Sales Leadership: It's More Than Just Showing Up

Why Do Some Sales People React to Problems with a Positive Outlook 

Today we’ll share with you how our first triad of sales people reacts to conflict or difficulty by initially taking a Positive Outlook and denying they may have a problem.  

One

They focus on a positive self-image by helping and connecting with others; potentially overemphasizing the other person’s needs while neglecting their own. Their ultimate goal is to help other people.

For the sales manager, this can present a series of problems as a sales person with this approach can:

A.  Overlook the needs of your company in favor of the client and maintaining this relationship at all cost

B.  Over emphasize his own need to be valued and his “pride” that clients depend on him, potentially leading to poor decisions that exclude logic, data and facts

C.   Be focused too heavily on relationships versus tasks and conceding to higher discounts, free products, extended terms, etc., in order to satisfy the client

Sales Manager Focus

1.  Ask the sales person to reflect and think about how his company values and needs him.  The more you can get the sales person to appreciate he’s valued by you and your company the better chance you have for him to increase or maintain margins. Remember, they’re looking for “connectedness” and being “valued” for what they do.  The more the sales person feels rejected and has conflict or difficulty in his life the more you can expect him to turn to others so he may help them and feel appreciated for what he does.

2.   Ask the sales person to monitor their time.  Make sure they’re spending, at the minimum, equal time between tasks and relationships, especially when he’s experiencing difficulty or not getting what he wants.  The general tendency is to focus on others and to try and help them versus slowing down and identifying what their own needs are. They remain positive by avoiding their own needs and emotions.  The sales person is more likely to take care of “his” tasks once he explores and recognizes his own feelings first and this can directly impact both you and them in a positive way.

3.  Make sure you understand their challenges and begin to probe on some of the patterns you see that do not serve them well.  By staying Positive does he over extend himself and has difficulty saying “no”?  Can the sales person describe what he’s thinking when he’s experiencing a difficult situation? Does he become angered easily and reacting strongly to others?  All these challenges may come up even though they will project a strong outward appearance of Positivity.

Two

They reframe the problem and look for a fun way to deal with it as they have lots of options.  Ultimately they overemphasize their own needs and quickly can feel trapped or limited by problems or the needs of another person.

For the sales manager, this can present a series of problems as a sales person with this approach can:

A.    Overlook the seriousness of the problem, challenge or difficulty by avoiding pain or suffering that may accompany the situation

B.    Over emphasize his own needs and overlook what’s best for both the client and the company

C.    React too slowly, or not at all, by becoming distracted with other thoughts or the possibility of moving to something that’s fun and exciting

Sales Manager Focus

1A.   A full understanding of the problem and what the client is requesting

B.   Focusing on what the conditions of satisfaction are and the best solution versus several options

C.  A mutually agreed upon timeframe in which she can complete the tasks and resolve the client’s request for better service

      2.  Ask her to spend more time on “listening” and probing what the client is asking for when problems occur. She often finds it difficult to slow down her mind, especially when she’s bored or something new and exciting is on her mind. One of the best things you can ask her to do is……………NOTHING. The more time she can take after a meeting to just sit and reflect on the client’s needs, the better chance she will have of not moving too quickly to something else. The sales person does not suffer from effort or the desire to take care of problems; her mind simply moves quickly to new and exciting possibilities or she finds herself overcommitted in her schedule

      3.  Make sure you understand her challenges and begin to probe on some of the patterns you see that do not serve her well. By staying Positive, what is she possibly avoiding? By focusing on just this one problem, is it possible that she feels confined or limited? Does she feel like someone (client or manager) is trying to control her? Is she avoiding the problem simply because she has already rationalized her behavior?  All of these challenges may come up even though the sales person will project a strong outward appearance of a Positive Outlook.

Three 

They may downplay the problem and decide they’ll deal with it later or even deny there’s a problem all the while trying to balance taking care of both their needs and their clients.  They may feel overwhelmed; both by their needs and that of others, leaving them to feel like they do not want to deal with either.

