There’s a common misconception that sales managers must be good talkers. Its true that any leadership position requires superb communication skills in which you can clearly articulate your thoughts through the words you use and the way you communicate.

But if you are always talking and never listening, then youre going to have a real hard time leading your sales team…because you’ll never know what really matters to them.

Being a great sales manager is more than just (more…)

This is the second part of the article The #1 Myth to Sales Coaching Is…

In the first article, we discussed the difference between teaching and reaching out. As we discussed, the top sales manager studies and figures out their sales reps’ individual strengths and weaknesses, and adjusts strategy accordingly. Sales coaching as teaching is a myth because sales reps rarely learn anything from that method.

Which leads to…

Myth #2 – Most sales reps can assess their own strengths and weaknesses. (more…)

Being a sales manager is no easy job. It’s got a ton of stress, and it’s going to require every ounce of managerial decision-making skills to be great at it – especially in this time of global recession.

But do you know what’s worse than having to make a sale when everyone else is cutting back? Managing a team of sales underperformers.

The biggest stress of all comes when a sales managers sales team can’t even make quota. What could be more awkward than that? (more…)

There are two kinds of sales managers. The first one, a more focused type, concentrates on improving his sales reps’ strengths while downplaying their weaknesses. The second type of sales manager is one who shapes his sales reps to become all around regular jack-of-all-trades.

Which sales manager is more effective?

Imagine a clear glass ceiling over the heads of your salespeople. The height of the ceiling represents the amount of talent each salesperson possesses—some high, some low. The question is: can a person who lacks certain core talents for the job ever be successful in his or her line of work? The answer is NO.

Every person is unique, and therefore every salesperson is unique as well. And all this uniqueness add up to vastly different potentials. If you try to make them something they are not…its one of the worst things you could do as a sales manager. (more…)

Like many children, my Dad used to tell me stories before he put me to bed. After running through the gamut of Big Bad Wolf, Goldilocks and the three Bears and Three Billy Goats Gruff, he used to tell me another tall tale. He’d say that when I grow up, I could be anything I wanted to be if I just worked hard enough. He said. “Anyone can become the President if they wanted it really bad and worked hard for it.”

I trusted him…that is until I became a sales manager…

No offense to Dad, but the problem with the story is that it’s just not true!

It’s romantic, hopeful, and optimistic, but it can’t be any more true than Santa Claus riding down the chimney on Christmas Eve.

Do you truthfully believe that everyone is born with the exact same potential? (more…)