Gone is “command-and-control”; instead, today’s sales managers must connect with each sales person and engage them to perform their best.

Here are some possible steps to inspiring passionate sales people performance in the new business economy.

1. Think strategically every day; know your organisational strengths and search for corresponding opportunities. Regularly update your plan; share progress and include your sales team in strategic discussions and responses.

4. Create powerful 2-way (up and down the command chain) communication to allow for maximum information and knowledge flow throughout the organisation; share critical information with your sales people. In return, listen to what they have to say and their ideas.

5. Define the talents, skills and experience required for success in your company sales roles. Use this as the bench mark for your ongoing recruitment.

6. Create an expectation of performance ownership. Clearly define sales people performance expectations and allow sales people to own (succeed or fail in) their implementation plans; require them to own their decisions and performance.

7. Regularly build strong personal connections with your sales team through recurring performance feedback, coaching and skill building, hosted in personal discussions and open conversations.

8. Talk constantly about clients and the quality of their service experience with you; encourage all sales people to take performance risks to impress clients and to think and act like true client champions.

Today’s successful sales management involves engaging and inspiring the “whole” sales person. Heart and mind, passion and intellect, emotions and reason. This is the key to performance. Manage effectively and sales people commit to  great performance, ideas and loyalty.

Have a great weekend