Triple Sales Leader Focus
Waiting in a reception I turned towards the back of the FT lying there for a quick business related morsel. The book review greeted me of a fella with decades of industry-shaping experience on ‘strategy and resource allocation’; Joseph Bower. Strangely absent from my business school syllabus, I read on intrigued about this Harvard prof.
His thoughts here turn to ensuring effective leadership succession. The killer quote for me has a wonderful tip for those running sales teams. Leaders for him face “3 core tasks:
- judging where the world is headed,
- identifying the company’s talent, and
- engaging that talent“
I was immediately struck by how applying such framework to your current sales management plans would be an absolute winner. Especially when you present it to your boss in this way….
The future can be shaped by your own product developments, consumer behaviour changes, prospect touch policies and competitive forces. I.D-ing talent could involve an audit of your charges and what you plan to do to keep them performing or improve. And engaging that talent could look into elements like incentivisation and recognition ideas, career paths, sales support structures, training and their self-actualisation. Brilliant.