In an ideal world, sales managers and salespeople would be on the same page about EVERYTHING — goals, selling skills, sales motivation, paperwork, time management and so forth.
That would be fabulous, right?
Wrong!
I think it’s actually fantastic that we don’t live in that ideal world I described in the first sentence.
“What?!” you may be saying to me.
“What’s so fantastic about my sales manager and me knocking heads and disagreeing about everything from expense reports to sales numbers to how to handle customer complaints?!”
Sure, we all have things about our jobs that annoy us.
BUT, I think if you and your sales manager agreed on everything, you would become complacent.
You would rely too much on outside factors — like the behavior of your sales manager — to determine YOUR level of sales motivation.
Here’s the deal — if you are going to succeed in sales, you absolutely must figure out a way to be responsible for your own motivation, your own success and your own goals.
In no way do I think this is easy, which is why so few people actually achieve the level of success of which they are capable. It requires a tremendous amount of discipline to know AND act upon the truth — You are responsible for your sales career.
And for those of you who have a fantastic relationship with your sales manager, I would say this — in what ways have you been coasting on this positive vibe?
In other words, how can you challenge yourself to dig a little deeper, go a little farther, prospect a bit more and purposely grow more profits?
What selling skills have you not explored or mastered simply because your sales manager isn’t the type of person who is going to hound you to do so?
How have you let your sales motivation cruise along on auto pilot because you work in a nice comfy atmosphere and no one ever ruffles your feathers?
What goals have you NOT set because you can do the bare minimum and get by just fine?
I’m trying to peel back the layers here on this problem with you and your manager.
Whether you have a horrible relationship with your manager or a fabulous one, don’t give that person too much power over your career. You can create your own destiny. That’s not just a cliche. That’s cold hard fact.
Be the type of leader who will rise to a phenomenal level regardless of whether you have all kinds of support from your manager or nothing but roadblocks.
The problem with you and your sales manager? Well, there doesn’t need to be a problem — as long as you make the right choices each day.
Copyright 2011, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.
