I used to work for a company that tried to change me into someone I just was not. In an interview, the HR manager said, “This company will help you overcome your weaknesses by thrusting you into different kinds of situations. We will help you grow to become a completely different person.”

Here is the thing. There’s nothing wrong with “overcoming your weaknesses“. But to turn me into a “completely different person,” that’s something else.

Back then I didn’t realize the repercussions of that statement. Now that I’ve got years of experience as a sales manager, I know better than to try and change my sales reps into something they’re not.

My sales reps are themselves. They are not their colleagues. They are not their friends. They are not me. (more…)

The best, high-performing sales managers observe their salespeople.

They notice that there are certain core talents each individual has. They make mental notes of their salespeople’s strengths as well as their weaknesses. They know that they can leverage their talents as a launching point to coax even greater performance out of their salespeople.

For example, lets compare two top performing salespeople, both having achieved the highest sales awards in their companies with great track records of success. (more…)

Richard Branson, the eccentric founder of Virgin Airlines and multiple other businesses is the epitome of  “unconventional” businessman. He does things HIS way, he does things the way he feels are right…and with a billion or so in the bank, he’s been more right than wrong.

How he lives and manages his businesses are by making massive goals, taking massive action and doing things “unconventionally” to achieve those goals. When everyone zigging…he’s zagging.  One of his famous quotes:

“My interest in life comes from setting myself huge, apparently unconventional challenges and trying to rise above them…from the perspective of wanting to live life to the full, I felt that I had to attempt it.”

This unconventional style is how you need to think and act as a manager who craves top sales results. The truth is that there are so many management gurus who have written tomes and dissertations on exactly how to motivate people, all in search of the “one thing” that does it all with minimal effort. The real truth is that there is no ONE way to do it. Motivating to trigger explosive sales growth is the sum of hundreds, if not thousands of decisions that you make on a daily basis. (more…)

Life pretty much revolves around personal bank accounts. Almost everyone these days has a personal bank account. You withdraw money from it on a daily or weekly basis, and make regular deposits as often as your paycheck allows it. The thing that distinguishes you from everyone else in relation to your bank account is your knowing its PIN code.

How does this apply to managing a group of salespeople? It’s related. The mechanics are different, sure, but the concept is very much the same.. (more…)