Growth Dynamics Get Down

I want to bring a little sports analogy to the mix this week and get you to think about playing both offense and defense in your business development practice. Now, most people like to play offense because that's when the points are scored.

Symptoms:
After a long sales process finally appeared to be coming to a successful conclusion, Paul was breathing a sigh of relief until his client decided he wanted to extract some sweat from Paul for the win. Just when he thought it was over and done, the regional vice president chimed in with one last contract change that he claimed was a deal breaker if it wasn't accommodated.

I want to share an idea that another professional coach and close personal friend of mine had. We were up in Vermont a few weeks ago doing a little skiing, and one of the things I like to do when I visit my buddy Peter, is I like to trade ideas or concepts that we share with our clients.

Symptoms:
Melody and her boss just couldn't understand why she continued to struggle to close business. She was a very outgoing person who was extremely well liked by her customers. She went out of her way to be friendly to everyone and appeared to possess a good knowledge of her product and the selling process. Her failure to excel was confusing everyone.

It's not that late in the year… it's 2024, we're right at the end of February/first day of March basically, so I just wanted to throw a couple ideas out there to remind you to stop once again, make sure you've committed to what your goals are for this year and to think about all the different things that could happen, that might influence or impact how successful you are at accomplishing those goals.

Symptoms:
Mary was on one of her first sales calls as a new rep and the prospect, with his first question, invited her straight onto the Buyers Bus: "Tell me about your company and what you do".

Hey everybody, it’s Charlie Hauck from Growth Dynamics. Hope everybody's week is prosperous. Hope 2024 is a good year so far. You’ll be moving through the first quarter by the time you watch this and I hope you've laid the groundwork for a very successful 2024.

Symptoms:
Linda was frustrated by her prospect's unwillingness to make a decision. Her prospect said he needed some time to digest the three options outlined in her proposal before making a decision.

This is one of my favorite topics. This goes back to our reliance and our trust in DISC profile behavioral assessments.I love those instruments. They've been a huge part of my business. They're a huge part of my life.

Recently, I had the opportunity to assist a client in the search for a new sales manager for their team. This role required a seasoned professional with years of experience in sales management to provide strong leadership. As I began interviewing candidates, I added two new questions to our standard set: 1. Why did you become a manager? and 2. What training did you receive when you became a manager?

To my surprise, many candidates became managers simply because they had reached the peak of their current roles or were promoted internally without much consideration for their managerial capabilities. Furthermore, most of them had received little to no formal training in management, relying instead on self-initiated professional development or trial and error to navigate their new responsibilities.

This lack of investment in managerial training is concerning, considering the critical role that sales managers play within a company. Without proper support and training, new managers may struggle to meet the expectations of their roles, leading to potential performance issues and turnover.

Investing in manager training not only benefits the individual but also the company as a whole. Proper training can help new managers transition successfully into their roles, improve communication skills, understand the expectations of their positions, make effective decisions that consider both individuals and the team, and navigate organizational changes smoothly.

Recognizing the importance of manager training, we are excited to announce the launch of a Sales Manager training program starting on March 13. This program includes monthly remote classes from March to August, online supplemental classes, and one-on-one coaching sessions with our expert, Charlie. If you are interested in enrolling your managers in this program, please contact Sarah Waple to schedule a fact-finding call.

By investing in the development of your managers, you can help cultivate strong leaders who will contribute to the success and growth of your organization.