The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

Do you have salespeople on your team that enjoy routine and structure? What about reps who have contagious enthusiasm?

If you answered yes to one, or either, of these questions then take a closer look at this article as we help you coach and develop the people with strengths of Discipline and Positivity. 

We all have strengths, and we all have weaknesses — and like fingerprints, each of our talent combinations is entirely unique.

Human nature drives us to focus on our weaknesses, so as individuals, we expend a lot of energy trying to master behaviors that will never become natural. Managers get stuck in that trap as well, wasting much of their time coaching in a way that feels like teaching a fish to climb a tree. These futile efforts greatly lower employee engagement and only result in marginal improvement (about 10%).  On the other hand, when people focus that same time and energy on their strengths, their level of engagement shoots up, and they can improve by as much as 10 TIMES!

We help managers understand their people's unique strengths so they can apply the right coaching strategies and improve their performance. That leads to a strong return on investment for both the individual and the manager!

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Hiring decisions can be some of the most critical decisions a company makes, and it's essential to start with talent. When a new hire has the right talents for success in the role, they learn and grow quickly, more easily achieving success.

But it’s not enough to make great hires. Even the most talented people need coaching and development to maximize their strengths and reach their full potential. When a manager hires top talent and then invests in their development and engagement, both the individual and the company grows.

You want to get the most out of your people… so how do you really inspire them? 

Most of the managers immediately respond, “Pay them more!” Believe it or not, that’s not going to cut it. 

Most employees are not coin-operated, and more money does not lead to more engagement.

Wonderfully stated in a Harvard Business Review article, authors Eric Garton and Michael C. Mankins explained there are four levels of employee engagement: Dissatisfied, Satisfied, Engaged, and Inspired, and they pointed to recent productivity research related to each level. 

Here’s what they learned.

Can you identify with the following situation — and can you learn from this story?

A highly talented salesperson has a lot of natural ability, and when engaged, they're one of the company’s top performers. However, when not that engaged, they're occupied with other things outside of work and seems to lack the desire and drive to succeed in their job. 

We talk a lot at The Center for Sales Strategy about putting the right people in the right jobs and we believe that when you do that, they naturally soar with their strengths. Throw a fish in the water and it swims. Put Taylor Swift on stage and she belts it out. Hire someone who is born to sell, and they sell.

Except when they don’t.  

Interviewing salespeople is tough!

Screening, uncovering, and selecting top talent takes a lot of practice and a reliable process. In order to better take advantage of every golden interview opportunity that comes your way, you need to know the common pitfalls — and then avoid them.

Culture is powerful, and like brand, you’re going to have one whether you like it or not. The best organizations to work for are the ones that recognize this and actively strive to push the right buttons every day to build a positive climate and a culture of engagement.

Culture is powerful, and you’re going to have one whether you like it or not.

Your company culture is the personality of your organization. It’s the vibe people feel when they work there and the way they describe your company to others. How is your company culture weathering the COVID-19 storm?

Highly engaged employees describe their company as authentic because they are who they say they are. They live their core values, rewarding those who demonstrate them and not tolerating those who don’t.  

It’s no secret that when your employees are engaged, they are emotionally committed and willing to give their best at work. That’s because engaged employees feel as though they have a stake in the game and a sense of purpose which makes them willing to give it everything they’ve got to achieve success. Employee engagement has a major impact on business success, proving to reduce turnover, increase performance, and retain key customers.