A winning Olympic team is not so different from a winning sales team -- well, aside from the whole medal and international fame angle. What it takes to build a team of dedicated, talented and motivated individuals is the same whether we’re talking sports, IT or AV solutions. While your team’s top-grossing salesperson is never going to wind up on a box of Wheaties, they are going to rise to fame within your company. And just like the coach training star athletes, a great sales manager also has to build and train their team.
Here’s how a great sales manager is like an Olympic coach.
They Build a Diverse Team
Just as a good swim coach understands that a team made up entirely of freestyle swimmers will not win the most medals in the games, so too, the smart sales manager knows that a diverse talent pool makes for the most wins.
While top salespeople may share some fundamental skills or abilities, a team made of salespeople with the same strengths and weaknesses does not make for the highest sales numbers. Different clients may require different sales styles, just as different products may too. You need the closer who can work with your larger, more corporate clients, and the “finesser” who knows how to nudge a new customer toward a close.
Just as athletes need to stretch and grow, so too do salespeople -- make sure you’re making room for your team to get new training, face new challenges and keep pushing the limits of their reach and ability.
They Know It’s A Mental Game
An Olympic level coach knows how to read their athletes, and understands what it takes to make each individual perform at their best. Some members of the team may need loud music to pump themselves up before the game begins, while others need a quiet place to find their focus. The smart coach makes room for both team members to get what they need. And they also make room for failure; there is no such thing as success without trial, error, and mistakes.
This couldn’t be more true for salespeople. Not every call is going to result in a win, not every deal is going to close. There will be winning streaks, and there will be times when it’s hard to get a spark lit. Winning sales managers understand they have to create an environment that fosters resilience, where each salesperson gets the supports, training, and kind of incentive that keeps them pushing through the tough times.
They Know that Teamwork is Important Even in an Individual Sport
Just as the 200-yard dash might be an individual event, even Usain Bolt’s chances of reigning dominant diminish without a strong team to support him. Sales may be an individual sport, but even a top-grossing sales star cannot reach those heights without the support and dedication of the entire team.
They Understand the Transformative Power of Failure
The best sales managers are the best because they know that failure isn’t measured by deals not closed, but opportunities for growth not taken. And in fact, I’d argue that the very best managers of any stripe are the ones who are willing to share the stories of their loses, who don’t pretend they’ve always been exactly where they are in their careers. There are studies, after studies, after studies on the power of failure -- you need not look further than silicon valley to know how so-called failures or losses can lead to transformative innovations.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Even the kid born with innate ability or talent needs coaching and an incredibly high number of repetitions to hone their abilities. Michael Phelps might have been born with the wingspan of a champion, he might even have the focus and passion to win buried deep in his DNA, but he would never have made his first Olympic team if he didn’t have the drive to keep practicing and honing his skills.
None of this is to suggest that you going to be hiring salespeople who solely are athletes, already experienced in sales or have proven track records, but you are looking to hire people who are driven and are committed to honing their skills.
Providing your team with ongoing training, holding sales competitions, and constantly raising the bar on performance and outreach all help to build a better, stronger team.
They Know A Win Isn’t the End Of The Game
Just as the US Women’s Soccer Team knows that past glory in the World Cup doesn’t insure how they’ll perform in the future, a sales team is always building on success. It might be tempting to rest on the laurels of a hot quarter, but taking those wins and pushing for a banner year is what makes a sales team truly successful. The constant drive to improve is a mindset that needs to be encouraged, fostered and rewarded.
J. Patrick & Associates is an Executive Recruiting firm that focuses on Executive Management, Sales, Marketing and Technical roles within Information Technology markets. We have over 20 years of experience recruiting in every aspect of AV/VTC/UC, Application, Storage, Information/Network Security, Mobile Technologies and Telecommunications.