Sales Manager Growth Strategies By Brian Tracy

Transcription

1 Sales Manager Growth Strategies By Brian Tracy Becoming a Leader Introduction A clear vision, backed by definite plans, gives you a tremendous feeling of confidence and personal power. (Brian Tracy) Leadership is more who you are than what you do. Your ability to develop the qualities of effective leadership, the essence of what it takes to be a leader, is more important to your success as an executive than any other factor. One of the great principles of personal development is, whatever you dwell upon, grows and expands in your experience and personality. You become more effective, day-by-day, when you think and act on the basis of the key qualities of effective leaders throughout the ages. You program these qualities into your personality by dwelling on them continually. You learn these qualities by practicing them in your daily activities as a person and as a leader in your organization. The more of a leader you become on the inside, the more effective you become in all your leadership activities on the outside. In this lesson you will learn: Why the leader is the most important factor in organizational success The key quality of leadership success The importance of foresight the ability to look forward, to anticipate events The continuous process of personal and professional development 1

2 What Do You Already Know? Test your knowledge by attempting to answer the questions below. 1. Why are leaders necessary in any organization? 2. What are the essential differences between a leader and a manager? 3. Why is boldness essential to effective leadership? 4. How does the integrity of a leader affect his/her relationships with others? 2

3 5. What does the buck stop here mean in leadership? 6. Why is long term thinking so important to leadership? 7. Why is cooperating with team members so important to leadership effectiveness? 3

4 Becoming a Leader Leadership is the single most important factor in the success or failure of a company or a business. Leaders are made not born. Leaders are self-developed, by working on themselves continually. Leaders emerge to deal with a situation that requires leadership skills. Leaders identify and deploy strengths in themselves and others carefully. 1 Vision is the most important single quality of leadership: 1) The first part of vision is values what you and the organization stand for. 2) The second part of vision is mission the role of the company and of the leader is to achieve the mission. 3) The third part of vision is purpose why the organization exists. 4) The fourth part of vision is goals the specific measurable steps that you take to get from where you are to where you want to go. 5) The critical part of vision is clarity knowing exactly what you stand for. Clarity is the key to creating an exciting vision and in becoming an effective leader. 4

5 2 The second quality of leadership is courage: Courage is rightly considered the foremost of the virtues, for upon it all others depend. (Winston Churchill) 1) Courage is the ability to take risks. a) Courage is the most identifiable outward quality of a great leader. b) The future belongs to the risk takers. 2) Boldness means the willingness to initiate action with no guarantees. 3) Audacity requires offensive strategy, daring to go forward. 4) Courageous patience is the ability to stay the course. 5) Crisis management: The ultimate test in leadership is how you perform in a crisis. 3 Integrity is the most required, the most respected and the most admired quality of leaders and all top people: 1) Integrity is the quality that guarantees all the other qualities. 2) The most important single quality of leadership is the reality principle. (Jack Welch) 3) The core of integrity is truthfulness, with yourself and others. 4) Consistency, an expression of integrity, is absolutely essential to getting the support of others. 5) Always keep your promises, no matter what it costs. 5

6 4 Responsibility is a key quality of leadership: 1) I am responsible means I accept my role as the leader. 2) Refuse to make excuses when things go wrong. 3) Leaders stay cool, calm and collected. 4) Focus on the future, the opportunities of tomorrow rather than the problems of yesterday. 5 Leaders have foresight the ability to look forward, to anticipate what might happen: 1) All great leaders are strategic thinkers. 2) A key part of foresight is the practice of crisis anticipation on a regular basis. 3) Consider all possibilities of a course of action. What could happen? 4) Envision where the company, the industry, the markets are going. 5) Anticipate the consequences of changes in the environment. 6 Leaders have a commitment to winning, to being the best: 1) Leaders always focus on the needs of the situation. 2) Leaders focus on results, on what must be achieved. 3) Leaders focus on strengths, on performance. 6

7 4) Always ask, What can I, and only I do, that if done well will make a real difference? 5) Leaders focus on core competencies in themselves, in the company and in others. 6) Leaders inspire and motivate other people to do concentrate on their most valuable contributions. 7 Cooperation is a key quality of leadership the ability to work well with others: 1) Cooperation is the ability to get followers. 2) Identify the key people inside and outside the organization whose cooperation you require. 3) Power is created by developing a network of managed dependencies. 4) Lead by example, by being visible this inspires and motivates others. Leaders are made, usually self made. Leaders are made by a continuous process of personal and professional development. Leaders are continuously learning and growing. Make a decision to be an out-standing leader in every area of your life. 7

8 Action Exercises 1. Imagine five years have passed and your company is perfect in every respect. What does it look like? Annual Sales? Reputation? Profitability? People? Atmosphere? 2. What are the three top values that your company stands for? 3. What are the three top values that you stand for personally, in your work and in your personal life? 8

9 4. In what three ways does your company improve the lives and work of your customers? 5. If you were guaranteed of complete success, what three new ventures would you embark upon today to assure a better future for yourself or your organization? 6. What three crises could occur that would hurt your business or change the way you do business today? 9

10 7. In what ways are your competitors superior to you in today s marketplace? 8. Based on current trends, what products or services will your customers be demanding from you in three to five years? 9. What are the three most important things that you and only you can do that can make a real difference in the success of your company? 10

11 What one action are you going to take immediately as the result of what you have learned in this lesson? 11