Yesterday we announced the first stage of this year’s Top Sales & Marketing Awards – we opened for nominations in the fourteen categories (if you missed that post, please simply scroll down)

This year of course is only the second time we have organized the event, although now, we have the experience of that inaugural event behind us, and that is significant.

I decided in November 2010 (yes, we only took thirty three days from conception to launch!) that the only way to find out what it took to organize such an ambitious project was to actually stage it: I couldn’t seek advice, because nobody had ever tried it before. I felt a little like Sir Edmund Hilary when he was about to become the first man to conquer Mount Everest: Lots of people could describe the mountain right up to a level below the summit, but none of them were able to offer any advice about succeeding on that final stage.

In essence, I was challenging paradigms, and this has been a significant characteristic of my professional life. I enjoy pushing back boundaries; experimenting, and particularly proving people wrong.

Last year, on more than one occasion I made reference to Thomas Edison, suggesting that if we did not achieve all of our objectives, I still had another 9.999 attempts to get it right – and that is precisely how I always feel.

Everything that happens in life should be treated as a dress rehearsal for what comes next, which will always be better if we develop that “How can I do this better” mindset, and continually challenge those paradigms.

And this type of mindset is particularly relevant to sales management …

One of the key tasks of a sales manager is to continually seek ways to improve the manner in which their team operates – constantly challenging paradigms and questioning “the way we do things around here”, will ensure the team remains at optimum performance levels.

However, it is also important to stay within an overall long term strategy and not effect change for change’s sake. Here are some thoughts on moving forward in a structured manner.

First, keep the key management functions in mind

• Define objectives (your own and others)

• Plan (and time) action

• Communicate (throughout the process)

• Support others’ action

• Evaluate performance (and link to the future)

• Then relate this to the task, the team and the individual people

Keeping the Overall Management Process in Mind

Define Objectives:

• Task – Identify task and constraints

• Team – Set targets and Involve team

• Individual needs – Agree targets and responsibilities

Plan:

• Task – Establish priorities

• Team – Structure and delegate

• Individual needs – Assess skills, train and delegate

Communicate:

• Task – Brief and check understanding

• Team – Consult, obtain feedback

• Individual needs – Listen, advise and enthuse

Support/Control:

• Task – Monitor progress, check standards

• Team – Co-ordinate, reconcile conflict

• Individual needs – Recognize, encourage and counsel

Evaluate:

• Task – Review, re-plan and summaries

• Team – Reward success; learn from failure (and success)

• Individual Needs – Appraise, guide and train for the future

This view encapsulates, and simplifies, the whole process.

With this picture in mind, certain key issues are worth a mention:

Link to the Future

Ongoing success, as a manager, is influenced by:

• The attitude you take to the transition

• What you do before you move into a new appointment

• The early focus you bring to bear on key issues

• The relationship you thus cultivate with staff

• The working habits you create for yourself (and others) in process

Together, all the above influence early success in the job – and how you take things forward into the future.

Key Issues

From the beginning, always operate on the basis that managing people:

• Takes time – you cannot get so bound up in your own workload that you skimp on time you should spend with others

• Takes effort – it is a challenge, there are no magic formulae or quick fixes that will do the job for you

• Needs thought – the obvious or immediate answer may not be best, things may well need research, analysis and thinking through

• Is not a solo effort – seek and take advice from where you can, including your own staff

• Will not always go right – as Oscar Wilde said, “Experience is the name so many people give to their mistakes.” Admit your mistakes (publicity if necessary) and learn from your experience

Remember too that managing people:

• Is a process of helping others to be self-sufficient – this implies trust and that management works best when you take a positive view of what people can do (and do not see your role as a sort of corporate security guard)

• Is based on good, regular and open communication – something that pervades many issues commented on in these pages

• Needs to be acceptable to people before it can be effective – hence the crucial role of motivation as part of the management task

• Become self-sustaining when it works – i.e. if people find your management helpful (to the job, the organization and to them) then they will support it and support you

Overall, management is not what you do to people, but the process of how you work with people to help prompt their performance. Work with people from day one, and go on doing it throughout your management career.

At the end of the day, success comes down to a considered approach. Charge in, desperate to make an impression, go at everything at once in order to make an impression, and disaster may closely follow. ‘Twas ever thus:

“First organize the near at hand, then organize the far removed

First organize the inner, then organize the outer

First organize the basic, then organize the derivative

First organize the strong, then organize the weak

First organize the great, then organize the small

First organize yourself, then organize others.”

General Zhuge Liang

Perhaps we should highlight the last sentence: “First organize yourself, then organize others.”

Last Word

Being a manager is a challenge, but it is also almost infinitely rewarding to create and maintain a team of people who deliver excellent performance and produce whatever results are targeted. It is a task that takes time, requires effort and needs a considered approach.

All sorts of things can help, but only one person can guarantee that you become a good manager – and that’s you!

News: Well, the significant news is still your opportunity to nominate your favorite …. book/blog/resource site/thought leader/sales productivity tool/webinar/eBook …. etc. etc. Please don’t delay, as we close the nominations on November 8th, so in an orderly line, do make your way over to www.topsalesawards.com

 

 

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