If you’ve ever been in sales, you know first-hand that one of the most powerful ways to go from good to great is having a strong sales manager. The best sales managers are active listeners and innovative thinkers. They know how to inspire and motivate their teams.
So, is there a secret that only these superstar managers know?
Of course not. But what we know for certain is that they are the ones who give just as much attention to managing their own talents as they do to managing their teams.
And how do they do that?
They begin with themselves and their own self-awareness. It sounds simple, but you truly can’t know and lead others if you don’t know yourself.
Elements of a Solid Development Plan
Helping managers maximize their own talents requires an individualized approach that takes into account each individual’s unique strengths, weaknesses, and goals. Given the right support and opportunities, we can set managers up for success and achievement of their full potential, and drive better outcomes for the business.
A great way to help managers maximize their talents is to provide them with a comprehensive development plan tailored to their specific needs and goals. A solid development plan includes the following elements:
- Assessment: Use assessments to identify the manager's strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. This can be done through various methods, such as 360-degree feedback and a valid talent assessment aligned with their leadership role.
- Goal-setting: Partner with the manager to set clear and specific goals that align with their strengths and the needs of the organization. These goals should be challenging but achievable and regularly reviewed and updated.
- Coaching and feedback: Provide coaching and feedback to the manager to reinforce their strengths, and help them develop new skills and behaviors with action strategies to leverage their strengths. Even the most talented people seek the opportunity to partner with skilled coaches to raise their performance bar and overall engagement. As world-famous sports figure, John Wooden said, "A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life.”
- Training and development: Provide relevant training and development opportunities to the manager, such as leadership programs, workshops, and courses.
- Mentoring and networking: Encourage the manager to seek out mentors and build networks within the organization and industry to learn from other's experiences and gain new perspectives.
- Empowerment: Empower the manager to take ownership of their work and make decisions that align with their goals and the needs of the organization.
- Recognition and rewards: Recognize and reward the manager for their organizational achievements and contributions. This can include bonuses, promotions, and recognition.
Conclusion
By providing managers with a comprehensive development plan that addresses these elements, organizations can help them maximize their talents and achieve their full potential.
Our 360 Executive Strength Coaching is different from any other performance survey because it starts with a clear understanding of your innate talents, which are identified using our Management Talent Assessment. While others focus primarily on improving in areas of weakness, our program works to help you understand your own unique strengths and build a sure-fire plan to leverage those strengths to be more productive and successful.
