Salespeople are leaders. Would your customers view you as a leader?
Leaders are those who see things others don’t see and are able to motivate people to achieve things they didn’t otherwise feel they could achieve. The previous sentence sums up why I believe leadership is an essential trait in salespeople.
I’ve watched too many salespeople struggle to make their numbers, and the first thing they do is start complaining about all of the reasons why they can’t make their numbers. The whole time, they are forgetting to see the role they play in their own performance.
Leaders take responsibility, and in assuming this role they behave in a manner that has them finding solutions — not just to their problems, but also to their customer’s problems. A comment I like to share with audiences when I’m speaking to them regarding sales leadership is how it comes down to accepting the fact we all impact those we come in contact with. We all have to make a decision as to whether we want to impact people in a positive manner or a negative manner.
If I’m able to help you solve your problems, then I’m impacting you in a positive manner. If on the other hand, I spend my time complaining to you as to why we can’t do something, then I’m impacting you negatively.
Your customers will always remember you. So the question then becomes, “Do you want them to remember you in a positive or negative light?” This is the cornerstone of leadership, realizing every person we come in contact with is a person we’re making an impact on.
Leaders know this and accept this responsibility. Top performing salespeople know this and accept this. The ultimate way to measure this is not by you saying you’re a great leader, but by those you come in contact with saying you’re a great leader. Challenge yourself each morning to make it a day of positive impact on each person you come in contact with, regardless of how the other person treats you.
A final comment regarding sales leadership. Sale leadership has a direct impact on your sales motivation. The more you’re demonstrating sales leadership, the higher your level of sales motivation and in turn the higher the level of your sales success.
Copyright 2010, Mark Hunter, “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.
