Principles of Leading Change Management

Lead with the culture. 84 percent said that the organizations culture was critical
to the success of change management, and 64 percent saw it as more critical
than strategy or operating model.
Start at the top. I do not mean to be insulting, but after 15 or 20 years many
companies still running as a startup.
Involve every layer
Realize that midlevel and frontline people can make or break a change initiative
Make the rational and emotional case together ( talk to mind and soul)
Engage, engage, engage (constant communication)
Force formal and informal solutions.
Assess and adapt.
Change Equation
Dissatisfaction (team) x Desirability (solution is to be desirable) x Practicality
(solution is to be realistic) > Resistance to Change (should be by training)

Sales change technique

1. Speak plainly
Many basic management techniques are about manipulating employees into
cooperating with policies that they don't necessarily like. But these management
techniques are very similar to sales techniques designed to prod prospects into
buying. So most salespeople will see right through manipulation tactics, which
means they'll backfire on the hapless manager. Not only will the sales team not do
what you want, they'll be angry with you for trying to manipulate them. The best
approach in sales management, therefore, is to be upfront and honest with the sales
team. You may end up doing more arguing with your salespeople, but it's better
than the alternative.
2. Ask for input
If you're contemplating a policy change or a new campaign, get your team together
and ask for their input. Then make it clear that you take that input seriously! The
best way to do so is by using the team's suggestions, but if that isn't a possibility,
explain exactly why you can't use their ideas. Showing that you respect your sales
team is the first step towards getting them to respect you.
3. Explain
Don't tell your team about new policies or procedures and leave it at that. When you
make a change that affects the sales team whether it's a different compensation
structure or a new order form explain why you're making the change and why you

think the new approach will work better. You can defuse a lot of resentment by
showing the sales team what they have to gain by doing things in a different way.
4. Be a team player
Sales managers are often in a middle management position, with salespeople
reporting to them and other managers or executives above them in the corporate
structure. In this situation, higher levels of management often pass down policy
changes to the sales manager and expect the manager to report to them as to the
performance of the sales team. As the person in the middle, your role is to act as an
interpreter for both sides. When the CSO sets a new policy, find out why he's chosen
a new approach and pass that information along to the team. And if your team is
struggling, work with them to find the cause so that you can explain the problem
fairly to the executive side.
5. Treat all your salespeople equally
Given that there are a limited number of hours in the day, many sales managers
focus their coaching efforts on the best and worst salespeople on the team and let
the ones in the middle do their own thing. Unfortunately, this approach doesn't
exactly send a positive message to the neglected salespeople. Set aside time to
meet with every member of the sales team regardless of their performance.
6. Give positive feedback
Salespeople tend to have two top motivators: money and recognition. You may be
limited in how much money you can shower on your salespeople but there's no limit
to the recognition you can provide. If a salesperson is performing well, praise her
both privately and in front of the team. Any time a salesperson's performance
improves markedly even if he's not doing much better than the rest of the team
make a point of showing him that you noticed that improvement. A little positive
feedback can do wonders to boost your team's morale and get them performing at
an even higher level.

Qualities of Successful Sales Managers

1. Works Well With Others
Many top salespeople prefer to work alone. They prefer the independent feeling of
being on the phone or out on the road pursuing their own prospects. But sales
management requires you to work closely with other people all day long. Not only
do you have to work with your team, you will also be expected to report back to
upper management on a regular basis.

2. Comfortable Depending On Others

Salespeople are responsible for their own quotas. If a salesperson fails to make his
sales, he might blame the economy or bad luck, but he can't blame his own team.
But for sales managers, their goals are based on how well other people do. If his
team succeeds, he succeeds. This doesn't sit well with many people particularly
former salespeople.
3. Is a Company Person
One of a sales manager's most important tasks is conveying information from upper
management to the sales team. Any time there's a change in the compensation
plan, a new product, or a territory revision, the sales manager has to explain it to
the sales team. But just explaining is not enough he has to essentially sell them on
the changes. If the team doesn't like or accept management's policies, there will be
serious trouble, and it's up to the sales manager to keep that from happening.

4. Can Handle Meetings... Lots of Meetings

If you hate sales meetings, guess what: sales managers have to attend a LOT of
them. Not only does a sales manager run the regular sales meetings, he also has
one-on-one meetings with individual team members, meetings with marketing,
meetings with upper management, etc. During meetings with salespeople, the sales
manager is responsible for coordinating things and seeing to it that the meeting is
productive. With other departments and upper management, the sales manager has
to represent his sales team.
5. Sticks to the Office
Unlike most salespeople who spend lots of time out and around visiting prospects,
sales managers spend the vast majority of their time inside the office. There may be
occasional offsite meetings or ride-alongs, but for the most part, a sales manager
has to be in his office where he can be easily reached by his sales team.
6. Has Management Skills and Experience
Few salespeople have any experience with management. Of course, everyone has
to start somewhere with any new skill, but jumping into sales management without
management experience makes the transition much, much harder. A salesperson
who is strong in other sales management skills will have a better chance than one
who is already struggling in other areas.
7. Able to See the Big Picture
A salesperson is responsible for his own quota and accounts. But sales managers
have to juggle the whole team's needs. This can be a real problem when several
salespeople need help at once. Sales managers are also often responsible for

setting quotas, drawing up sales plans, and forecasting, which requires plenty of
analytical thinking. A sales manager who can't plan well can end up torpedoing his
own team.