their own internal demands for rules and principles. Consequently, they learn they can help other people by seeing what is wrong and how to fix it, how they can support people or where future problems may occur and how they or their team can help.

Strengths in Selling: Prospecting, Qualifying and Service

Key Talents: Conventional, Details, Rule Following, Democratic

Areas to Monitor (Shadow Side to Talents):

1.     Relaxed: This is a group that likes to complete what they start and has a very high sense of responsibility.  It will be important for a manager to help them create fun and find ways to leave work at the “office.”

2.     Pushing to Make it Happen: EYW sales people might find it difficult to “push” forward the process as they focus on internalized rules and doing things the “right way.”  When does this need to earn your way with others slow you and the process down?

3.     Innovative: Overall this group likes to stay within the rules and utilize proven methods when selling. There may be a time, especially during changing markets or internal cultural changes that new methods and creative ideas are needed to succeed. How can you help influence this change and deliver clear expectations of what is needed as a sales manager?

3.  Withdrawn Types: While they participate and engage, this style finds it easy to “tune out” others, and find it more peaceful and exciting to stay within their imagination and mind. They focus on knowledge, creativity and keeping harmony while withdrawing into the safety of their mind.

Strengths in Selling: Needs Analysis, Negotiating

Key Talents:  Modest, Adaptable, Forward Thinking

Areas to Monitor (Shadow Side to Talents):

1.     Persuasive: Overall this group is not as comfortable changing or influencing other people’s viewpoints. As a key talent to sales, how can you help them overcome their tendency to withdraw and make the effort to influence others?

2.     Controlling: Numerous studies by SHL show that sales representatives that achieve high ratings like to be in charge, take the lead and do not mind telling others what to do. This group’s tendency is to remain modest and be adaptable. While clients may appreciate this style as less offensive, how does it hurt or slow your progress in the sales cycle?

3.     “Less Modest”: How does remaining modest and humble not serve you as it relates to being competitive and achievement oriented? Do you possibly lose sight of winning and achieving when your behavioral tendency is to remain modest?

As a manager one of our primary goals is to have our team members play to their strengths and talents. As an executive coach, I find myself working with clients who may not be aware of their own behavioral tendencies. While their talents to push, help or withdraw might serve them well, each has a shadow side to be managed. Often this is the blind spot that creates challenges or obstacles in our own growth and success. As a manager, how can you help each member identify and grow?

John Brambert is the President of Trinity Performance Group, a team of seasoned Executive Coaches trained in the leading worldwide coaching programs. Trinity Performance Group’s goal is to provide a wide range of executive coaching, leadership and team development, and related services to our clients.  See More in John>