Talking vs. Listening
Great leaders also have the ability to communicate with others, says Randy Goruk, president of The Randall Wade Group, Scottsdale, Ariz. “Ineffective communication leads to many problems,” says Goruk. “Frustration. Anger. Conflict. Low productivity. Poor quality work. Higher costs. It’s a killer.”
Communication skills have become even more important because of changing demographics, says Star. “Today we have Baby Boomers who are letter writers, Gen Xers who are emailers and phone callers, and millennials who are Tweeters and instant messagers. Good leaders are able to communicate with members of all these generations in all these ways.”
What’s good for the employee is good for the customer. “Leaders communicate well with all the generations making up an organization’s customer base,” says Star. “Leaders understand what marketing messages will drive sales with diverse audiences.”
There are communication nuances, however, for sales managers in the integration industry. In fact, “stop talking!” is Greene’s advice for newly anointed integration firm sales managers. “Sales people abhor silence so they often fill the space with chatter. Start listening,” he says.
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Sales associates thrive by solving their own problems and overcoming their own challenges. Sales managers can’t be so self-reliant. “It is critical that you now need to incorporate everyone’s experience and input into both your strategy and tactics. You have been hired because you did it best. However, realize that humility and coaching will build a better roadmap than an ‘I know best, do it my way’ approach,” Greene says.
While it’s common for top sales people to fail in managerial roles, that’s not the rule. Greene has seen it work well, particularly when the new manager is adept at taking input from staff.
“The most remarkable transition I have ever been involved with was when a former employee converted a top sales person into a VP of operations,” he says. “The first nine months he did nothing but listen and have meetings with almost every employee, mostly the sales force, and when he made changes and gave directions we all had to follow it because he simply shaped the advice we gave him. So if we did not like it we would only be arguing with ourselves if we did not accept his ideas.”
Training for Launch
Spotting employees with leadership skills is important. Seldom, though, does one prospective leader possess all the requisite skills at the level required. Enter training. It’s smart to put a training program in place that will teach people what it’s like to be a manager before they get promoted.
Training, of course, can be expensive. One way to reduce the cost is to make temporary work assignments that give people the chance to lead and to decide if the management life is right for them.
Johanna Rothman, founder of Rothman Consulting Group, Arlington, Mass., suggests approaching promising candidates with words such as these: “Why don’t you manage one or two people as a team leader? You can practice your skills in coaching and in providing feedback.”
Then, says Rothman, set a date and time to discuss any issues that might have arisen during the candidate’s time in control. Mentors can help newly promoted leaders succeed.
“Employees with formal mentor relationships tend to value them,” says Goruk. “They say things like ‘Mentors are good because they hold me accountable for things. They share different perspectives and are experienced in overcoming the challenges I am facing.'”
But take care in assigning mentors to your nascent leaders. Not everyone is good at the job.
“Mentors must have the desire to be mentors,” says Goruk. “They must want to help people succeed and have an interest in people personally and professionally.”
Coaches, too, can help pave the way for successful promotions. They differ from mentors in the level of control and input they provide their wards.
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“A mentor teaches skills; a coach helps a person navigate through professional development,” explains Avdoian. Gen Xers tend to need mentors, while Millennials tend to need coaches, according to Star. The disparity results from the differing psychology of the two groups.
“Gen Xers are proactive about improving themselves,” says Star. “They have taken their assessments and already know what skills they lack. And they have enough business acumen to realize that unless they improve themselves they will not get ahead.” For them, regular consultations with mentors suffice.
“Millennials, on the other hand, often do not know what skills they lack,” says Star. As a result, they need a more assertive level of assistance. “Coaches can prompt Millennials to think through problems and find solutions, and that will help them grow faster.”
Plan for Success
Remember Debora, the star salesperson, who had been promoted to a management position not because she possessed leadership skills but as a reward for great performance? That led to disaster.
“You would not hire someone to be an accountant without accounting skills,” says Frankel. “Yet too often we promote people without relevant experience or training to important management roles. The result is that the promoted individuals often flounder and create discord within their departments.”
It’s a common scenario that can be avoided with proper preparation. Spot potential leaders by their ability to lead without the trappings of a formal assignment. Then make sure they get the mentoring or coaching they need to perform the demanding tasks of leadership. The result will be a successful hire, a happy staff and higher profits.
Reporting by Tom LeBlanc was used in this article.
