Sales Leadership Friday: Manage the Numbers. Lead the People.

Quit trying to lead your numbers. They are not going to lead back!

In sales, it can be all about the numbers and there’s nothing wrong with being concerned about the numbers.  However, too many sales managers spend all of their time dealing with the numbers, leaving zero time to spend with their people.

In my work with sales managers, I see a wide range of skill sets and competencies. One thing I’ve seen time and time again is how the top-performing sales leaders are focused on their people first and their numbers second.

Low performing sales managers are far more often fixated on the numbers and, in some situations, I’ve noticed that they don’t have a clue about their people.

If we spend our time leading our people — supporting and developing them to be the salespeople they’re capable of being — then doesn’t it make sense they will deliver the numbers we need?  Sure it does!

If that’s the case, then spending time with the numbers becomes a secondary activity.

I’m not saying to ignore the numbers, but what I’m saying is we need to realize how quickly we can spend time working on the numbers at the expense of having little time to work with our people.

How is your day, week, month structured?  Are their pockets of time that are spent reviewing numbers all for the sake of little benefit?  Could you take that time and “invest” in your people?   The time you spend with your people is going to have a payout.

Lead your people.

Stop leading your numbers. The only thing you’re doing is creating more work for yourself.   I’m being a little bit blunt about this for a reason. I want to get you off your computer and out of your office and out working with your people.

The person you develop today may just be the one who delivers next quarter’s numbers for you!

Copyright 2013, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.

Share the Post:

One Response

  1. This is a helpful article Mark. Thanks for letting us realize that. You’re right that most sales managers out there are really fixated on the numbers rather than spend time with their people and honing and improving them which should be the priority.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts

Downloadable Sales Resources

The Hidden Dangers of Discounting Your Price

A Mind for Sales: for salespeople feeling stressed out, burned out, and bummed out. If you’re a sales professional, this book is written just for you. Get your mind right and close more deals with this new business development book.

Subscribe Now

Subscibe to The Sales Hunter Email list to get the latest posts and exclusive sales content right in your inbox.

The Sales Hunter Podcast

The Sales Hunter Podcast features Mark Hunter and top sales leaders, delivering actionable insights to help you become the salesperson you’re meant to be. This show isn’t just for entertainment—it’s designed to empower you with strategies to turn prospects into profits. Subscribe, leave a review, and start selling with confidence!

The Sales Hunter University

The Sales Hunter University offers top-tier sales training available in real-time or on-demand, accessible on any device. Named a Top 10 Sales Development Program in 2022, it’s perfect for sales teams, managers, and driven individuals. Each course is expertly designed by Mark Hunter to deliver the results you need.

Sales Logic Podcast

Ready to amplify your sales impact?

Hosted by sales experts Mark Hunter and Meridith Elliott Powell, Sales Logic answers today’s toughest selling questions with a logic that will help you win more deals and make more money.

When you sell with confidence and integrity, uncertainty becomes your competitive advantage and the sale becomes logical.

The Ultimate Email Prospecting Guide - Mark "The Sales Hunter" Hunter

Download the Ultimate Email Prospecting Guide today!

Enter your information and we’ll immediately send you our most popular download, and add you to our weekly Sales Tip newsletter.