The Ultimate Guide to Communication

Great Global Sales Leaders Do This Part Really Well

“Do it

Just do it

Yes you can

Just do it”

by Shia LaBeouf

Although every leader knows the importance of communication - for the success of their organization, their people, and themselves - a surprising number of leaders fail in this vital skill. According to a survey by Manpower and DDI, only 10 percent of frontline leaders are effective at conveying performance expectations and facilitating clear agreement on the next steps.

Depending on the source, there are definitions for four, six, eight, or more different forms of communication. What it really means is that as a sales leader, you have options to choose from. Whether it is verbal, non-verbal, written, visual, formal, informal, in-person, listening, email, text, phone, … all you have to remember is: JUST DO IT.

If you want to be a leader, there is no excuse. The worst communication is the one that does not happen.

Running a global team of salespeople likely means a blend of managers and direct reports, as well as office- and home office-based members. It means different cultures, physical locations, languages, and time-zones. Having communication options to choose from allows the flexibility to adjust to all of those factors.

The challenge with salespeople that are remote by way of location, geography, language, culture, time zone, or all of the above is that a leader needs to build trust early to establish a successful long-distance working relationship. That requires face-to-face and one-on-one communication, ideally in a place the salesperson feels comfortable and safe: their home turf; Either their office, their home, or their town. And while you are there, meet the family. Knowing the environment the salesperson operates and spends most of their time in becomes invaluable when later maintaining the long-distance relationship.

Jon Elvekrop points out the importance of creating opportunity: Commit to flying your remote employees to headquarters at least once each year. Make their trip worthwhile in terms of business goals and company meetings (it should go without saying that the best time to host an offsite is when everyone is present) but allow time for team building as well. Organize a happy hour, take them out to lunch and invite them to take part in other company activities while on site.

As a sales leader, you can also create opportunities by working yourself remotely. Don't make a trip to connect with a remote team member a 5.5-hour inspection. Allow two days of working side by side, with ample opportunity to connect socially. Great questions and topics will inevitably come up while you are together.

Whenever the team gets together as a whole, during a sales meeting, a conference, or a trade show, make sure to set time aside. Not for reading emails or taking part in conference calls, but for the team to be together. I found the dinners after a day on the trade show floor to be the most energizing. Granted, you are tired and worn out from the day. But being together in a memorable space over a good meal as a team after a day of shared experiences carries on for a long time.

Jacob Morgan writes, "email has gotten out of control to the point where it's used for everything and anything. Today only around one in three emails is essential for work. To give you an analogy, imagine trying to fix every problem in your house with just a screwdriver. Regardless of what the problem is, you have that trusty screwdriver to help you out even though it's clearly not the best suited tool for most of what you need to get done. The fact that companies use email for everything and anything makes employees miserable.”

So, what is the communication format that does not make employees miserable? Following the above thought process, it is likely not another tool, rather a mix of formats:

·       Some messages are best delivered in a specific format.

·       Employees react differently to a format and have varying levels of comfort.

·       Messages are more likely to stick when delivered multiple times and in different formats.

And still, considering everything else equal and needing to decide on one format, which is the best? I will go out on a limb and say: face-to-face, one-on-one oral communication, aka a conversation, is the best opportunity to ensure sender and receiver can get on the same page. The sender can ensure there are no distractions, and the receiver can interpret body language and tone of voice, as well as ask questions.

As a Sales Leader, how do I approach a conversation with a team member? What do I say? What do I avoid?

A former colleague shared a great approach with me a few months back: “One little thing I have always done when managing and appreciated when being managed is a quick 2-minute conversation early in the day just to check in, see how I can help, etc.”

This is my list of best practices for the setting of the leadership conversation:

·       It is never about you, the leader – Make sure to always focus on the team member. The majority of the conversation needs to be about him or her.

·       Share – It is not about you, but sharing a personal story, a weakness, a positive experience, or a mistake you made sets the tone. It makes you personable in what otherwise may be a strictly hierarchical setting.

·       Laugh – Just like sharing a personal story, humor breaks the ice and makes you seem more approachable.

·       Ask and Listen – Lead the conversation not by way of a monologue but by asking open-ended questions and actively listening.

·       Location, Location, Location – Variety is the spice of life: your desk, their desk, meeting room, coffee shop, restaurant, breakroom, lobby, …; there are so many options.

·       Regular – As in the above example, 2 minutes at the beginning of every day creates a reliable pattern.

·       Focus – Find the right setting, do not allow any distractions, devote yourself 100% to the conversation.

·       Keep it confidential – Nothing from this one-on-one should be shared.

·       Consistency – Keep setting and length similar for all team members.

·       Be positive – Some conversations are harder than others. Be clear with your feedback, and always end upbeat and positive.

·       Keep it short – Or better, allow the appropriate time to cover the subjects at hand and then close out the conversation.

·       Be grateful – There is room for “Thank You” in every conversation.

Have great conversations!

__________________

Peter Economy – 9 Simple (but Essential) Communication Rules for Success

DDI – Global Leadership Forecast 2018

Jon Elvekrog – 5 Ways to Ensure Remote Employees Feel Part of the Team

Vivian Giang – How the Era of the Remote Worker Complicates Management

Jacob Morgan – 5 Ways Email Makes Your Employees Miserable

Boris Groysberg, Michael Slind – Leadership Is a Conversation

Photo by Anne Gosewehr