It’s so easy to fall into the trap of rescuer when you are a Sales Leader.
You are judged by your team’s performance and when things are not going well its natural to want to save the situation.
Be warned…every time you do that, you are making it less likely that your sales person will do what it takes to resolve the situation for themselves.
Over the years of working with countless sales teams, I’ve observed the following ratios:
Approx 10% of your sales teams are top performers…
These are the guys that are going to perform regardless of who their sales leader is, how they are supported or any other external situation that might be happening.
These guys don’t actually need your help to perform. They are intrinsically motivated to be the best they can be…and as long as you don’t violate their values, they’ll keep doing it.
You’ll notice that that these guys take responsibility for their results and are likely to keep developing their skills and mindset. They will fall into the Growth Mindset modality.
Approx 80% of your sales team are average…
These guys really want to succeed and are not sure how. They probably think they are doing everything right and usually have a fear of stepping outside their comfort zone to try new approaches.
They’ll tell you they are doing the right things and they may well be…but not in best way. They can often resort to living the stories about how their circumstances are to blame for them not generating more sales.
Approx 10% of your sales team are not performing…
These are the guys that have lost heart, already checked out, going through the motions and need to make a decision about whether they are in the right place. These are the guys you’ll be inclined to rescue or save…especially if you like them!
These guys are unlikely to acknowledge their responsibility for their situation. The best approach is to give them the tools to save themselves…then let them get on with it. They will either rise like a phoenix out of the ashes or they won’t!
The more you try to rescue them the less they are to help themselves. Eventually they lose the ability to get out of tricky situations all together. YOU ARE NOT HELPING THEM!
Your biggest and quickest win…
Working with the middle group who have a desire to do better is your best route forward. If they have all the skills…focus on mindset coaching so they have the self belief and confidence to move through their inner barriers.
It’s very likely that they know exactly what they should be doing and simply need some mindset shifting to pull it off.
Use your time wisely with the right sales people and you’ll quickly see the positive results!
Until next time,
