Do you know how many sales managers actively work on improving their leadership skills? Our research shows it's around 35%. Clearly, there is room for improvement. Deciding on a solid training program can be challenging, so we've highlighted 10 key skills that should be covered in a sales manager development plan. These details are from our Voice of the Sales Manager survey. In every great organization, sales managers likely spend plenty of time developing their reps. To get the most out of that effort, sales managers also need their own development plan.
What is a sales manager development plan?
A sales manager development plan is part of an organizational strategy designed to train sales leaders to improve the skills and competencies they need to lead their teams. The personal development goals for sales managers should also include a focus on the types of manager behaviors that are most effective for inspiring their teams.
Why sales manager development is important
Sales manager development is critical for the success of the sales team. Many sales managers previously worked as sales reps. The skills required to be a top seller are very different from the skills needed for sales management success. Without expert development, sales managers may not be as effective in their role. In addition, sales managers can work on their own development while they work on their sales team development plan.
10 key areas of development for sales managers
Coaching
A coaching session must entail questioning the rep about what they’ve tried and what they think does and doesn’t work. When managers guide the discussion instead of monopolizing it, they lead the rep to a solution. Good sales manager training should make the individual aware of how much they are talking, versus listening, during a coaching session. They also should review the rep’s TeamTrait assessment results to understand their unique motivators.
Leadership commitment
Part of leadership mindset training is about helping sales managers interpret situations and react properly based on what they hear. Some individuals come into the sales manager role after a stint as a superstar. They are recognized as experts in their field. While they will continue to be experts, they must respond to team member needs in their new role, as a sales manager.
Once they accept their role as a coach and supporter of their team’s efforts, they have developed the right mindset. It’s not all about them. It’s all about their team. A good training program should regularly remind managers to record what they’ve done to specifically develop a rep instead of trying to do the job for them.
Improving goal setting and accountability
It’s not easy to get a team member to commit to being accountable. Sales managers may find it hard to address the rep who is not delivering as promised. With a good sales manager development plan, leaders can teach managers to use automated reminders to follow up with reps. That kind of reminder makes it difficult to ignore the accountability issue.
Managers may need role-play training to learn how to motivate reps who aren’t accepting responsibility for their work output. The focus of holding reps accountable isn’t about pointing out where they are falling short. A more effective strategy is to show the rep the importance of their role in terms of achieving the department goals and getting them to agree that they can make a difference.
Then, the manager should shift the conversation to figure out where in the sales process the rep is having trouble. The question of how to be a good sales manager is often answered by the accountability they can get from their team members.
Setting and maintaining pace
While sales managers must learn to efficiently manage their own time, they must be aware of time in general, especially as it relates to deal flow. Holding efficient and regular sales team meetings is one way to keep reps on pace. If reps know they must report on the status of a particular prospect, they’ll be motivated to make a call before the meeting.
Similarly, reps will pick up on the energy from their co-workers during a team meeting. When they hear that a team member is close to finalizing a deal, they’ll likely work a bit harder to finish negotiating with their prospect.
To run a good sales team meeting, managers will need training. Staying on track with agenda items and ending the meeting on time are marks of what makes a good sales manager. They must also maintain a positive attitude and encourage reps individually and as a team during these meetings.
Sales process improvement
When managers focus on sales process improvement, they can also improve the daily experience for their team members. The process improvement may include more automation, such as the use of AI to write emails to prospects and accounts. The top goal of the sales process improvement should be to allow reps to spend more time in the human-focused part of selling.
Sales talent hiring
As reps leave and as the organization grows, sales managers must hire new team members. One of the most important sales manager development goals is to develop hiring expertise. Using a behavioral assessment platform such as TeamTrait can help sales managers identify and hire the best candidate for the open position.
Complex decision-making
Sales managers need the ability to handle complex decision-making. They must balance the daily needs of their team members with the long-term company strategy. Understanding how to sell to changing customer groups and how to address changing market conditions also demands solid decision-making skills.
