The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

Are you frustrated with the challenges of finding top talent for your organization?

If so, you’re not alone. According to a ManpowerGroup survey, talent shortages are at a ten-year high, with 69% of employers struggling to fill positions.

In today’s competitive job market, recruiting and hiring superstar salespeople is no easy feat, but getting creative and spending time on recruitment each week could help you build a strong talent bank of potential candidates for the future.

Top sales people work with their clients to drive organizational success. Sales Leaders should do the same with their top sellers. Treat them like you would a top/Key account, and they will want to thrive in your organization for many years to come.

Sales leaders play a pivotal role in driving success. Not only are they responsible for meeting revenue targets, but they are also charged with the task of managing, developing, and retaining top sales talent.

If we think about the metaphor of flying a plane, we can all agree that there are some major headwinds tossing and shaking the plane around at the altitude of business right now. And yet, as Peter Drucker said, “The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence; it is acting with yesterday’s logic.”

Often the best solution in severe turbulence is not to ground the plane or fly around in repetitive circles but instead shift the course to rise above it.

The word for 'crisis' in Japanese, 危機 (Kiki) is written with the words 'danger' and 'opportunity,' meaning that a crisis can be seen as a dangerous time but equally as a time for opportunity.

And this is certainly an unprecedented and historical time of opportunity for innovating, trying new things, thinking outside the box, and driving the growth of your organization.

Sales management is tough. On top of the economic uncertainties and dynamic changes in the market they need to deal with, sales leaders must also grapple with people issues like employee turnover, waning engagement, and time pressures that get in the way of onboarding, training, and coaching.

When sales leaders are especially time-starved and overwhelmed, I often share something I once heard Naval Ravikant (investor and entrepreneur) say that stayed with me. He said, “Don’t let the complexity of the world distract you from the simplicity of your goals.”

When managers focus on their goals and the strategies designed to achieve them, it can clear away the clutter in a powerful way!

Talk with any manager or leader, regardless of their company, industry, or size, and without a doubt, you will find one thing they all have in common – the struggle to find great talent. Building, and maintaining, a talent bank is not for the faint of heart.

Now imagine the added stress that occurs when you’ve made a heroic effort to build a great talent bank, and it runs dry.

One of your most important jobs as a leader is to mentor and coach, but it can be one of the most difficult parts of your job if you have an underperforming seller on your team. It’s easy to think things like “they’re not working hard enough,” “they aren’t motivated,” or maybe even “it’s time to throw in the towel.”

Before you take drastic measures and place the blame on your underperformer, here are five questions to ask yourself.

Have you ever met a kid and know what kind of career they were made for?

I bet the answer is YES if you really think about it.

The economic downturn we are experiencing has led to increased competition and a greater need for effective recruitment. As a result, finding and hiring the best talent has become a top priority for many organizations, and it is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future.

Even companies that have traditionally received a steady flow of job applications may struggle to attract top talent in the current climate. To ensure success in your recruitment efforts, it is essential to master the basics. Here are five strategies you can use to improve your chances of attracting top talent.

If you use a validated talent assessment as part of your hiring process, it’s tempting to move forward with a hire if they’re assessment quickly says “recommended.” But recommended doesn’t mean “recommended for hire.” Recommended means “recommended to move forward in the interview process.”

The Growth Formula specifies that (Talent + Fit) x Investment = Growth. Once you determine whether or not someone has the right talents for the role you’re filling, it’s equally as important to consider their fit.

Do you ever wonder if you could be getting more out of your sales team? What if you could better understand their strengths and weaknesses and coach them to reach their full potential?

Understanding the talents of each person on your team and coaching to these talents allows you to grow the individual and the organization.

But how can you tell how a person is wired and what their natural talents are?