Harnessing HigH acHievers:How to get the best from your top salespeople

aUg 6tH / issUe 7

5 Roger Bannister’s Lessons on success

Keys To sustainable self-Motivation

http://www.landrover.co.nz

NZSM / AUGUSt 6th 2008 / �

AuGusT 6Th / Issue 7

5 5Keystosustainableself-motivation

David Mcnally outlines 5 ways to keep up momentum and keep achieving results.

7 tHisWeeKsmustReaD HaRnessinGHiGH

aCHieveRs Jean Barr offers tips on how

to recognise and manage high achieving salespeople in order to keep them productive.

10 tWominutetoP-uP RoGeRbannisteRs

lessonsonsuCCess What sales Professionals

can learn from one of the worlds top atheletes.

12 nZsmCalenDaR

13 booKRevieW suPeRstaRsales

manaGeR’sseCRets Written expressly for on-

the-go sales managers who don’t have the time to wade through wordy prose or academic theory, this book is fast-paced and results-oriented.

14 salestRaininGDiReCtoRy

15 tHeClose

5

7

10

15

NZSM / AUGUSt 6th 2008 / �

One of the great things about selling is that success is by and large reliant on what’s going on inside the sales persons head.

sure things like technique, product and industry knowledge and experience play a part, but predominantly those who succeed are those who are motivated enough to keep doing the things they need to do, until they achieve success.

indeed we all know of sales people with all the talent, knowledge and potential in the world – useless without the drive to use it.

Hence we also see sales people with no industry experience, no qualifications and no sales training, come into a team and outperform team members with all these advantages in their favour.

Which leads to one of the classic sales management questions, “Whose job is it to motivate the sales people anyway?”

On the one hand it could be argued that if your sales people aren’t motivated to be the best they can be, then they shouldn’t be there in the first place. On the other, it could be argued that sales people can always do better and that it’s the manager’s job to get them there when their own motivation reaches its limits.

this week we take a closer look at motivation and it’s close cousin belief, and some tips for managing those highly motivated (but often high maintenance) sales reps in your team.

ABouT /

short, sharp and to the point, new

Zealand sales Manager is a free fortnightly

e-magazine delivering thought provoking

and enlightening articles, and industry

news and information to forward-thinking

sales managers, business owners and

sales professionals.

eDIToR / richard Liew

DesIGneR / Jodi Olsson

ADVeRTIsInG enQuIRIes /

+64-9-361 1375 or email

richardl@nzsalesmanager.co.nz

conTenT enQuIRIes /

+64-9-361 1375 or email

richardl@nzsalesmanager.co.nz

ADDRess / nZ sales Manager

Magazine,127a Ponsonby road,

Ponsonby, auckland, nZ.

+64-9-361 1375

WeBsITe / www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz

NZSM / AUGUSt 6th 2008 / �

Whether you are salesperson of the year or a rookie, you have probably experienced those low points: the loss of a hard fought com-

petitive battle or a constant stream of customer “no’s.” in these challenging circumstances, some salespeople, despite considerable talent and potential, find it diffi-cult to pick themselves up and jump back in the game. they seem to lack the elusive quality of motivation -- the ability to soar above these temporary obstacles and keep moving forward. they lose momentum; avoid making calls, and take refuge in the safe havens of their offices or automobiles.

On the other hand, there are salespeople whose motivation and resilience enables them to make every customer call as enthusiastically as if it were the first. these individual’s desire to succeed allows them to leverage even “ordinary” skills and abilities to achieve extraordinary results.

For the majority of us who, perhaps, fall somewhere in the middle, there is an opportunity to increase “motivational intelligence” by keeping in mind these five simple principles:

1 MOtivatiOn is cOMPLeteLy anD entireLy an insiDe JOB

no one, no matter how inspirational, has the power to motivate others. Motivation – the movement to action – is a decision that can only be made by the individual. Many things can cause a lack of motivation, but the most common are fear and lack of confidence. the solution – courageous action! consistently summoning the courage to move forward in the face of fear is unquestionably the single most important difference between highly motivated achievers and those who give up too easily when confronted by a challenging situation.

