Sales Leaders, The Game Has Changed
People are reluctant to admit this, but we still don't completely appreciate the total effects of the last few years.
The pandemic caused fear, isolation, and a complete rejiggering of the way we work. We're only now beginning to experience the hangover of all the financial strings that were pulled to keep things together. Our collective psyche has been rocked (to say the least).
As a result, there's been a reckoning of priorities. Everyone on the planet has been reminded of what's really important to them, and many of us realized that our preferences were a little (or a lot) out of whack.
It's not an understatement to say that our very foundations have been shaken, and people are rebuilding their work lives in a way that looks very different than they did before. They realize that there's more to work than just collecting a regular paycheck. They're considering their values and integrity in a way they didn't in the past, and where there's a lack of alignment, there's a lot of friction.
What does this mean for you if you lead a team?
It's more difficult than ever to be a frontline sales leader right now. You still have it coming at you both ways, from your leadership and your team, and with more intensity than ever. Still, you can't afford to take anything for granted.
You need to have very direct conversations with everyone on your team. Ask them if anything has changed for them over the past few years and if they still feel aligned between their work and the people they are. Ask them what they need to keep doing their best work and what they need from you regarding support.
Yes, I know you probably talk to everyone on your team daily, but do you have time specifically set aside to address this? Do you recognize this discussion's importance, and does your team see that? These conversations are crucial and not to be taken lightly.
The (p)recession is an additional wrinkle you may not have appreciated.
All definitions aside, if it feels like a recession, then it's a recession. People have been skittish with their money all summer, and most economic indicators continue to point toward a declining economy. When the powers that be finally decide to call a thing a thing, I expect this trend to continue.
We've had 14+ years of economic growth, money has been cheap, and by and large, selling has been easy. Even the bumps in the road that have been felt with supply chain disruptions, etc are nothing compared to what looks to be on the horizon.
Make no mistake, your team will need your leadership more than ever.
Make no mistake, you're going to need them to sell in a very different way than they're accustomed to, and they're probably not going to like it.
Do you see these two trains colliding? How soon?
They will need to proactively create more tension in their sales processes. They're going to need to make more outbound efforts. For many of them, this will feel salesy even though it's not.
Your job description just changed.
Your reps will need their leader to understand how to help them be effective while still maintaining their integrity and professionalism. A few will pick this up right away. Most are going to need some guidance. Some will need to leave.
What is certain is that your responsibility will look far different. You'll need to do less number-crunching and maximizing KPIs and a whole lot more coaching.
If you do this right, your team will be set up for success. You'll outperform the coming dip and be propelled to exponential growth as things come back. Taking market share now will pay huge dividends over the next few years.
If you don't do this right, you'll see high conflict, higher turnover, and you'll probably be looking to find a new situation for yourself.
Everything starts right now with your choices about what to do next. Your team needs you more than they ever have, and you owe it to them to find out exactly what that means. They need to believe in you so they can believe in themselves. That will enable them to do their best work, and that's exactly what we all need right now.
