All companies should be measuring both their junior, intermediate and senior salespeople on a regular cadence to ensure goals are being met and standards are being upheld from the top down. However, oftentimes these measuring processes and metric reviews receive some pushback from senior salespeople. We dive into some signs, tips, and improvements that can be made to create a more balanced, open, and inclusive measuring structure for your senior sales staff.
There is often a feeling of discomfort because senior salespeople are used to managing other, lower seniority salespeople. Instead, what they need to focus on is developing the skills necessary to meet the challenges that face the business and themselves. They must develop and be focused on the specific areas in which they need to be more effective. If a senior salesperson doesn't want to be measured, it is a sign that in the long run, they are going to be less likely to put in the effort to make any significant improvements to their skills.
One way to determine if a senior salesperson is open to being measured is to ask what their priorities are. If improving their skills and increasing their sales is top on their list, they should be willing and eager for their metrics to be measured in order to provide insight for their own development.
It is important to keep in mind that while most senior staff want to be more involved, many also feel that this is a position that doesn’t involve as much review or oversight as junior-level positions. You must instill the importance of personal growth and development through measuring metrics and sales activity. Sales measurements are not done for the sole purpose of negative reinforcement. These metrics open the door and give way for constructive areas of improvement, as well as positive reinforcement for hard work and success.
Measuring senior salespeople when they don't want to be measured is a frustrating process for both parties. However, where frustration can stem from is if senior members don't feel like the company is working to develop and improve their skills. This will create tension in the measurement process as they feel as though their growth and development are not being supported. It is important that strong communication is upheld between the company, management, senior and junior staff, to ensure employees on every level have the resources and tools they need to succeed, as well as the openness to be measured and reviewed to continue to improve their skills.
If you feel as though you are struggling with adequately measuring your sales team’s metrics, most specifically your senior salespeople, reach out to our team of sales management and coaching experts at The Sales Group.
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