What We Owe Each Other

Nothing gets us much negative feedback as a post suggesting that cold calling is still necessary and still effective. But if there were to be a close second, it would posts like the one I posted yesterday. Posts that suggest that you cannot be cynical, that you cannot be negative, that you have to believe in what you sell, including your company, always draw negative comments and emails.

Posts like these tend to draw some negative comments:

You Aren’t Unable, You Are Unwilling

More Money for Time Served

Stop Complaining and Start Making a Difference

First You Do the Work, Then You Make the Money

In Fairness to Your Company, Quit or Sell

Where Is the Salesperson That I Interviewed?

Five Signs That You Are an Order-Taker

Cynicism is a Recipe for Mediocrity

Here are some posts I have written about the mistakes that we make in sales management and leaderships. Like salespeople, we can often be our own biggest obstacles.

Everyone Deserves a Good Leader

The Real Method to Improve Performance Evaluations and Results

Three Options for Underperforming Sales Reps

Investment First, Results Second

Who Do You Serve

Stop Punishing Failure

Cohesion is a Force Multiplier

How to Ensure Your Sales Force Stops Selling

Why Should They Follow You

An Autopsy Has Never Brought the Body Back to Life

The posts that I have written about how we as sales managers cause many of our own problems, including employee problems, tend to be greeted with an admission by thoughtful folks who recount their past mistakes and lessons learned. It’s not that those of us that manage and lead are greatly enlightened; I don’t believe that. I think it’s that the managers and leaders that cause many problems don’t usually engage in social media, at least not through blog comments.

Here is a single link to a post that I wrote, and I could spend time going through my archive and find many more about the great benefits of being human:

Don’t Assume Other’s Intentions Are Evil

We all make mistakes. We all sometimes get wrapped around the axle. We owe each other more.

Contracts and two-way streets

The truth of the matter is that we need each other. The truth is that when salespeople and their sales managers and leaders work together they perform at a much higher level.

We owe each other respect.

A sales manager has to respect the salesperson enough to give them their time and their attention, as well as making sure that they have the tools, the training, and technology to succeed.

A salesperson needs to respect that sales management and leadership are making decisions that allow the company to achieve its goals. They deal with constraints, and sometimes the right answer is unpopular and difficult to understand.

We owe each other caring.

A sales manager or leader has to take care of their team. They owe that team the same caring, nurturing, and development that they expect their team to provide to their clients. If you are being paid to lead, you owe your team this caring.

A salesperson owes their sales manager the work that they are being paid to perform. They owe their manager their best effort, and they owe their clients the same. If you are being paid to sell, you owe them this caring.

We owe each other trust.

We owe each other respect, caring, trust, and help. We owe each other what we can give to in the order that the other succeeds. The sales manager needs to give what she can to help her salesperson succeed in their role. The salesperson needs to give what she can to help the sales manager succeed in their role. None of this is easy.

The contract we have entered into with each other requires this of both of us. It is a two-way street, and that street is filled with opportunities for things to go wrong. But that street also leads to success for those who are willing to respect, to trust, and to care.

We owe each other nothing less. And each of us can do better.