PPB April 2018

is the sales professional’s “dump and run” an act of disrespect. Instead, each is simply hardwired to be this way. By understanding these traits about each other, your teamcan begin to appreciate both the differences and strengths that each behavioral type brings to the company. 2 Appreciate differences. I have yet tomeet a CSRwho would be happy prospecting for new clients. Likewise, few sales professionals would be fulfilled by the detail work required of the CSR position. Try to change the dialogue fromconflict to appreciation. When sales and CSR teams have opportunities to express their appreciation of each other, it leads to deeper recognition and improvedmorale. 3 Learn to flex. Encourage your teams to flex to accommodate each other’s style. How can your CSR accommodate the sales professional’s difficulty with details? How can sales people accommodate your CSR’s seemingly low sense of urgency? They can’t change each other (despite their greatest efforts), so they should learn to accommodate each other. 4 Repeat steps 1-3. Don’t make conversations about behavioral style a one-time occurrence. Use them every time important conversations occur—either in conflict or in celebration. Understanding style is a powerful management tool. With a better appreciation of behavioral strengths, weaknesses and differences, your sales and customer service teams will experience improved communication and increased productivity. Claudia St. John is president of Affinity HR Group, Inc., PPAI’s affiliated human resources partner. Affinity HR Group specializes in providing human resources assistance to associations such as PPAI and their member companies. Learnmore at www.affinityhrgroup.com . www.TheDistributorExchange.com • 844-251-8544 (toll free) Do you want to sell your distributorship? We can help you sell your distributorship quickly and easily. All inquiries are strictly confidential. and supportive. What else can I say . . . a dream come true!” – Barb Feyka - Capstone Promotions | APRIL 2018 | 73 THINK