do, don’t let yourself be in this position! Give your sales team and customer service the ability to make sensible decision to solve problems.
Your job consists of a certain amount of sales and a certain amount of management. Unfortunately, what you’re usually not told prior to accepting the job is how much of your time is going to be spent as a babysitter. Obviously, I say that tongue-in-cheek. But, you are going to have to be the mother hen to a certain extent.
You’re managing professional salespeople, not children. But, like in a group of children, some of your team will test you. Someone is always going to want to talk about someone else.
The following is a creed I developed many years ago. I recommend copying it and having each of your people sign it:
✔ I will conduct myself each day as a professional and will represent my company and my product in the highest possible manner.
✔ I will be part of the solution and not part of the problem.
✔ I will readily help others and not hesitate to ask for help if I need it.
✔ I will talk to others and not about them.
✔ I will work to foster an environment where everyone can be successful.
✔ I will come to work each day ready to enjoy my job and display an attitude of gratitude.
✔ I will work with other departments to understand their needs.
✔ I will set a positive example for others in my actions, attitude, and communication.
Having everyone sign a document like this lets them know you’re not there to be a babysitter; you’re a manager, a mentor, and a confidant. They will appreciate your honesty and your dedication to the things that truly matter: helping them grow their sales.
Now, there will be times when someone needs to vent. It’s inevitable. One day soon (if it hasn’t happened already), someone will walk into your office shut the door, and you’ll see the steam rising off her head. This is not the time to have her recite the creed. (Not if you want to see your family again).
It may be a disagreement with another department or any number of issues, but this one is serious and it’s time for you to listen. However, ask one question before the rant begins: “Do you want me to do something about this or just let you vent?”
I mean this sincerely, find out what the venter expects of you because it changes how you listen and respond. More times than not, the person simply wants to vent and get whatever is bugging her off her chest. Your job is to sit and listen. On the other hand, if the person wants you to help solve a problem, you need to be prepared to ask a lot of questions and get to the root of the issue before flying off the handle. But, if she just wants to vent, let her. Everyone needs to at one time or another.
In many cases, being a new sales manager means you were recently a member of the sales team – your friends, your buddies, your girlfriends. Well, not anymore. One of the changes you must make as you accept your new position is that you can no longer have the same type of relationship with your salespeople as you did before.
Let me guess: Of the people on your sales team, there are some you really like and some, eh, maybe not so much. That’s all in the past. As a leader and a manager you can’t play favorites – positively or negatively.
It’s difficult, uncomfortable, and awkward at times, but it’s imperative that you keep all your relationships as professional as possible. In some cases the people you’re now managing have more experience and are older than you – and you have to earn their respect by how you conduct yourself.
My own personal career path led me to be a division sales manager at 25 and vice president of sales at age 30. The problem was I was supervising, managing, and leading the exact group of people I’d just been laughing with, hanging out with, and talking about management with. Well, those things had to stop immediately. It’s the only way the job can be done professionally.
If you find yourself in the awkward position of becoming the boss to your former teammates, immediately schedule one-on-one meetings with every member of your sales team. Have the following discussion with those who may feel like they are in trouble because they weren’t your best friend or you’d had some disagreements:
“Mary, I know we’ve had an issue or issues in the past when we didn’t see eye to eye, but I want you to know that’s all in the past. My main goal in this position is to make you as successful as possible. Anything that’s happened before is in the past, and I want you to know I’m professional enough to make sure that I don’t let it influence how I make decisions or lead the department. I’d like to ask you to give me the opportunity to prove this, and I am going to ask you put our differences in the past as well and let’s move forward today, together, focused on growing your sales and satisfying your customers. Fair enough?”
Guess what? Nobody has ever said, “No that’s not fair enough.” This speech accomplishes several things:
✔ You acknowledge the past issue. Don’t try to ignore it and hope it goes away.
✔ You express your own professionalism. You put past difficulties behind you and pledge to make Mary successful.
✔ You ask someone you had disagreements with to work with you to make her successful.
That’s a pretty strong statement and one you should seriously consider.
You also need to deal with the person or persons who were your good buddies when you were a member of the sales team. As important as the conversation you have with people you had issues with, the conversation you have with your friends is even more important. You need to let friends know from the beginning that you’re going to keep the relationship professional.
Now, there are different schools of thought as to whether you can socialize with these people. Personally, I believe it’s a bad idea and creates situations you’re better off without. That’s not to say you can’t ever go out to dinner or over to a friend’s house, but the relationship has to change – it has to be one of manager and salesperson, not two friends.
Just like you sat down with the people you’d had negative issues with, you must also sit down with your friends:
“Hey, Marisol, I know we go way back and I hope you appreciate the position I’m in. Everyone is expecting me to treat you differently because we’re friends – and, I am going to treat you differently. I’m probably going to be harder on you than the others for two reasons: I don’t want there to be any perception of playing favorites, and I expect more out of you. I’m not going to let you get by with average work. Please understand this is extremely hard for me and I’m going to have to make decisions that you and I may not agree on, but I’ve got to do what I feel is best. Fair enough?”
Again, what can Marisol say? “No, I want you to treat me like the teacher’s pet!”
What you accomplish with this conversation includes:
✔ Your friend knows you’re still friends, but the relationship must change.
✔