Time management
Too many sales managers let technology run them. They are accustomed to the rush of adrenaline that comes with the sound of an email arriving. Yes, it could be a signed contract that has just come in from a new customer. Or it could be a message from a colleague about a nonurgent topic.
If your managers check email every time their computer dings, they’ll never get their work done. On the topic of what makes a good sales manager, taking control of how time is spent rules.
Sales managers who have access to an automated coaching application should regularly use it. They can track the progress for each rep. And they can use the application’s features to make assignments and review what each rep has done since their last one-on-one session. Trying to monitor this progress using a traditional paper folder will take too much time.
Completing a project that takes an hour or more requires concentration. Once sales managers begin such a task, they should stay with it until they’re done. Working efficiently ultimately frees up time that they can devote to other matters. These time management practices should be part of your managers’ daily practice.
Sales planning and forecasting
Sales managers must understand how to set appropriate goals for their team and the organization. The sales planning process may also require them to develop a forecast for two or five years out. In addition, they will need to assign territories to each team member.
Communicating up
Sales managers are often required to make presentations to senior leadership or to outside groups such as potential investors. Learning how to manage expectations, in addition to positioning the strength of the sales team in the best light is a critical sales manager area of development.
Sales Manager Development Goals
With sales managers needing expertise in so many different areas, it’s critical to establish sales management development goals. Senior leaders should work with sales managers to identify key goals to achieve, along with milestones to help them finish the development program.
Professional Development Goals for Sales Managers
The professional development goals for sales managers may focus on specific skills that are important to the organization. For example, in their role, the managers may need to improve their sales forecasting accuracy. Leadership can coach sales managers on how to produce a forecast and how to adjust it on a quarterly basis.
Measuring Sales Manager Development
Leadership can measure a sales manager’s development on multiple fronts. When measuring performance, tracking the number of team members who hit quota is critical. Sales managers should also be able to demonstrate their team members’ skill. In addition, they must log the hours spent coaching on a weekly basis.
Common Mistakes Sales Managers Make
Without proper training and development, it’s easy for sales managers to make mistakes. One of the more common mistakes sales managers make is to revert to the role of a sales rep. They try to sell for their team members instead of coaching them on how to use their own skills to sell.
Our Voice of the Sales Rep research reveals the following weaknesses of sales managers:
- Not motivating 25%
- Micromanaging 24%
- Shifting blame 24%
How Behavioral Assessments Improve Sales Manager Development
Every sales manager will come into their position with unique strengths and weaknesses. To ensure that they optimize outcomes for the sales department, leaders should customize a training and development program for each sales manager.
The best way to customize a program is to review their behavioral assessment results. These results highlight the individual’s motivations and their leadership potential. They can also serve as a guideline for development. For example, if the assessment scores indicate the manager excels at leading others but struggles with holding them accountable, leaders will understand the path necessary for development.
Behavioral assessments can also contribute to professional development goals for sales reps. The best sales managers will work on improving their skills and outcomes while they help their team members excel.
Image by Vitaly Gariev on Pexels.
What should an individual development plan include?
This kind of plan should include a self-assessment of the individual’s leadership skills, acknowledgement of behavioral assessment scores, establishment of specific goals, and check-ins with leadership to measure progress. The initial plan should also include input from the direct supervisor.
What are SMART goals for sales managers?
The SMART goals encompass the following points: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Within that framework, leaders and managers can agree on development areas for sales managers such as by how much sales should increase for the next 12 months or by how much the sales cycle can be shortened in the next 6 months.
How do you measure manager development?
The best way to measure sales manager development is to establish goals. Leadership should meet regularly with the sales manager to review progress toward these goals. Some goals, such as sales increases, will be easier to measure than others. It may be more difficult to measure a stated goal such as improved empathy for the team. But managers can track their interactions with team members and share them with leadership as evidence that they are progressing.
What skills should every sales manager develop?
Every sales manager must hone their coaching and training skills and then guide their team toward achieving goals. They also need to motivate their team members and hold them accountable for their work output. And sales managers must learn how to hire new team members and help them become a part of the team.
