Sales leaders often grapple with a complex paradox. Well-intended leaders naturally prioritize and champion their teams. We shield them from challenges, strive to uplift them, and genuinely consider their welfare. Heck, we often wake up thinking about them before our kids! Yet, from their vantage point, our salespeople can sometimes perceive leadership solely through the lens of their personal goals and challenges, wondering why we can't do more for them.
The oldest leader's saying captures this paradox: "People don't leave companies; they leave managers." When recruiting, it's not just the company but the leader that potential employees want to align with. This paradox is why, over time, some of even the best managers become cynical about sales leadership. We've all heard or felt sentiments like, "I go above and beyond for my team, yet all I hear are complaints." Unfortunately, this cynicism leads to skipping getting to know the team and genuine coaching "because what's the point when everyone is going to complain anyways?"
However, it's essential to sidestep cynicism and see this for what it truly is: a fair trade-off of leadership. Our influence on our people's outcomes means they naturally seek clarity on what they can expect from us in return. That's not our people being selfish sellers; it's a balanced and fair equation. If you are in sales leadership, it's important to remind yourself that you accepted this deal - whether you knew it or not.
So, how do you avoid becoming a leader who is just a scorekeeper inspecting their people - a shift in perspective can make all the difference. Consider this analogy: Before becoming a parent, witnessing a toddler's meltdown in a grocery store evokes sympathy for the child. But post-parenthood, our empathy shifts to the parents. It's all about perspective; as leaders, we're privileged to have a broader one.
With insights spanning multiple territories, leaders have a bigger picture. This elevated viewpoint, or "altitude," helps us understand the "why" behind so much more. We can see why specific deals go one way or another. Or why it's essential to find these types of champions, etc. Once you've earned the right to inspect your sellers, great leaders connect their people's why back to the WHY.
Remember, your people are not being selfish; it's a fair exchange for having power over their careers, and you signed up for it! Your privileged altitude as a leader is how to navigate through using your broader understanding of why to guide your team.