For the sales manager, this can present a series of problems as a sales person with this approach can:

A.    Overlook the seriousness of the problem, challenge or difficulty by avoiding pain or suffering that may accompany the situation

B.    Become overwhelmed as he or she deals with the needs of others and their own feelings or needs

C.    React to slowly or not at all by becoming distracted with other thoughts or activities that keep her from addressing the real problem

Sales Manager Focus

1.  Ask the sales person to develop a process for handling problems that includess

•             A mutually agreed upon timeframe in which they can complete the tasks and make decisions

2.  Ask them to spend more time identifying what they want, and give them plenty of room to explore. Often they may find it difficult to consider their own feelings and especially saying “no” to others, while appearing calm and peaceful. One of the best things you can ask the sales person to do is take time to consider their own feelings and whether they says yes or no, probe further, so you can gauge for yourself what you think might be best for them.


3.  Make sure you understand their challenge of being indirect. By keeping a Positive Outlook what is the sales person possibly avoiding? Remember that their strength of being calm and peaceful has a “shadow side” and this shows up as not “saying” what needs to be “said.” Instead, these challenges may come up and may not be apparent to you or others as the sales person will project a strong outward appearance of a Positive Outlook.

      As you have seen, even though the 3 types of sales people react with a Positive Outlook during conflict or difficulty, the patterns of their behavior may not be so positive for you or your company. Our next section will look at REACTIVITY, and how the last triad initially responds to conflict and difficulty with an Emotional Reaction.

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>

Sales Leadership

Soft Skills for Sales People…Really??

I recently had a conversation with another executive coach and she posed the question, “Why should sales people and sales managers focus on soft skills?” As a life-long sales person, my mind raced a hundred miles a minute as I wanted to shout out all the reasons WHY this makes sense. Instead, I remained calm and decided to get to the root of this question, as I was intrigued with the perception this person had about sales people.


I suspect other people who have never sold before hold the same perceptions the executive coach did, most likely because they do not understand what a sales person has to do day in and day out to be successful. I remember my own experiences and that of my former colleagues as we were tasked with growing our territory 25% or more each year, essentially doubling the size of our business every 3.5 years. While we certainly were rewarded for accomplishing our goals, we also felt penalized every time our territory was annually reduced or cut by a sales manager, even if we exceeded all objectives. 


I remember my stress and that of my peers if we were not at our quota number by Christmas.  Not only did it mean managing and balancing family time with work over the holidays, it also meant managing “your manager” and clients by trying to place sales orders before the end of the year. Oh yes, at stake on top of reaching quota was also earning a year-end bonus, incentive trips, and of course just holding on to your job for another year. 

Most of my sales career was spent “turning around” underperforming territories. Maybe it was my positivity, persistence and confidence that allowed me to overcome the words “no” countless times while forging ahead.  Needless to say, each time I heard the words “no” it was all about managing my own emotions and the pain rejection can bring.  As my territories grew to top performers, it was about shifting my attention and energy from selling to “selling and protecting” as other sales reps were now hunting within my business.  

For me and many other sales reps, the work is about managing your resources, as most of us were paid on small or zero salaries, and had to manage “sales and commissions” month to month.  Of course there were the times that clients moved, retired or simply were not satisfied with the products, all which meant losing commissions and income.  Celebrations were rare, as I was often reminded that you’re only as good as your last sale.

Managing success also became an important skill to master. I’m certain I failed on some fronts, but will always live in gratitude for excellent parents and a wonderfully grounded wife who helped me manage this.  Some of my peers were not so fortunate, and their careers and families have suffered dearly, despite their success in sales.

I always remember the wisdom I received from a sales trainer early on in my career.  She clearly stated that most sales representatives are and will always be the only interface your client will ever have with your company. I know this is true, as I remember the stories of previous sales reps in my territories shared by both clients and co-workers about the impact they made (good or bad).

So, back to the question I received earlier on why coaching and soft skills matter to sales people. The best and brightest sales people are the ones that manage through conflict and difficulty while managing their success.  They do more than just “go over or around obstacles.” The best sales people play to their strengths, and also manage those “shadow sides” and are aware of the obstacles they create.  They connect on all three domains: Thinking, Feeling and Instincts, and stay present to the moment. 

Soft skills are often the most challenging skills to develop, as this growth requires a person to develop awareness, acceptance, take new actions and adhere to practices that enhance their own inner observer. In my experience as a life-long sales person, certified executive coach, author and consultant, the one element that is missing in most sales training programs is the focus on soft skills.  Very few tools provide attention and energy to grow our soft skills.  Yet, you can see by the chart below, it’s the individuals that master these that have the greatest impact on an organization.

