Column: The Myth of the Sales Superhero

In my work helping sales channel managers make midcourse corrections and create sustainable long-term strategies, I’ve observed that many problems are of their own making. Some problems are the result of poor channel management skills. However, most problems are the result of self-defeating percep-tions that managers unwittingly create among their channel partners, subordinates and colleagues. Generational differences and personal egos often are the root cause of these perceptions that handicap the success of otherwise competent managers. See if these behaviors resonate with your experience.

Superwoman. This new sales manager assumes command with a great flash of bravado. She declines help, and in fact gives the impression that she needs no one’s help. She doesn’t get any. Instead, people just lay in the weeds giving her enough rope to hang herself or wait for her to burn out.

The Gunslinger. This tough guy comes to town determined to show everyone he means business. His first order of business is to shoot everyone who may or may not have been responsible for the situation, which brought him to town. Then, he brings in his own deputies as replacements. Unfortunately, it will take the gunslinger a couple of years to rebuild all the intellectual capital he put on Boot Hill. He’ll be there soon enough.

The Answer Woman. This new sales executive arrives knowing just what needs to be done. She is unencumbered by any of the facts of the actual situation. Her plan worked before and it will work again, damn it. Everyone quickly learns what the new plan is and assumes a position that this too shall blow over. The Answer Woman is so certain that she is right, that she leaves no room for flexibility to accommodate the realities of her new position.

The Old-Timer. Here is the old pro, once a golden boy, who believes that he has surely “been there and done that.” He has 30 years experience and knows all there is to know. Unfortunately, he missed the last 20 years of what there are was to learn. Relying on his first 10 years, most of his experience no longer fits. His talk is confident, but he is just not facile enough for today’s business environment. The company will demonstrate that it is just as stubborn as he, when it marches him out the door.

The Peter Principle. Ms. Peter Principle has stepped up to assume more responsibility than she can handle. Not only does she manage to become the sales executive, but she also adds marketing to her empire. In a large company with many challenges, she is unable to focus adequately on any of them. She acts busy, and she is. But rather than leading the organization ahead, she’s swamped and bailing water furiously to stay afloat in the here and now.

The Coattail Bandit. You can hear the Coattail Bandit galloping in from headquarters sent by his mentor. He has scant sales management experience. No matter, he’s getting his ticket punched as he continues climbing the corporate ladder. “I’m from headquarters, and I’m here to help.” He’s “fireproof” until his mentor leaves. Then the dogs have at him. He follows his mentor out of the company or returns to headquarters staff. It takes a year to turn around the mess he made in the field.

There are three recurring themes in these road-to-failure examples.

1. Absence of humility. It is risky to assume command with ruffles and flourishes like General George Patton. Even with his spectacular results, eventually his lack of humility got him sacked. Most often, as with Patton, it is people rather than technical skills that cause career demise. When you arrive, your people are already well aware of the existing problems, and they have a remarkable ability to hear and accept the truth of a situation. They know that there are no easy solutions and that you will need their support. What they want and need is a leader. In addition, what a leader needs to succeed is a committed team. Humility is a key leadership characteristic.

2. Overconfidence. Research regularly demonstrates that we are overconfident in what we think we know. Moreover, even when we encounter information that demonstrates an error in our thinking, we tend to ig-nore it. Even when we are aware of our tendency for overconfidence, we continue to demonstrate overconfidence just the same! Overconfidence causes us to set or agree to unrealistic expectations for ourselves — and everyone else.

3. Over promising and under delivering. Repeatedly, the successful managers I interviewed for my new book, The Sales Manager’s Success Manual, told me that the most common fatal flaw among chief sales officers (CSOs) is over promising and under delivering. Once on this slippery slope, a well-meaning CSO has nominated herself as the monkey-in-the-middle. Pack your bags, you’ll soon be out. I heard it so often that it bears repeating: Over promising and under delivering is — aside from stealing, or moral or ethical lapses — the single worst mistake you can make as a sales channel manager! Your board and CEO, as well as finance operations and production staffs, rely on what you tell them about sales. When you provide bad numbers, you look bad. Worse, they look bad because of you. It is better to hit a more modest commitment than to miss it altogether. When you fail to deliver on a promise, you forfeit your stock in trade as the sales leader: your credibility.

Channel management success is a complex achievement. You must achieve results by successful leader-ship of your own staff, the channel partners who do not work directly for you, your peers who manage direct channels, and colleagues in finance and operations. Delivering what you’ve promised, utilizing the resources and experience available, and recognizing that you can’t do or know it all are three bedrock leadership principles essential for success.

Dr. Wayne M. Thomas is an author, speaker and CEO Thomas & Company Inc., a management consulting firm. This article is adapted from his new book, The Sales Manager’s Success Manual, published by AMACOM, September 2007.