I was recently introduced to a potential client who was looking for someone to guide their team through a workshop on sales management.
Here’s my belief about sales management – while there are certain best practices and overarching themes, most of the real value comes from understanding and properly utilizing systems and process; business practices that are specific to each industry, company and product/service. Sales Leadership, however (and really leadership of any sort) is more ubiquitous. Leadership is about connecting the individual to their personal motivations for advancing the company objectives. Leadership – sales or otherwise – is about getting the team pointed in the same direction; not through manipulation or policy, but through genuine desire to go that way. Sales leadership is intimately personal. It’s messy. And it’s the only truly effective way to get the most from your people.
Seth Godin had this to say about the difference between leadership and management:
“Management is almost diametrically opposed to leadership. Management is about generating yesterday’s results, but a little faster and a little more cheaply. We know how to manage the world – we relentlessly seek to cut costs and to limit variation, while we exalt obedience. Leadership, though, is a whole other game. Leadership puts the leader on the line. No manual, no rule book, no uberleader to point the finger at when things go wrong. If you ask someone for the rule book on how to lead, you’re secretly wishing to be a manger.”
The Icarus Deception, page 40
Seth’s opinion (while brilliantly stated) is a little strong for my tastes, as I believe that both have their value in organizations. Until you have the leadership piece figured out however, you’re pushing a piece of string uphill. Get the leadership piece figured out first, and then layer in the management. Not only will the management come easier (faster/with less effort/less, well, management), but you’ll already be moving swiftly in the right direction.
Create the wind first. Then learn how to more effectively tack the sails.
