The Truth About Sales Managers

Summary

• Salespeople often struggle to transition to Sales Management, not for lack of skill or desire, but due to the extended wait for rewards and reinforcement.
• In sales roles, immediate gratification comes from closing sales, which motivates many individuals.
• As a Sales Manager, the reinforcement cycle changes dramatically; you have to find satisfaction in the team's successes rather than individual accomplishments.
• The shift to management can feel like a loss rather than a gain because the direct feedback loop is missing, leading to less excitement.
• Hiring an external leader can be beneficial; they can bring new perspectives and value to the organization that you might not have considered.
• External leaders could offer mentorship and insights that help navigate and shorten the reinforcement cycles for the management team.

Video

How To Take Action

I would suggest focusing on the shift in mindset needed for salespeople becoming Sales Managers. Start by setting small, achievable goals for your team and celebrate when these are met. This helps create a sense of immediate gratification and builds a new feedback loop.

To transition successfully, try to find joy in mentoring others and seeing their growth. You could set aside time each week to review your team's accomplishments, which can give you that sense of reward you used to get from closing sales.

Hiring an external leader might seem like a big step, but it doesn't have to be costly. Consider bringing in a mentor part-time or even on a consultative basis. They can offer a fresh perspective and share strategies to help you and your team adapt to the longer reinforcement cycles in management roles. Think about what specific areas you want to lean on them for, like devising incentive systems or training programs for your sales team.

Lastly, sit down and map out what the new reinforcement cycles look like. Understanding this can help you create new reward systems that keep you and your team motivated. Remember, the key is to find value in the team's overall success, which will foster a stronger, more cohesive group in the long run.

Quotes by Leila Hormozi

"a lot of sales people don't make it into Sales Management not because they don't have the skill or the desire but because the reinforcement cycle is too long"

– Leila Hormozi

"in sales they get rewarded on when they close the sale"

– Leila Hormozi

"being a sales manager and all that reinforcement is taken away"

– Leila Hormozi

"they don't know how to describe it but it's really just you have less reinforcement than you did as a salesperson"

– Leila Hormozi

"bringing somebody in as a leader from the outside who can not even just take the job but also like teach you things and add value to the organization"

– Leila Hormozi

Full Transcript

a lot of sales people don't make it into Sales Management not because they don't have the skill or the desire but because the reinforcement cycle is too long so in sales they get rewarded on you know when they close the sale however long that sales cycle is and you go into being a sales manager and all that reinforcement is taken away you basically have to get reinforcement through the team making sales and a lot of people just say I don't like it as much because it's not as exciting they don't know how to describe it but it's really just you have less reinforcement than you did as a salesperson and so it almost feels like they have something taken away rather than they're gaining something so I feel like the transition is a little tough and just the fact you said you're running around with your head cut off I feel like bringing somebody in as a leader from the outside who can not even just take the job but also like teach you things and add value to the organization in ways that maybe you could haven't thought of given where you're at with your Revenue that's not a bad idea