by Richard McCandless, Regional Director – Scotland & Newcastle
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams (US President, 1825-1829)
Inspirational leadership drives:
- Creativity
- Innovation
- Motivation
- Productivity
In order to inspire and engage your team, they need to understand the BIG picture, the overarching vision of the business, and how they can contribute to its success.
Here are just a few key ways that you can make the transition from sales manager to inspiring leader and, in turn, boost performance and increase profits.
Lead by example
There is no better way to inspire and motivate your team than by rolling up your sleeves and showing your team what you expect. Passion, positivity, and ambition are all contagious. By displaying these attributes, you will challenge your team to push themselves further.
Define a clear and flexible process
By creating a standardized, consistent process for approaching, qualifying, communicating with, closing, and following up with the customer, your team will all be singing from the same hymn sheet … and they’ll establish greater trust in management.
Be purpose-driven
Your sales team will perform more effectively if they know WHY and HOW their contributions (1) make a difference and (2) solve problems. It is important they know that their role is key to the final result.
Colleagues will also be inspired if they know how your company benefits society and has a positive impact on the community – i.e. what you do beyond making a profit!
Build trust & mutual respect
To build trust in your team, delegate key projects and allow employees to take ownership. By doing so, you will be showing them that you trust them to take control and ‘call the shots’ in the best interest of the business.
By empowering them in this way, they will become better problem-solvers whilst growing in confidence and developing the ability to tackle more significant tasks in the future.
This is also a fantastic way to assess individual performance and learn what motivates your people to perform well and contribute to the business’s success.
Communicate and listen
Set clear expectations so that your team knows what to aim for and the purpose of doing so. Have regular 1:1s with your team and invite them to provide feedback, ask questions, and share concerns.
As a result, they will feel valued, respected, and supported – and you won’t miss out on creative, innovative ideas that could drive the business forward.
Take the time to get to know each individual on a personal level to gain a deeper understanding of where their strengths lie and how they can be utilized within the company.
Support your team with career development
People perform best when they have clear direction and goals to work towards.
Are there roles that they can progress towards, or would those need to be created specifically with them in mind?
Can you provide training or coaching to help them to reach the next level?
To retain and motivate employees, establish a career development plan with clear stages and more challenging responsibilities at each stage.
My coaching process
At Kiss the Fish, I enable people managers to become inspiring leaders through one-to-one or team coaching.
During a one-to-one coaching session with a sales leader, we would discuss strengths and weaknesses and identify a strategy to accelerate sales and growth.
My process is as follows:
- Firstly, I will discuss your goals and ambitions for the business and create a journey of development in line with your vision and purpose
- I will use our licensed profiling products to assess the potential of your team and their current efficiency. Are they in the right role to maximize their strengths and help the business succeed?
- I will review your structures, management process, KPIs, and motivational drivers
- I’ll also take a look at your client approach, your value proposition, and your sales possibility. Most importantly, we have a specialist pricing coach who will work with you to investigate your true pricing potential
- By making the required changes, we can improve the quality AND quantity of your team’s output
- I will work with you to measure the results
As someone with years of experience in growing successful sales teams across the globe, I provide coaching that will
Boost Performance
↓
Accelerate Growth
↓
Transform Company Culture
So, let’s get your sales engine back on track and chugging happily toward success!
Book a call with me or contact me at any of the below and let’s work together to boost your sales and accelerate growth.