MOtivatiOn reqUires a MeaningFUL ‘MOtive’

For many Olympic athletes a medal is their clear, meaningful motive. For some, however, the opportunity just to participate in the games is enough to keep them dedicated to years of disciplined, rigorous training. What is meaningful varies with individuals and their circumstances. this personal sense of “why” we act often gets confused with the “what” we need to do, which, for salespeople, is often defined in terms of external goals such as making a quota, or closing a particular sale.

getting truly motivated begins with willingness to get to the truth of what we want for our lives and careers. it’s important to ask what has meaning and long-term value for you. is it growing and developing your skills and knowledge? is it meaningful to know you can genuinely help your customers solve problems? Whatever it is, the real power of personal motive comes from a deep connection to your values and who you are as a unique individual, not from short-term external incentives.

2

fiveKeystosustainableselfmotivationfuellingtheengineofsalessuccess By David Mcnally

NZSM / AUGUSt 6th 2008 / 6

3

MOtivatiOn is insPireD By a Larger PUrPOse

it’s normal to respond positively to incentives such as a bonus, a big commission, or the reward of a trip to Hawaii after a great year. as gratifying as these external “motivators” may be, they are short-lived and provide precious little fuel to the motivation engine when you’ve just lost a big sale. One of the secrets of self-motivation that sustains you through good times and bad – is a larger purpose that defines what your life is about – how you contribute through your work, your relationships and your family to making the world a better place to live. combined with high expectations and a sense of what is truly meaningful for you, your sense of purpose can be a constant source of renewed commitment to act and to perform at your best.

these five keys to a “motivational system” will carry you forward to achieve immediate results and long-term life and career success. But they require constant attention, reflection and renewal.

MOtivatiOn is PrOPeLLeD MOre POWerFULLy By FaitHtHan By Fear

Fear can be a powerful motivator and is a highly appropriate response to threatening circumstances. But waking up fearful every morning is debilitating, highly stressful and, ultimately, soul-destroying.

Faith, on the other hand, is the belief that what you aspire to is attainable. Moving forward in faith, however, takes courage. as always, we are left with a choice: between being motivated by fear that stifles imagination and leads to stagnation, or motivated by faith – in ourselves and our abilities – that frees us from limitations and leads to great expectations.

4MOtivatiOn is inFLUenceD By tHe visiOn We HaveFOr OUr Lives. the idea of having a powerful, personal vision might seem naïve, unrealistic or even egotistical, yet research tells us that we tend to move towards that which we picture in our minds and desire in our hearts. successful sales managers know that when they set high standards and expect the best possible performance from their salespeople, they are far more likely to get it than if expectations are low.

there is great power in setting challenging personal and professional goals and being committed to do what it takes to attain them. When you set expectations that stretch you and expand your knowledge and skills and then hit your mark, there’s nothing more satisfying – and motivating – than that inner sense of accomplishment.

5Davidmcnallyistheauthoroftwobestsellingbooks,Even Eagles Need A Push – Learning to Soar in a

Changing WorldandThe Eagles Secret – Success Strategies for Thriving at Work and in Life.visitDavid’swebsiteatwww.davidmcnally.com.

Managers don’t always realise how im-portant it is to recognise and manage high achievers in order to keep them

productive. as some sales managers have experi-enced, these individuals can seem like mavericks who insist on being able to work independently, with trust being the key ingredient, to accomplish their jobs with a high degree of integrity.

hIGh AchIeVeR ATTRIBuTesLet me start by defining what sets high achievers apart: • they have a vision and Big Hairy

audacious goals plus a plan for getting there – you seldom have to drive them.

• they hold themselves accountable for their actions and their sales. they are ethical, with strong values

• they have high energy and are passionate and enthusiastic in all they do

• they can be real change makers because they question the status quo

• they seek out feedback as a means of helping them achieve their goals

• they believe in themselves and that they will be successful.

