The Difference That Makes All the Difference

After looking at "how much," we are now going to build some management reports to help us monitor and manage "how." Jumping from managing "how much" to managing "how" is not just a matter of semantics. It's easier to manage the quantitative aspects than the qualitative aspects. We expect that our readers know how to draw the attention and foster the generosity necessary to truly manage and influence the qualities of the sales team who contribute to the company's sales success.

The difference that makes all the difference

The job of a sales manager is to get results. That's the priority. Naturally, the probability of reaching these results is higher if the team's sales skills can meet market demands. So, it's essential to monitor the quality of the recruitment process and provide regular professional skills training for your team.

Two opening questions:

Pause and Reflect: Do you think the quality of your recruits matches your ambitions?

It is not a matter of carrying out lengthy statistical analysis. You should know the answer. Either you and/or your company do what is necessary to attract the best people, or you make it seem like you do. We work with a lot of companies. We've seen it all.
Like the company that wants access to the highest quality clients while they lower the quality of recruits every year to reduce costs. Or the opposite case of companies that systematically hire above the theoretical skill level for the job. This is the case of a large IT manufacturer with whom we work. The entry-level education of the employees is higher than that of their counterparts in other companies. The results are clear. The level and quality of employees create immediate added value to the job. A sedentary salesperson in this company clearly has better performance than many of the "traveling sales consultants" found in other companies. Of course, this strategy poses certain demands in terms of management because managers must also raise their level to be able to manage, lead, and grow their employees.
Always remember Don Shula's theory: If you have knuckleheads on your team and you train them, you'll have trained knuckleheads.

Pause and Reflect: Do you think your team's skills are constantly advancing?

This is quite important for your team's efficiency and results, but it's even more important for the company in general. For example, some new players have come onto the scene and want a tool to measure the quality of the "human capital." They are institutional investors. You know all about the pension funds, the evil foreigners who come to invest in our companies. They are certainly demonized by many, but we expect that they are acting in their right mind as they invest millions of dollars in coveted companies. For example, the Council of Institutional Investors (which manages more than a trillion dollars) and the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS, which manages more than $260 billion) recently broadened the selection criteria for their investments. This type of investor always focuses on concrete data, like the return on assets. At least that was their attitude in the past. Recently they have changed and more closely examine company behavior towards their employees. Why the sudden interest? Because they're dealing with software developers, delivery personnel, accountants, valets, etc. They realized that the most valued professional aspects of a company were the most human tasks: feeling, judging, creating and communicating. In other words, the most essential part of a company's value today lies "between the employees' ears," and this will increasingly be the case. Globalization has created pressures that have led to what Jack Welch describes as some diabolic thing we must flee from - "commoditization" or banalization. "If our strategy has lasted, it's above all because it was based on the two following principles: 1) the No. 1 enemy is banalization (commoditization), and 2) people are what matter."
There are so many reasons you should fully invest in developing your employees' skills. Once again, the manager who most marked your career is undoubtedly the one who helped you grow the most! So, if your company isn't run like this, what are you waiting for? Investing the time, energy, attention, and care in developing the issue of "how" is, in our opinion, truly THE difference that makes all the difference between managers and their results generated. This is remarkable because we work with companies that are organized like "agencies." On the same market, in comparable sectors, with the same constraints, the results obtained are often radically different. You don't have to look long to almost systematically see that the difference is made by the quality of "qualitative" team management.

We can't emphasize this enough. This is the case, first, because it is an integral part of our strong convictions and, second and most importantly, because this idea is far from shared by the managers we meet. Obviously, many believe that much of what they do should focus on this area, but the obstacles are often difficult to overcome. Before we take a look at some useful management report tools to identify the key skills that should be monitored and honed, let's take a look at some of the obstacles we routinely see for managers we work with and the initial recommendations we make to overcome them.

Erroneous good reasons not to invest in employee skills development

Fear of not being up to the task.

Some managers are uncomfortable participating in the development of sales skills that they perhaps haven't mastered as well as some of their employees. And yet, this isn't such a bad thing. Tiger Wood's coach is not nearly as good as Tiger is. However, he is paid very well to help his student develop his skills! A sales manager can't be expected to be a better salesperson than his or her employees. He is expected to be able to know how his sales teams are performing and to help his employees build themselves up to be better - better than the competition, if possible.

There isn't enough time to dedicate to skills development!
This is simply unacceptable! Helping your teams grow is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding and exciting parts of being a manager. Without this, the rest really means nothing, at least not in the long term. How long would you put up with your manager not teaching you anything, if you were stagnating in your job? This is often an organizational matter. Developing skills does not necessarily mean taking personal responsibility for training each employee. You will see that there are several different ways to help your employees develop their skills. It is up to you to decide which way works best based on your goals and constraints.

Employee reluctance

This is more acceptable, or at least more understandable. It's true that some employees could honestly wonder why their manager, all of the sudden, is starting to take interest in their professional development. Just like the thermometer is the tool used to measure water temperature, the manager can be used to measure the trust and spirits of the group he/she is there to encourage. This goal is a prerequisite for garnering the trust of the team members and showing them that the main beneficiaries of your efforts will be the employees themselves. Imagine that you take over the job of a manager who took no interest in this area. You have to accept that trust will not come automatically. Trust here, just as in other areas, is earned not demanded.

Lack of or false appreciation for the job performed

Absolutely. In each sales management seminar, several participants complain about this fact. They tell us: "Ok, I understand that I need to invest in this area, but at the end of the year my efforts still won't be appreciated." Unfortunately, this is the eternal problem for hands-on management. There is a lot asked of managers - things that are often contradictory; and the qualitative aspects of their job rarely play into their end-of-year evaluation. However, unless you want to change careers, you must view this as a constraint and a frustration that you must accept. There are two elements that will grant you personal satisfaction:
* What really matters is the appreciation of your team members that you helped to succeed
* An improvement in quantitative results generated by team members who are more competent