I talk to sales reps seeking new employment who come through our office and complain about really poor managers they've worked with in their previous job, and why they left as a result of that poor management culture. I'm astounded to hear of many top companies out there that have strong reputations, but their sales management definitely is deficient in its ability to lead and manage its teams.
One of the biggest concerns that I hear from people who speak of poor sales managers is their unwillingness to spend time with their people in the trenches, to really help them understand what's required to be successful in sales, and to coach and mentor them. This includes simple things like spending time on the road together, doing detailed opportunity reviews, performing account planning functions - the kinds of things that lead to deeper levels of connection and respect from your sales people.
The sales manager today is called upon to lead by example in his/her thoughts, behavior and actions. Sales managers who sit in their office all day or spend most of their time managing up as opposed to working with their people, are good examples of sales managers who can't cut it. Effective sales managers should spend 75% of their time focusing on working with their people. Of that 75%, 25% of their time should be spent in the field, 25% of their time in performance management and review discussions, and 25% of their time should be coaching their people to succeed. The other 25% of their time can be reserved for corporate duties, but a sales manager spending 75% of their time managing internally but not focusing on the sales team itself is a manager that nobody wants to follow.
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