Four Key Elements of an Effective Sales-Leadership Vision

Today’s guest post is by Norman Behar, CEO of the Sales Readiness Group, an industry leading sales training company that helps Fortune 500 companies develop and deliver customized sales and sales-management training programs. Follow Norman on Twitter: @NormanBehar.

 

It’s very important for sales managers to develop strong leadership skills. Why? Sales organizations that cultivate good leaders are typically better able to do the following:

• transition star sales reps into high-performing sales managers,
• identify and respond to revenue challenges earlier rather than later,
• recognize and replicate key sales behaviors that lead to revenue results. 

(For more insight on how to achieve these results in your own organization, download a free copy of my white paper, Developing Great Frontline Sales Managers.)

Do sales managers need to be charismatic to become great leaders? Not necessarily. In fact, people often assume that charisma is a more important quality than it really is. Although charismatic people might be able to inspire others for a period of time, leaders will not have staying power unless they can combine that charisma with a number of other, more substantial qualities.

For example, all great leaders possess a dream or a vision. Think of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his “I Have a Dream” speech. This speech outlined a very powerful vision, and it helped generate an equally powerful momentum that propelled the Civil Rights Movement forward.

Whether you’re naturally charismatic or not, you can develop a winning vision for the future and learn to articulate that vision in an inspiring way. Every sales leader should know where his or her organization is headed over the next six to 24 months. When developing your plan for success, keep these four key elements in mind:

Four Key Elements of a Great Sales Vision

1. The vision must be future focused.
2. The vision must be challenging but achievable.
3. The vision must acknowledge the current situation and provide a clear portrait of what success will look like.
4. The vision must align with organizational goals.

Watch my video interview below with Selling Power founder Gerhard Gschwandtner to learn specific examples of how you can formulate and apply a winning leadership vision. 

What is your sales leadership vision for your organization, and how did you develop it? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

For more insight from Norman Behar and the Sales Readiness Group, check out his white paper, Developing Great Frontline Sales Managers.