Expectations... of a selling team

Expectations...

I sometimes wonder about the dichotomy of expectations betwixt a hiring manager and a new sales person... the one hoping the right decision is being made... and the other, hoping the right decision is being made... but for different reasons, perhaps.

And I also wonder about how the evolution of the relationship will track... and whether looking in on it periodically, we can look back from that initial point-in-time... to the expectations that were at the initial hiring moment... and the ones that were established for both the sales manager and the sales person, going forward.

Within days of a hiring, it seems to me that everything that was in the past for both the sales manager, and especially the sales person is, exactly that... in the past! There is a new situation, and time needs to be taken at the outset to understand a) what is expected from the quality of the person being hired and from the quality of the manager and of the company doing the hiring; and b) what short, mid-term and long-term goals are expected to be achieved by the sales person; and c) what skills and support the manager and company will bring to the relationship.

It seems to me that too often these things are left to chance... too little time is spent in the process of hiring, and being hired. It occasionally dooms the future, and often limits the potential. Too little time is spent, as well, ensuring that the background of the new sales person is thoroughly understood so that the groundwork needed for excellence in selling with the new company is solid. This will then form the basis of the stages of training and goals.

The groundwork, or baseline knowledge and skills is a critical component. Often in the routine of the screening and interviews, the focus is on accomplishments, fit and so on. But once the hiring decision is made, it is time to get real... the sales person needs to open up and the sales manager thoroughly sort through the individual strengths and weaknesses of the new person. Here, the manager needs to be an expert at helping the new employee feel comfortable in showing where help is needed. Then the manager needs to establish the near, mid and long-term training and goals. Also, it is an opportunity for the manager to find strengths in the new person that can be quickly brought to the team s/he is managing.

I don't understand why more time is not invested at this hiring stage when no relationship walls have been built. It is a chance to establish working conditions and expectations that are real... and can lead to success.

Opening that window to look in on sales people and managers is not reserved only for the hiring moment. At any time there is an opportunity to take a look at where the two employees are in their progress toward goals. The second level manager should be encouraging the first level manager and all of the direct sales reports to keep the communications open. Have a list of the critical performance factors that, at a minimum, are necessary for success... there should also be a list of factors that if maximized, will allow unrivalled success for both the manager and the sales people who are reporting.

Too often in my experience, managers are not managing the performance factors of the sales people. They are caught up in the end results... taking care of the numbers. It is more effective to take care of the performance 'factors', and the numbers will take care of themselves.