Don't Train Salespeople Until You've Trained Their Managers
By Dave Anderson
One of the most costly mistakes dealers make is overestimating the leadership ability of their managers. Too many managers who aren't really leaders are in leadership positions. They have the title of "manager" but have little, if any, training on what it takes to lead: how to motivate and improve human behavior, set expectations, identify talent and draw it out of people, coach people as unique individuals, develop, cast and communicate a vision that excites their team, create effective methods for daily urgency and focus, train people in an interesting, results-inducing manner, manage their time, listen and gain influence credibly, but not through intimidation, and the list goes on. Most managers are trained at the technical aspects of their jobs: scheduling, budgeting, closing deals, working the desk, writing ads, doing inventories, dealer trades and the like. Of course, all of these are important. Managers talented in technical aspects of their job, but lacking in the people skills mentioned above will put your company on the endangered species list. Before you get defensive, realize that this is not a "knock" on managers. It is not necessarily their fault. The majority of these hardworking people would be excited about learning the skills necessary to become more effective in today's faster, complex marketplace. It would make their job easier and more enjoyable. They need training: extensive, ongoing leadership training. Contrary to what you may think, your management team doesn't have it all figured out and most of them have not done a lot on their own to upgrade their skill level to compete in the 2000s: a decade that brings smarter and more demanding employees and customers, as well as unprecedented complexity and pace of change. Consider the following ideas and put your game plan together to invest heavily in the people in charge of growing your business.
Train managers first or you waste your money on sales training. Until you commit to training your managers extensively, you're throwing money away training the people they are responsible for leading. In fact, nothing is more frustrating for a subordinate than to learn new skills and have his attitude put in high gear only to be deprogrammed by a manager with ineffective coaching, training and motivating skills. Too often we think our managers have "arrived" and because of past experience or good technical skills, are able to be effective leaders in today's world. These are wrong and dangerous assumptions. Make no mistake about it; managing and leading effectively in the 2000s, the age of velocity and of the brain-wave, will be tougher than anything we've ever seen. In the past ten years, turnover rates among 9-5 jobs have climbed from 3% to 14.5% annually, and it's getting worse. This is a reflection of a management disconnect with more educated and demanding employees. Employees entering the workplace today have different values and expectations than workers of the past. When managers try to motivate, connect with and develop them the same way they did in the 70s, 80s or 90s, they fail. 'Command and Control' styles of management were stupid during past decades, but managers got away with it because things moved more slowly and employees didn't have as many work choices as they do today. (In 1998, 92% of the 750,000 people laid-off found jobs with equal or better pay.) Today, 'Command and Control' management style is a death wish and the last bastion of cavemen in managers' clothing.
Too many people promoted into management have limited management or leadership training. Too often we give someone the title of manager and expect them to be one. These people need a game plan for success. They need the skills that allow them to bring the best out of people. They don't just wake up one morning and know these things. They must be learned and internalized.
The bottom line is, when your managers get good, your salespeople will get good. Better managers are more capable of attracting, hiring and developing solid performers. Well-trained managers are the bedrock you need to build your foundation of success. Spend at least two dollars training a manager for every one dollar you spend training a subordinate. And if you have a limited budget and have to choose, train the managers first. When they're good, they'll get the team good. Until they are, the team will be inconsistent, incapable and demoralized. Training managers strikes at the root: training subordinates without training their bosses simply hacks at the leaves.
Turnover is a management problem. A recent Gallup study surveyed 100,000 workers and found overwhelmingly that the number one motivational force in the workplace today is not money, time-off, recognition or other perks: it's the manager. A subordinate's relationship with his immediate supervisor is the "make or break" force in your workplace. Hours, pay and the like are important of course, but they don't overcome a mediocre manager. Employees said in this survey that they'd rather work in an old-fashioned workplace with a good manager than in a state of the art facility, laced with all the fringes supervised by a poor boss. This is why training salespeople is not the answer to turnover: training managers is. In fact, when you train salespeople without training managers, you increase turnover because at the same time you heighten the salesperson's skills and attitude, you create a wider disconnect with a manager who continues to think and act at "old world" levels and hasn't the ability to coach the new skills the salesperson has learned. This creates frustration and a feeling within the salesperson that the manager is not supportive or in tune with reality. You also put your manager in an awkward position, as it is difficult, if not impossible, to continue leading people who have outgrown him or her.
Increased pay and fat benefit packages don't replace a good manager. Some dealers think if they enhance their pay plan, offer signing bonuses and boost benefits, they'll be able to attract more and better people. While these things help, they're not the answer. It's like buying tickets to a ball game: it'll get you into the ballpark but won't help you win. Overwhelmingly, people leave managers, not companies. You may attract them with a bigger carrot, but how long they stay and how productive they are while at work will depend on their relationship and respect for their immediate supervisor.
If you have a problem with turnover, low morale, many people turning in average numbers, inconsistency from month to month or difficulty making it to the next level, then you have a management problem. Knowing this, if you still don't take action to improve your managers, you are the problem.
Dave Anderson is president of The Dave Anderson Corporation, a sales, management and leadership training concern. Dave conducts "Leading At The Next Level" workshops and publishes "Leading At The Next Level" newsletter. He is the author of "Selling Above The Crowd: 365 Strategies For Sales Excellence" and his Web site, www.learntolead.com has free training articles and materials updated weekly. Dave is a member of The National Speaker's Association and conducts workshops and keynotes worldwide. danderson@dealeronline.com