Two Factors Define our EQ

• Intrapersonal Intelligence: Ability to understand, accept, and manage oneself

• Interpersonal Intelligence: Capacity to work effectively with a wide variety of other people

Regardless of occupation, soft skills matter.  As a life-long sales person and executive coach, I’m glad I can observe the difference they have made in my own personal experiences and growth…

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>

Sales Leadership: It's More Than Just Showing Up

Reactivity with a Positive Outlook (part 3)

Stephanie is a good sales representative who's been with the company for close to 12 years and has made quota all but one year. She's steady, easy going, peaceful and always willing to help out other people. Her clients would describe Stephanie as optimistic, calm, a great listener and a joy to be around. Her primary style of selling is by understanding her clients’ needs and providing excellent solutions without pushing the client into making decisions. Clients buy from Stephanie because they like and trust her. One of Stephanie’s challenges is managing her commitments, as she often finds herself having trouble saying “no.” Stephanie has missed deadlines in the past, as she seems to wait until the last minute to complete projects. Consequently, when conflict or difficulty occurs, the first thing Stephanie will look at is both what others need and also what she needs while keeping a pleasant and Positive Outlook.

We’ll use an example where Stephanie is being asked to take on greater responsibility by mentoring “junior reps,” even though this will create added responsibility with no additional pay. Stephanie is opposed to doing so but has trouble saying “no”.

Stephanie is the last of the three types we have reviewed who react to conflict and difficulty by taking a Positive Outlook.

1. They may downplay the problem and decide they’ll deal with it later or even deny there’s a problem all the while trying to balance taking care of both their needs and their clients (Todays Post). Their focus is both internal and external.

2. They may take a “positive outlook” and help other people feel good because they want to feel good themselves by being valued for helping others. Their focus is external, on other people.

3. They reframe the problem and look for a fun way to deal with it as they have lots of options. Their focus is internal, on their own concerns.

As a sales manager this can present a series of problems as Stephanie’s Positive Outlook can:

A. Overlook the seriousness of the problem, challenge or difficulty by avoiding an uncomfortable situation

B. Become overwhelmed as she deals with the needs of others and her own needs

C. React to slowly or not at all by becoming distracted with other thoughts or activities that keep her from addressing the real problem

As Stephanie’s sales manager, you could focus on the following three areas so she may begin to develop and recognize these patterns. The goal is to create a greater capacity to manage the “shadow side” of remaining positive during conflict or difficulty.

1. Ask Stephanie to develop a process for handling problems that includes:

    • A mutually agreed upon timeframe in which Stephanie can complete the tasks 

2. Ask Stephanie to spend more time identifying what she wants, and give her plenty of room to explore. Stephanie often finds it difficult to consider her own feelings and especially saying “no” to others, while appearing calm and peaceful. One of the best things you can ask Stephanie to do is take time to consider her own feelings and whether she says yes or no, probe further, so you can gauge for yourself what you think might be best for her.

3. Make sure you understand Stephanie’s challenge of being indirect. By keeping a Positive Outlook what is Stephanie possibly avoiding? Remember that her strength of being calm and peaceful has a “shadow side” and this shows up as not “saying” what needs to be “said.” Instead, these challenges may come up and may not be apparent to you or others as Stephanie will project a strong outward appearance of a Positive Outlook.

As you have seen, even though Stephanie remains positive, the patterns of her behavior may not be so positive for you or your company. Our next our section will look at REACTIVITY and how our Competent Group handles conflict and difficulty by remaining calm and logical.

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>

Sales Leadership: It's More Than Just Showing Up

Reactivity and a Positive Outlook (part 2)

In my previous blog we outlined the danger REACTIVITY can play when sales people are faced with conflict, difficulty or do not get their way and looked at an example of how one of the three types that take a Positive Outlook responded. Today we’ll look at how a sales manager can begin to work with the second type of sales person that initially responds with a Positive Outlook.

We’ll use an example where the sales rep is being asked to provide better service and follow through with commitments that have previously been neglected or forgotten.

Our previous blog looked at the sales person whose behaviors are closely aligned to the first point listed below. Today we’ll take a closer look at the second type of person who reacts to conflict and difficulty with a Positive Outlook.

1. They may take a “positive outlook” and help other people feel good because they want to feel good themselves by being valued for helping others.  Their focus is external, on other people.

2. They reframe the problem and look for a fun way to deal with it as they have lots of options (today’s post). Their focus is internal, on their own concerns.

