Over the years I’ve seen two types of sales leaders. Those that prioritize their salespeople as an asset, and those that treat them as an expense.- Which one are you as a leader?
- And, honestly, which one would you like to work for?
Sales leaders with strong empathy see their salespeople as assets.
They care about what their people think and see them as a long-term investment. They actively coach them and invest the time needed to ensure their success. Great sales leaders put the needs and concerns of their salespeople first, rather than their own need for success. They know that their success as a leader is the sum total of their team’s success.
Empathetic sales leaders want to know what’s going on with their people in all areas of their lives knowing that their business life impacts them personally, and vice versa. That’s why I believe great sales leaders shield their people from the stress from upper management down to them.
Strong leaders don’t take out their own stress on their people. They know their salespeople don’t need to be distracted by corporate issues out of their control. But unfortunately, it happens, and I’ve seen sales leaders take out their own pressures from above out on their people. What they’re doing is transferring the blame and not taking ownership.
How can you empathize better with your salespeople? I believe the most impactful way is to understand their personality style. Consider these questions as you reflect on each team member:
- Who on your team needs more attention than others?
- Who likes autonomy and who likes structure more?
- How do they prefer to communicate?
- What motivates them to stellar performance?
Statistics show that when salespeople leave a company it’s most often because of their leader and not the company. If you feel you’re not being heard and not getting the support you need, you explore your options. I’ve done it, and many of you probably have. People quit their bosses, not their companies.
The result – high turnover which is one of the costliest issues for sales teams. I’ve seen sales teams have turnover as high as 60% in a one-year period. We had a sales team of 20 at one of my former companies. After four years the entire team turned over except for me. I left a year later.
Turnover impacts operating costs AND erodes the customer base and the customers’ perception of the company they’re doing business with.
I created Personality Centric Selling to help leaders become more connected and empathetic with their team.
When you understand how your salespeople best connect, productivity and loyalty can skyrocket. When salespeople have high trust in their leader, it creates a culture of openness and strong teamwork. The bottom line is an increase in business, the pipeline, reduced turnover, as well as strong and consistent performance for the long term.
Personality Centric Selling is a proven method for leaders to better coach and groom their salespeople for success by understanding each of the four styles strengths and how to leverage them for their success.
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