PPB January 2018

80 | JANUARY 2018 | THINK I n my career, I have been blessed with the opportunity to work with a number of truly great sales leaders—people who, through the characteristics they possess, drive sales and profits to levels that others can only dream about. These qualities come through whether they are frontline salespeople, managers or business owners. Recently, I’ve worked with three different leaders whose companies could not be more diverse. One is a $100 million regional powerhouse that is now expanding outside its region for the first time; one is a $10 million company that has just taken on new territory and is poised to double its volume in the next three years; and one is a solo entrepreneur whose growth has been steady and consistent for more than a decade. That said, despite the differences in their companies, all three have much in common with each other and with all of the great sales leaders I’ve known. Each possesses the following five characteristics: 1 Focus. Great sales leaders, at any level, have a degree of focus that borders on the intense. They have a well-defined sense of who they are and what their business is, as well as what value they contribute to customers. Once they find a process that succeeds, they execute it faithfully and expect the same from their employees. This doesn’t mean that they never deviate or change—see more on that below—but when they do, it’s a well-thought-out plan. In other words, they don’t chase shiny objects. Colonel Sanders might have cooked one heck of a cheeseburger, but we’ll never know because his focus was on frying chicken. 2 Willingness to do the hard work. Building and growing a business—or a sales territory— isn’t easy. It’s hard work— mentally, physically or both, and Five qualities you’ll want to cultivate to be at the top of your game—and three to avoid at all costs. by Troy Harrison What Makes A Great Sales Leader?