How Can Great Salespeople Make Such Lousy Sales Managers?

"I just made a thousand bucks!" Bob beamed to his salespeople

,.believing that his success would stimulate theirs.

But his boasting had the opposite effect: His minions felt worse with every update and became ever more convinced his tips were mother's milk to him, but poison to them.

How can that be? Can Salesperson A do something that Salespersons B, C, and D, find impossible to emulate?

In a word, yes.

In this sense, selling is a lot like baseball. Great hitters seem to achieve so effortlessly that they beguile everyone that watches them into thinking, "That's so easy; anyone can do it!"

Worse, if those ballplayers are elevated to the coaching ranks, they face a daunting translation problem. The instruction, "Just do what I do!" is next to worthless in improving the performance of subordinates.

Have you ever heard of Typhoid Mary? This was a person who carried the disease without ever contracting ts symptoms, herself. She was contagious without becoming ill.

Natural, born salespeople are the opposite way. They possess skill without being able to pass it along to others. No one "catches" their techniques, which seem to fit them, perfectly.

As in many professional sports, legendary managers that have mentored the best, were seldom superstars in their own right when they played the game. Great sales managers and sales trainers are often those that don't know everything, but what they do know they are capable of passing along to others.

Phil Jackson, of the Los Angeles Lakers, has won more championships that any other NBA coach. He has worked with Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, two of the sport's all-time greats. But when Jackson played the game, he was perhaps slightly better than average.

Would Michael or Kobe make the best coaches? I think it's a long shot.

If you're a great seller, you might want to pass on that promotion to management. And if you're the big boss, think twice about pulling a superstar off the playing field, where he or she really shines.

Dr. Gary S. Goodman is a top speaker, sales, service, and negotiation consultant, attorney, TV and radio commentator and the best-selling author of 12 books, including HOW TO SELL LIKE A NATURAL BORN SALESPERSON. Gary conducts seminars and speaks at convention programs around the world. His new audio program is Nightingale-Conant's "Crystal Clear Communication: How to Explain Anything Clearly in Speech & Writing." He can be contacted about professional speaking and consulting opportunities atgary@customersatisfaction.com.

How Can Great Salespeople Make Such Lousy Sales Managers?

By: Dr. Gary S. Goodman

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