Sales Leaders Should Ask This Question Constantly

6 Jul, 2018

We’re often approached by sales leaders and sales managers looking for simple moves that can have a big impact on the productivity of their teams. Of course, we all know that investing thousands of dollars and years of effort into team success will typically pay off in the long run. But these things come at a cost. In contrast, small moves and incremental changes come at no cost (or very little) and any sales manager can implement them. But how do these simple fixes work, and which ones can make a difference?

Here’s one simple move that you can use to start working on your leadership strategy within the day, if not the hour. Open every interaction with your sales teams by asking one question: What can I do to help?

As a manager, you’re there to support your teams and provide them with the information and resources they need for success. But your teams don’t always have the words, the time, or the ability to express their needs without being asked. Sometimes they don’t even know what their problems are until you propose a solution. So, make this question part of every interaction. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

You see more than they can.

If you’re like most sales managers, your junior reps may be younger than you, somewhat less experienced in the industry, possibly less well connected, and not as familiar with the activities and decisions of upper management. In other words, resources may be available to them that they can’t see or don’t know about. Connect them proactively instead of waiting for them to come to you.

Connect them with each other.

You may not need to provide every data point and solution on your own if you can find a way to help your teams tap into the knowledge and skills of their co-workers. Encourage your reps to work together and share their time and expertise, and keep the communication channels open with those around them, not just with you.

Hovering and helping are not the same.

Hovering and micromanaging typically involve scolding or correcting an employee before they have a chance to make a wrong move and fail. As a result, they never make the move, never fail, never learn, and still manage to walk away from the scene feeling scolded and criticized. This isn’t “helping.” Instead, give advice, not orders. If things go wrong, help the rep understand what happened and how to clear the same hurdle the next time.

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