Modern B2B Sales and Dangerous Leadership Gaps

Someone on Linkedin asked the question, “What is missing in the sales profession today?”. The fact is I don’t see much of a difference in today’s B2B sales people as in years past (30 years of selling, managing and consulting). Salespeople will follow quality leadership and leaders among the team will emerge. I believe if you fill the leadership gaps in companies the sales people will follow. Leadership gaps exist in three areas, the sales team, sales management and the company.

This does not mean the leaders need to be replaced, but they do need to know how to lead a sales team (see sales management process diagram in this link) and what a sales team needs from the company to meet expectations. The sales leader (manager) needs leadership and support from the company to be the best they can be.

To build sustainable sales success, with people who represent your company well, requires leadership working toward this end. It is not much different in other disciplines or departments. People like to be led and their best will come out under quality leadership and a company that supports them.

In today’s world of constant improvement, doing things better and faster, and new software every day, it is easy to look for new solutions to old problems. I believe many times today’s problems simply require time tested solutions with a few new tools.