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Sales Management Strategies for Leading with Integrity

Sales managers aren’t the only ones that often struggle with leadership credibility.  In fact, you don’t have to look any further than the nightly news to feel the sting and of corporate violation, corruption and erosion.  The nightly news depicts the story of a nation with an abiding sense of collective anxiety, understandable and certainly NOT easy to talk about. 

When you are having a bad day in your personal life you may lien on a colleague or family member to help you process your concerns.  Yet, when your feelings of upset are based on larger issues such as where is this country headed, it feels odd to discuss it at lunch.  That’s why the call for leadership has never been greater.  Beyond exceeding sales forecasts, our teams and our nation are determined by the character of the people who lead them.

I’m reminded of a story of Gandhi, who rejected a mother’s plea to help her diabetic son stop eating sugar.  Gandhi said to bring the child back in a week. Surprised, she followed Gandhi’s request and brought the boy back in a week.  Within a month, the boy overcame his challenges.  Perplexed, the woman asked, why couldn’t you help the first time we came to you?  Gandhi said, “a week earlier I was still eating sugar”.

Building character means taking the actions that challenge you to face your fears. It means mastering the internal rewards of honesty - taking bold steps every day to build your courage muscles so you have what it takes to stand up to adversity. It means working on your own personal growth so that you encourage others to develop theirs.  And, it means being willing to rock the boat in order to stand by your convictions so you can protect your rights as well as the rights of others.

What actions will you commit to this week to inspire your sales team through the integrity of your leadership?

Action Challenge

One way to evaluate your strengths as a leader is to consider the following questions: 

• Am I open, direct and honest in all of my communications with my sales team?
• Do I operate with full disclosure – especially when no one is looking?
• Do I ask of my sales team only what I am willing to do myself?
• Is my own self improvement a daily practice or a periodic event?
• Are my words consistent with my actions as a sales manager?