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Power Nugget For Sales Representatives - Leadership
By
Kevin L. Mitchell |
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A high value is placed on leadership skills in sales. As Sales Representatives, leadership development is certainly a topic that is discussed during our year-end evaluations. Tasks and projects designed to allow us to exhibit and enhance our leadership characteristics are a large part of our skill development plan for the year. And the leadership we show in performing these tasks and projects determine to what extent we are deemed as “management potential”. Why? Because Sales Managers are evaluated by how successfully they lead their team in achieving the sales goals.
So what makes a good leader? Having the team have confidence in you as their leader is a necessity. This could be called the “Come, follow me” trait. Also needed to be a good leader is the ability to have the entire team accept your sales plan and how to execute it. This could be called the “Do as I say” trait.
And then, good leaders should also hold themselves up to the team as a role model. This could be called the “Imitate me” trait. This is where many leaders in business and many other aspects of society have failed today. Too many leaders have the attitude of “do as I say, not as I do”. In our homes (where parents are the leaders), in our churches, in government & politics, and in business there has been a failure in this aspect of leadership. In business (including sales) specifically, leaders at every level of management can’t hold themselves up as role models because of illegal, unethical, and immoral behavior, in both their professional and personal lives.
You may not be in management, but you can start the practice of holding up yourself as a role model now. How? Ask yourself, would I hold up for everyone to see the way I go about doing my job? Am I following company policy and procedures to the letter or do I cut corners? Am I being totally truthful and straight with my customers or do I hold back information that might jeopardize the sale? How am I handling my expense account? Am I using company time to do personal tasks?
The Bible verse 1 Corinthians 4:16 says, “I exhort you therefore, be imitators of me.” (NAS) If we are honest with ourselves, we have some work to do in developing this type of leadership. We have a long way to go before we can say, “imitate me”, but its time to start the process now.
Here are some suggested action steps:
1. Identify those aspects of your job in which you’re not following company policies and procedures. Make corrections to adhere to them.
2. Get clarification of those policies and procedures you find unclear.
3. Keep in mind that you aren’t working in a vacuum. Management, your coworkers, and your customers observe your attitude and behavior.
4. Keep in mind that your attitude and behavior affects others either positively or negatively.
5. Additional suggested reading: 1 Corinthians 1:11, Philippians 3:17, Philippians 4:9, 1 Thessalonians 1:16.
Today’s Affirmation: Each day I’ll do my job in a way that it can be held up as a role model & example for all who I come into contact to see.
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Author's Bio
Kevin L. Mitchell is an award winning sales professional with over 25 years of sales experience with the following major corporations: American Express; AT & T; S. C. Johnson & Sons; and Proctor & Gamble. He has also done small business consulting in marketing, contract procurement, business financing, and financial services.
He has served on corporate task forces on strategic planning, diversity, and employee satisfaction. Kevin has a BS in Business Administration and a MBA from the University of Kansas.
Currently, Kevin is co-owner of MKM Book Services, a book writing and marketing consulting company.
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