TIps foR MAnAGInG hIGh AchIeVeRsthe challenge is to harness high achievers’ energy in a way that keeps them engaged yet still delivering on what you need to get your job done. you also want to ensure they work harmoniously with other team members so that you are able to harvest the benefits of their questioning and creativity.

Doyouhaveafabuloussalesreponyourteamwhoalwayshitshisorhertargets(andmore!)andishugelyselfmotivated?Doyoufind,though,thattheyhavetheirownwayofdoingthingsandseemtothinktheusualrulesdon’tapply?foradviceonhowtomanagesomeonelikethis,withoutsquashingtheirgoget‘emattitude,readon.byJeanbarr

]HaRnessinGHiGHaCHieveRsHowtogetthebestfromyourdemandingtopachievers

1.aGReeonGoalsHigh achievers think they can conquer the world. stress with them the importance of achieving goals and work with them to set these on daily, weekly, monthly and annualised basis. communicate how these are going to be monitored. High achievers often respond to “keeping score”. and never move the goal posts – this will de-motivate a top achiever!

tell them about performance evaluations and how often these will take place. include the process they can expect if they should need coaching to reach goals.

2.beCleaRaboutyouRnon-neGotiablesalthough you may leave it to the high achiever to work out how to reach those clearly defined goals, there will still be some non-negotiables in how the job is done. these relate to protecting your brand and giving you what you need to manage the team and report to your bosses.

give your high achiever a clear picture of expectations in terms of calls, appointments, quotes, dress code, dates and times for reports to be handed in, meetings to be attended, and what staff can and cannot do. in some cases peer pressure can be used to reinforce what you, as the manager, have required. the story at the end is a powerful example of this.

3.iDentifytHeiRCoRestRenGtHsanDbuilDontHem

to start, have a look at their personality profiles and see their strengths and weaknesses. Motivate them on their strengths. you can also consider whether there are business problems that could use your high achiever’s strengths. Maybe there’s a difficult client, or an internal sales-related project that’s bogged down.

Jean Barr is the Director of Top Achievers sales Training. Visit her website at www.topachieverssalestraining.co.nz.

4.feeDbaCK,feeDbaCK,feeDbaCKas a manager you need to focus the high achiever’s energy and drive and ensure they don’t go off on a tangent – they could go a long way wrong in a short time!

More positively, they have a huge appetite for feedback and you can harness this as a way to keep them on track. share your experiences, reflect on the effectiveness of their approach (with colleagues and clients), let them know you’re interested and supportive.

NZSM / AUGUSt 6th 2008 / �

5.smootHtHeHiGHaCHieveR’sPatHinsiDeyouRComPany

their energy and questioning of the status quo can grate on other team members, even if it produces a better result in the end. they demand excellence, too, so you will have watch out that they don’t destroy the team when things don’t go right. Be prepared to actively coach them on appropriate behaviour and on how to communicate their ideas effectively. Use their appetite for feedback to get them to check in with you regularly if this issue seems likely to undermine their performance.

6.aliGnReWaRDstotHeinDiviDualWhat motivates people varies and that applies to high achievers too. One may be motivated by only working 4 days of the week so as to spend a day with her kids. another may respond to a weekend away, the chance to drive a fancy car on the weekends for the next month, or an overseas incentive. One size will not fit all. take the time to find out what your team members want and, as far as possible within your company’s policy, give it to them. But whatever the reward, don’t forget to celebrate the successes and achievements. recognize, praise, encourage and motivate on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis!

7.PRePaRetHemfoRtHetallPoPPysynDRome

as a manager of high achievers, you need to be aware the tall Poppy syndrome is alive and well! there will be plenty of people who will tell them want they can or cannot do and why, and who will try to derail you them. as a manager, be on the look out for these people and tell your ‘poppies’ to take their advice with a pinch of salt.

if you can, keep them away from negative people and encourage them to spend time with positive people and those who can motivate them. these might include more experienced high achievers. these people will not only allow your high achievers to “fly”, they will also pick them up when they are a little down.