3. They may downplay the problem and decide they’ll deal with it later or even deny there’s a problem all the while trying to balance taking care of both their needs and their clients. Their focus is both internal and external.

Randy is an excellent sales rep as he’s extremely bright, quick-witted, fun, exciting and full of excellent ideas (take approach # 2). Randy is often described by his clients and peers as optimistic, up-beat, charming and easy to be around.  His primary style of selling is by making the sales process fun, being assertive and making things happen through endless ideas and possibilities. Clients buy from Randy because they like him. One of Randy’s challenges is managing his commitments as he often finds himself over extended and simply unable to say “no” to new and exciting opportunities. Consequently, when conflict or problems occur, the first thing Randy will see are all the possible options available to him while keeping a Positive Outlook on the problem.

As a sales manager this can present a series of problems as Randy’s Positive Outlook and focus on Ideas can:

A. Overlook the seriousness of the problem, challenge or difficulty by avoiding pain or suffering that may accompany the situation

B. Over emphasize his own needs and overlook what’s best for both the client and the company

C. React too slowly, or not at all, by becoming distracted with other thoughts or the possibility of moving to something that’s fun and exciting

As Randy’s sales manager, you could focus on the following three areas so Randy might begin to develop and recognize these patterns. The goal is to create a greater capacity to manage the “shadow side” of remaining positive during conflict or difficulty.

1. Ask Randy to develop a process for handling problems that includes:

• A full understanding of the problem and what the client is requesting
• Focusing on what the conditions of satisfaction are and the best solution versus several options
• A mutually agreed upon timeframe in which Randy can complete the tasks and resolve the client’s request for better service

2. Ask Randy to spend more time on “listening” and probing what the client is asking for when problems occur. Randy often finds it difficult to slow down his mind, especially when he’s bored or something new and exciting is on his mind. One of the best things you can ask Randy to do is……………NOTHING. The more time Randy can take after a meeting to just sit and reflect on the client’s needs, the better chance he will have of not moving too quickly to something else. Randy does not suffer from effort or the desire to take care of problems; his mind simply moves quickly to new and exciting possibilities or he finds himself overcommitted in his schedule

3. Make sure you understand Randy’s challenges and begin to probe on some of the patterns you see that do not serve him well. By staying Positive, what is Randy possibly avoiding? By focusing on just this one problem, is it possible that Randy feels confined or limited? Does Randy feel like someone (client or manager) is trying to control him? Is Randy avoiding the problem simply because he has already rationalized his behavior?  All of these challenges may come up even though Randy will project a strong outward appearance of a Positive Outlook.

As you have seen, even though Randy remains positive, the patterns of his behavior may not be as positive for you or your company. We’ll conclude our section on REACTIVITY on our next blog and look at how the third and last “type of sales person” handles conflict and difficulty by taking a Positive Outlook.

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>

Sales Leadership: It’s More Than Just Showing Up

Reactivity with a Positive Outlook

In my previous blog we outlined the danger REACTIVITY can play when sales people are faced with conflict, difficulty or do not get their way. Today we’ll look at how a sales manager can begin to work with sales representatives that fall in the Positive Outlook group.

We’ll use an example I’ve seen many times where the sales rep is being asked to take an additional xx% off their pricing with no commitment for additional market share and little or no room to negotiate the pricing.

There are three types of sales people (source: Enneagram) that initially react to conflict or difficulty by taking a Positive Outlook.
1. They may take a “positive outlook” and help other people feel good because they want to feel good themselves by being valued for helping others.  Their focus is external, on other people. (today's post)
2. They reframe the problem and look for a fun way to deal with it as they have lots of options. Their focus is internal, on their own concerns.
3. They may downplay the problem and decide they’ll deal with it later or even deny there’s a problem all the while trying to balance taking care of both their needs and their clients.  Their focus is both internal and external.

Our first sales rep, Jim, believes he’s valued by helping other people and takes approach #1. Jim is a very caring person and is often described by his clients and peers as helpful and supportive. His primary style is all about connecting with clients and selling on relationships. Clients buy from Jim because they like him and know they can count on him.  Jim’s extremely responsible and will always follow through, to the point he spends more time servicing his clients than selling to them. One of Jim’s challenges is his belief that he must help others in order to be valued and that it's selfish to even consider his own needs. Consequently, when conflict or problems occur, the first thing Jim will do is make sure you know he’s here to help you, taking a Positive Outlook.

