I got a note today that made me smile and shake my head. It said, “there are no accidents, only guts and genius.” YES! That’s what I want to write about today. Let’s do a “gut check” on both sides of the coin…sales leaders and sales “do-ers” let’s roll!
As a “sales consultant” it’s common for me to hear both sides of the coin, and lately I’m getting a lot of anxiety, stress and overwhelm from each side. After all…1st quarter is nearly over, and that realization can bring panic if we haven’t been doing what we set out to do this year. Take a serious look at how you are approaching the business and how YOU can make a more positive impact whether you are considered “leadership” or “sales management”.
Sales Leaders: Does this sound familiar to you? Are you feeling uneasy because you don’t know where the business is in the pipeline? Are you wanting to let go and allow your sales team to run with the opportunities, yet you have this sinking feeling in your gut that tells you if you don’t “stay on top of it” nothing will get done? Does this leave you feeling defeated, because if you’re spending your time micromanaging the sales process? Are you thinking…how will you ever get your long laundry list of big picture items accomplished to take the business to the next level? And most of all…why do you need a sales team if you’re stepping in so much? Do you ever feel that your sales team doesn’t care as much as you do, because you aren’t seeing the sense of urgency you expect?
Sales Teams: Does this sound familiar? Do you feel like you’re leaders swoop in and swoop out randomly pummeling you with questions you couldn’t possibly know the answer to? Do they leave you with stress and anxiety and no real answers or direction? Do you feel like no matter what you do, you can’t ever please them? Do you feel like you’d have everything handled, but you’re being micromanaged? Do you feel just a teensy tiny bit overwhelmed with keeping up with inbound leads and still trying to fish for new business & handle all of the follow-up?
Allow me to share a few tactical and psychological points I’ve witnessed that could be the issue. Turning these few things around might be the difference-maker for your team!
Sales Leaders:
Tactically, have you put systems in place to ensure visibility into your team’s activities and progress? Are you using those systems? Are you holding the team accountable for using those systems? We usually have some systems in place through the property CRM, weekly reports, monthly reports, etc. You have to first hold the team accountable to use them, and second show them that you place high importance on that visibility. Set a system for yourself to ensure commitment and consistency in reviewing those reports. Truly give them the time and energy you want reflected by your sales team while they are actually executing those activities. This shows respect for your sales team, for their efforts, and it ensures that you are truly digesting the information and not reacting spontaneously and in a way that causes anxiety and overwhelm. I know that I will oftentimes glance at a daily report and want to immediately shoot a note to the team on the fly. However, I find that when I commit to reading through the information when I’m relaxed and able to digest…I can give my team so much more value in my questions and comments that often-times takes us to a new level of understanding and a new level of service to our customers.
Going a little deeper I have to ask…
What are you doing to support your team rather than breed more anxiety through your approach? I understand that it can be frustrating when you don’t see the revenue streaming in, and you don’t hear the answers you want to hear from your team. This might serve you…lately, I’ve been taking a new approach with my own team that is allowing us to make more positive change. I look inward first. That does NOT mean allowing poor habits, or condoning lack of visibility and insights into their work and progress. It does mean approaching the team from a helpful perspective rather than a controlling, demanding, anxiety-driven demeanor. Pressures abound for everyone when our businesses aren’t meeting our expectations as leaders, and let’s face it…we have VERY high expectations. It doesn’t do any good to add low or negative energy. A rebuttal I get to this suggested approach is, “Amy, that is too soft, and sales people seem too needy, and that is just downright annoying. Why should I “coddle” them? I just want them to do their J.O.B.” I’m not suggesting you “coddle.” I’m suggesting that you reflect on the approach so that you inspire the team. By nature, sales professionals are wired to be at peak perform when their confidence is protected. Collaborate with your sales team to inspire new approaches and energize them, and you will see the difference almost immediately. If you don’t see that difference or you can’t bring yourself to approach them in this way…it’s a sign you need to make some changes quickly to your sales team.
Sales Team…you’re not off the hook, either!
Tactically, are you following processes and systems to keep yourself organized and on task? Most overwhelm and lack of follow-through on opportunities comes from lack of organization. If you don’t currently have systems in place for organizing your prospects information, your sales pipeline, or follow-through and lead nurturing approach, then that is step #1. Take care of it NOW. Do the work today to set yourself up for the wins tomorrow. Don’t wait for anyone to put it in place for you. Take initiative. It does not have to be an expensive system. It must make sense for you and put you in the mindset for results…not busy work.
And this is where I get REAL. Emotionally, are you truly invested in doing the work? What I sense that some of you need to hear is that you’re getting defensive by the questions of your leadership because you know deep down that you’re not doing everything you can. You’re guarded of your time and energy, and something is holding you back from being your best at your work. Perhaps you don’t want to speak up and admit that you’re overwhelmed with all of the inbound leads, the prospecting demands, the follow-through needed, along with the internal meetings. I encourage you to take some time and find out what is blocking you. When you decide that leadership is not at fault. When you decide that leadership is not unappreciative because they are asking for more from you, and when you decide to look within first…the doors will open wide for you and success will follow! Remember that admitting challenges is not a sign of weakness. Being honest and open with yourself takes courage. At the end of the day I think we all want to feel accomplished. I think we all want to feel like we did something that mattered today. I also think that when leadership questions things, we get defensive not because of leadership but because of something internal we know that we don’t want to admit to. Find out what that is. It’s probably something pretty simple. The truth is we all KNOW what we need, but the question is are we willing to GO THERE.
If I’m being honest, it’s a little uncomfortable to write about this topic, because there is no cookie cutter reason why teams are not succeeding, and I was raised to not assume and accuse until I know for a fact what is wrong. Well, that just doesn’t work in serving massive groups & writing blog posts. 
My hope is that this serves some of you and gives you some kind of aha moment you need to turn the corner. I gave myself permission to write this because I’ve lived it and breathed it on both sides of the coin. As a hotel sales manager I know that deflated feeling when I perceived I was being “hounded” by leaders demanding revenue TODAY and they seemed to not understand the process for closing new business. There were many times I had to dig deep and understand what was blocking me from succeeding. I became successful because I did that work. Today, as a business owner myself, and working very closely with hotel owners and leadership…I know the feeling of this tugging and pulling and trying to control my team’s output intimately. I work through these issues daily, therefore, it’s something I can speak to easily. The suggestions are real to me and have worked.
The really cool thing about my business & what drives my passion, is that I get to help hotel teams solve for these things directly through our sales revenue generation services and indirectly by the bonus coaching and guiding that I do with each of our hotel partners. I love the responses when a hotel owner or a hotel sales manager thanks me because they can feel a mindset shift toward their business and approach.
If you’re feeling the pull to work with in these areas to improve team and hotel performance, let’s connect soon!
Amy.infante@planbconsultants.com or 312-636-7384