8.RelyonbuilDinGResPeCt,notautHoRity,toleaD

it can be hard to lead high achievers by relying on the authority of your position. Much better is to gain their respect. regular feedback and coaching sessions in which you ask lots of questions will give them a chance to feel valued.

Other leadership traits and behaviours that high achievers respond to are:

setting a clear vision, and supporting goals, with a plan of how the team will get there.

Having a passion for the people, products, company and industry.

Having core values of honesty, integrity, transparency and support for staff

leading from the front - not asking the team to do anything that the leader himself would not, or could not, do.

trusting staff and allowing them to work independently, all the while keeping them on track towards the goals.

taking every opportunity to acknowledge the successes of the team and using a variety of ways to reward and motivate staff.

building relationships with staff and insisting on their relationship building with clients.

admitting to mistakes and then moving on to find a solution to rectify the situation

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

NZSM / AUGUSt 6th 2008 / 10

in 1954 roger Bannister broke the world record for the metric mile, and subsequently became the first per-son to go under the four minute mark that had eluded

athletes for years. What seemed an unbelievable feat had been achieved. Despite this, numerous athletes had tried and failed before.

even though that the quality of the training, the running tracks and nutrition have improved since then, what made this attempt different was that it embodied several key success strategies that are pertinent to any team, individual or concept.

Firstly: BeliefBannister had an unwavering belief in himself that he would achieve this goal, it was simply a matter of getting the right conditions in place around him, right down to the weather on the day.

Secondly: VisionHe had a vision and a commitment to achieve the unachievable. Persistence and drive to complete what he had planned.

Thirdly: PlanningHe had a firm plan of action for success, broken down to split times for every 400m of that mile.

Fourthly: A TeamBannister did not run this mile by himself. He had a team behind him including his coach and two pace setters both whom were world class athletes in their own rights. chris Brasher led out for laps 1 & 2, and chris chataway for Lap 3, leaving Bannister to finish off on Lap 4. this team shared the belief in Bannister and the

RogerBannister’s Lessons On Success:What sales people can learn from one of the worlds most

famous athletesBy colin rafferty

NZSM / AUGUSt 6th 2008 / 11

goal they were aiming for, they embodied the vision needed to achieve this, they bought into the plan and understood it perfectly, and each one knew their part to play within the team.

Within 46 days of Bannister breaking the seemingly impossible 4 minute mile, australian John Landy broke the record by a full 1.5 seconds. this same athlete that prior to Bannister breaking the record, lacked several of the strategies essential to tackle such a task. the fundamental missing ingredient in most athletes of the time was Belief. Belief that this could be accomplished, and once it was it became common place to run sub four minute miles, including our own John Walker.

ironically 99.9% of people have never heard of John Landy! incidentally who was the second person to climb everest?

Which got me thinking when i heard various stories from sales people in recent months with regards to recessionary pressures on their industry. isn’t it fascinating how various people will view the same conditions so differently?

Let me be very specific on what i mean. the two lines of thoughts at the moment that i am hearing are: a) this market it too tough to make any decent money in, i might as well get out now. b) this is fantastic, i keep hearing about all these sales people jumping ship it leaves more for me.

it is this same thought process that affects us all when we go out selling, no matter what the market is doing; flat, going down or soaring. the belief and the emphasis that we as sales people put into the whole aspect of self Management have a huge impact on the outcomes we produce, as well as the impressions that we leave with our clients. if we do not believe in ourselves why on earth would our clients believe in us?

so we can take two options during this slightly tightening market, believe in yourself and go out and sell, get the best support around you from like minded people that also believe in you, or believe that it is too hard and give up.

there is no middle ground. the ones that decide to adopt the former will make serious money even now.