As a sales manager this can present a series of problems as Jim’s Positive Outlook and focus on OTHERS can:

• Overlook the needs of your company in favor of the client and maintaining this relationship at all cost
• Be focused too heavily on relationships versus tasks and conceding to higher discounts, free products, extended terms, etc., in order to satisfy the client
• Over emphasize his own need to be valued and his “pride” that clients depend on him, potentially leading to poor decisions that exclude logic, data and facts

As Jim’s sales manager, you could focus on the following three areas so Jim may begin to develop and recognize these patterns.  The goal is to create a greater capacity to manage the “shadow side” of remaining positive during conflict or difficulty.

1.  Ask Jim to reflect and think about how his company values and needs him.  The more you can get Jim to appreciate he’s valued by you and your company, the better chance you have for Jim to increase or maintain margins. Remember, Jim is looking for “connectedness” and being “valued” for what he does.  The more he feels rejected and has conflict or difficulty in his life, the more you can expect him to turn to others so he may help them and feel appreciated for what he does.

2.  Ask Jim to monitor his time.  Make sure he’s spending, at the minimum, equal time between tasks and relationships, especially when he’s experiencing difficulty or not getting what he wants. The general tendency for Jim is to focus on others and to try and help them versus slowing down and identifying what his own needs are.  Jim remains positive by avoiding his own needs and emotions.  Jim is more likely to take care of “his” tasks once he explores and recognizes his own feelings first, and this will directly impact both you and Jim in a positive way.

3.  Make sure you understand Jim’s challenges and begin to probe on some of the patterns you see that do not serve him well. By staying Positive does Jim over extend, and have difficulty saying “no?”  Can Jim describe what he’s thinking when he’s experiencing a difficult situation? Does Jim become angered easily and reacting strongly to others? All these challenges may come up even though Jim will project a strong outward appearance of Positivity.

As you have seen, even though Jim remains positive, the patterns of his behavior may not be so positive to you or your company.  We’ll continue our section on REACTIVITY and our next blog will look at another “type of sales person” handles conflict and difficulty by taking a Positive Outlook.

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>

Sales Leadership

Managing Reactivity When The Market is Changing 

How often do you find your sales team reacting “strongly” when they’re faced with the following challenges?

• Are they losing market share because of a new buyer?
• Are customers asking or demanding large discounts with no additional commitment to drive market share your way?
• Are product cycles causing you to lose your edge in the market or are delays in new products allowing your competition to surpass you?

If not handled properly, problems like these can cost you and your company:
• Time and energy
• A lost business opportunity
• Losing a new or existing client
• Losing or firing your sales representative

One of the first things we do in working with sales managers and sales leaders is to teach them how their sales people will react under conflict and difficulty.  If managed correctly many of the bullet points above can be avoided.

There are three general ways people react under conflict or difficulty.

1.  One-third of the population will typically take a positive outlook when conflict or difficulty arises.  While this may seem like a benefit it may also create challenges you may be familiar with:

• Has the person with the problem been fully seen or heard by your sales person?  
• Has your sales person taken the necessary steps in a timely fashion to correct the problem?  Did they follow through as promised?

2.  One-third of the population will handle conflict or difficulty by remaining calm and logical.  So what challenges does this present?

• Have you ever had a sales person take too much time gathering the facts, data and potentially over-analyzing the situation prior to moving into action?  
• How about the sales representative that is so focused on their achievements and goals that they handle problems too quickly and potentially take short cuts that end up leading into bigger problems?

3.  One-third of the population will react to conflict or difficulty with some type of emotional reaction first.  This typically means they will react strongly and will need a response from you or someone else.

• Do some of your sales representatives always call when they’re mad, frustrated or angry?  How much time do you feel they waste on these calls?
• Have they ever offended a client or do something that may eventually get you called in, as their manager, because they reacted “strongly”?

While I believe it’s extremely important sales people play to their strengths, I have witnessed what role REACTIVITY, if gone unmanaged, can play in a sales person’s territory, and have seen the damage it does to a potential or existing client.  Yet, I often find little focus or effective tools that help support managers becoming better leaders when reactivity hits.

My next series of blogs will break down how sales managers can effectively begin to work with each of the three types of reactions they will see from their sales people.

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>