10 Reasons Why Companies Evaluate Their Sales Force with SG Partners

- and what’s there to gain?

---

1. They want to grow.

2. They don't know whether they have the right salespeople or sales managers to achieve that growth.

3. They need a better understanding of how to effectively manage their people daily.

4. They don't know why their salespeople aren't doing what they have been asked to do.

5. They don't know if their salespeople can do more (or how much more).

6. Their company isn't exceeding its goals.

7. Their competition has a better market share.

8. Their margins have been slipping.

9. Their salespeople are caught in a "comfort zone".

10. Management is accepting mediocrity from its sales force.

SG Partners work with sales teams all around Australia to provide tailored growth improvement programs:

One of the keys to the success of any program is knowing what we are working with as a first step. SG Partners conduct personalised leadership and sales team evaluations that enable us to tailor-make the change program.

---

How do I identify whether a salesperson is a Hunter or a Farmer?

We all know how successful sports stars compete, they practice and play to their strengths. Well, why not take the same attitude to sales? How can you work more effectively with the team you already know and have right now? In doing so, you automatically give yourself a distinct advantage and very likely differentiate yourself. Do you know your sales teams strengths and how to work with them?

• Are your people Hunter or Farmer types?

• Do they prefer setting the opportunity up rather than closing it?

• Who in the team prefers to be more technical rather than consultative sales approach?

The interesting thing is that most salespeople do not know their strengths and potential growth areas. When we assess them and deliver the results, they usually say, "That's me, and wow, I did not know that’s where I play at my best… I normally just do what I do.” You deserve the very best sales team. From acquiring the very best, you can achieve the results you never thought possible.

---

When you screen your team with us, we provide information against the 21 core competencies of great salespeople.

How easy would it be if you could see your teams proof of skills and abilities?

Get your sales assessment tool free sample here

What makes a great leader?

So many books have been written about this, so many perspectives, so many thought leaders.

Ultimately there is a consistent list of traits. I would like to discuss one of those.

---

It's amazing over the years with the engagements I have had with business leaders how this one trait can make, or break an organisation’s forward momentum.

Decision making, easy to say, it seems harder to do.

As a leader are you responsible for making all the decisions? - heck no. Yes, you are ultimately responsible for the decision made with your company, yet not responsible for making all of them. In fact, a great leader is the “Custodian of Decision Making”.

As the custodian, what are the guidelines/practices you set your people up with, so they are capable or making consistently great decisions?

So, the challenge for the growth of the organisation is for the leader to understand they are not required to make all the decision (control freaks out there - you are the problem).

The other challenge is having people around you who can make decisions.

There are those amongst us that struggle making decisions, they have a framework that delays them, and they are unconscious about their biases.

---

Leadership lesson #1

• Get your leaders together and discuss decision making - their own way of making decisions - get them to be self-aware.

• Get your leaders to tease out the guidelines and best practice for making timely decisions.

• Have an authority matrix around decisions making.

• Go forward and support your leadership team in making great decisions.

Oh, BTW when it comes to self-awareness (the first part of any change), our EQ or Disc/EQ evaluations are a great tool to start that process, and Decision Making is part of the review.

Why Empathy Training Will Not Work

Empathy is one of the key components that make up emotional intelligence. It is the ability to identify emotions and share perspectives with other people (MindTools).

Watch Brené Brown talk more on Empathy:

Showing empathy is just as an important skill in a professional context as it is in personal situations. It will assist you to develop trust, approachability and to connect with others easier.

Empathy is a choice.

To be truly empathetic you must actively think beyond yourself. While empathy training may teach you how to slow down and actively listen before responding, it is not going to work unless you are willing to change.

It takes a certain level of vulnerability to be able to empathise with someone and what they appear to be going through.

“I think we all have empathy. We may not have enough courage to display it.”

— Maya Angelou

While empathy is something that may well be hardwired into the brain, some people are more naturally empathetic than others.

It is one thing to recognise what another person is feeling, but another entirely to understand why they are feeling a particular way and what can be said or done to help them.

As a leader, it is important people feel listened to, valued, and visible to have an engaged workforce. There is a strong relationship between emotional intelligence, leadership, and sales effectiveness.

---

This is where SG Partners comes in. We recognise that one area of your emotional intelligence impacts others, and you may not always be aware of this yourself. We help our many clients identify these gaps and blind spots, so you know what needs improvement.

Request a complimentary copy of our EI Assessment Sample, or contact us now to find out more.

“Leadership is about empathy. It is about having the ability to relate to and connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives.”

— Oprah Winfrey