By Troy Harrison – Sales Navigator
It’s a common maxim that, in business and in sales, we get what we ask for. That’s not true, at least normally. The truth is that we get what we work for. I’m not talking about working HARD – we all do that. Nor am I talking about working SMART, because that’s a term that can be interpreted in many different ways. I’m talking about working INTENTIONALLY, and with the end in mind. That’s what successful business owners and managers do.
Many times, I talk to business owners who may not be getting what they ASK for – particularly in sales – but they are getting what they WORK for. This came to mind recently when talking to a business owner who has been through three sales managers in the last five years, complaining that he couldn’t find anyone who really was able to develop salespeople. Instead, he gets sales managers who focus their time on selling. This wins business but it doesn’t make the company better.
In going through his past hiring efforts – from ads to interview questions – I quickly realized that he might not be getting what he asks for (he does ask for a sales manager who develops people), but he gets what he works for. Although he recognizes that the core of sales management is developing people, when it comes time to interview and hire, he focuses on candidates’ sales ability and the time they spend closing sales.