NZSM / AUGUSt 6th 2008 / 12

Fri 5 sePttHU 4 sePtWeD 3 sePttUe 2 sePt

MOn 1 sePttHU 28 aUgWeD 27 aUg

tUe 26 aUgMOn 25 aUg

WeD 20 aUgtUe 19 aUgMOn 18 aUgFri 15 aUg

tHU 14 aUgWeD 13 aUgtUe 12 aUgMOn 11 aUg

Fri 29 aUg

sUn 31 aUg

sat 30 aUg

sUn 24 aUg

sat 23 aUgFri 22 aUgtHU 21 aUg

sUn 17 aUg

sat 16 aUg

sUn 10 aUg

sat 9 aUg

Fri 8 aUgWeD 6 aUg tHU 7 aUg

sUn 7 sePt

sat 6 sePt

time Managementrichard geeWellington

Hit the ground running sales seminartop achievers sales trainingaucklandcreating a successful sales Proposal University of aucklandaucklandsales DevelopmentDavid FormanHamilton

sales DevelopmentDavid Formanchristchurch

Professional selling skillsachieveglobalauckland

sales DevelopmentDavid FormanchristchurchHit the ground running sales seminartop achievers sales trainingaucklandProfessional selling skillsachieveglobalauckland

nZsMcaLenDar

negotiation skills advancednZiM northernauckland

sales skills Level 3eMa northernauckland

Fundamentals of selling Workshoptop achievers sales trainingaucklandnegotiation skills advancednZiM northernaucklandcreating a successful sales ProposalUniversity of aucklandaucklandsales Managementrichard geeWellington

creating a successful sales ProposalUniversity of aucklandauckland

sales DevelopmentDavid FormanHamilton

customer serviceDavid Formanchristchurch

Key account ManagementDavid Formanchristchurch

sales DevelopmentDavid Formanchristchurch

effective Proposal WritingDavid Forman auckland

sales DevelopmentDavid FormanchristchurchFundamentals of selling Workshoptop achievers sales trainingaucklandProspecting for new BusinesseMa northernauckland

Hit the ground running seminartop achievers sales trainingaucklandadvanced selling skillsUniversity of aucklandaucklandMental toughnrss for sales ProfessionalsUniversity of aucklandaucklandsales DevelopmentDavid Formanauckland

Funamentals of selling Workshoptop achievers sales trainingauckland

sales DevelopmentDavid Formanauckland

Hit the ground running seminartop achievers sales trainingauckland

sales PlanningDavid Formanauckland

Professional selling skillsachieveglobalauckland

customer serviceDavid Formanchristchurch

Key account ManagementDavid Formanchristchurch

sales BasicsgeewizWellington

effective Proposal WritingDavid Forman auckland

sales skills Level 1eMa northernManukau

Hit the ground running seminartop achievers sales trainingauckland

serious sellinggeewizWellington

NZSM / AUGUSt 6th 2008 / 1�

B O O K R E V I E W

Written expressly for on-the-go sales managers who don’t have the time to wade through wordy prose or academic

theory, this book is fast-paced and results-ori-ented. superstar sales Manager’s secrets contains scores of easy-to-implement strategies, checklists, and action plans for anyone who’s managing a sales team. the book’s wisdom is culled from the author’s own experience as a top sales manager, as well as feedback from the thousands of managers who have participated in his training programs and seminars.

this revised and updated edition is not only a guide

to coaching and training sales reps in the skills they need, it’s a handbook full of practical tools and motivational strategies to help reps generate activity and get the business. it covers the broad array of skills that every manager -- from the newly appointed to the more experienced -- needs to succeed.

it contains valuable information and insights in such areas as hiring and recruiting, effective field coaching skills, running effective sales meetings, and utilizing the most up-to-date technological resources without giving up the personal, human touches necessary to inspire and motivate sales teams.

Where to get it: $26.90 from www.fishpond.co.nz

superstar salesManager’s secretsBy Barry Farber

NZSM / AUGUSt 6th 2008 / 1�

NZSM / AUGUSt 6th 2008 / 1�

the greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we hit it.

Michelangelo-