ers’ perspectives and influenced their
personal and professional growth?
Survey results are being collected in
two parts, using two methods:
Online surveys. The first part of the survey guides respondents through a series of
questions asking for their perspectives on
how they motivate, lead, coach, inspire,
mentor, and add value to sales efforts. It
also asks them to detail the qualities of the
best and worst sales managers they have
worked for, along with particularly good or
bad examples of their behavior.
The second part of the online survey examines the values that have affected them
throughout their lifetimes, including satisfying and disappointing life experiences as
well as interactions with parents, relatives,
teachers, and their children. Respondents
who complete the online survey then gain
access to an anonymous summary of information contributed by all participants.
telephone interviews. These interviews
cover the same questions as the online
survey and help supplement and balance
the data collected online.
At press time, research findings in-
cluded responses from at least 25 sales
managers, representing five leading senior living providers.
Reading the Results
Research studies like this one are most
useful when their results provide practical
tips and strategies to improve operations.
The following provides a small sampling
of responses to a few of the survey questions from sales managers and from interviews with sales people. Questions that
ask for specifics more easily yield tips and
strategies sales executives can use in their
daily operations.
In what ways do you inspire or motivate
your sales people?
• Sending notes with words of encouragement. Letting them know their hard
work is appreciated. Celebrating their
successes.
• Bringing energy, enthusiasm, new ideas,
humor, and a sense of “pleasant persistence” to problem-solving interactions.
• Creating sales achievement contests
and opportunities for recognition
of performance.
• Leading by example. I would not ask
them to do anything I would not do.
• Encouraging new approaches, and new
ideas to achieve success.
How do you lead your sales people toward
success?
• Creating mutually agreed-upon goals
and then holding them accountable to
them.
• Showing up early and staying late.
• Always taking the ethical approach to
situations even when it is difficult.
• Demonstrating a willingness to work
side-by-side with them in making calls
and closing sales.
What would your sales people say you
do as a sales manager to create value for
them?
• Mediating with operations to remove
sales barriers, mostly with their executive directors.
• Bringing new ideas and a fresh perspective to find innovative ways to close more
sales.
