Article on Leadership Skills:
The article below (and any other article specified on this website) is available for use in your organization’s newsletter or for printed training materials. All we ask is that you include the following acknowledgment with each article you use from this site: Everyone Sells!Think of the times you have been expected to sell your team, crew, or department on some new idea. There is a new form, new version of the software, new piece of equipment, or new policy that you need to tell your group about and get their buy-in. It’s part of your role as a leader. Or think about times when you may have had to go to your boss with some legitimate need or request; you had to present a case for why it was needed. How do you handle such circumstances?Maybe you do not consider yourself a “salesperson.” You may not have “sales” in your job title at all, but everyone sells…you sell yourself and your ideas in every interaction. Each time you interact with an employee, peer, upper management, or an external customer or supplier they have a choice about whether they “buy” you or ignore/reject you. When thinking about sales, some people conjure up images of a pushy salesman they may have encountered or one who sold them something and later would not stand behind it when it didn’t perform. But manipulative and self-serving people are not what I mean when I am speaking about sales skills. Interpersonal skills that allow you to persuade, influence, and gain agreement are important for everyone, and especially if you have any type of leadership role. Even if you do not work directly in sales selling products and services, all leaders sell. You can work on getting better at gaining people’s attention and persuading them of the wisdom of your ideas. Getting Better in the Selling Role Have the confidence to believe in yourself or the ideas you are selling. Do whatever you can to increase your confidence. Don’t let “negative self-talk” roll around in your head (“Oh, that was stupid.” “I’ll never get it right.”)! If you are a middle manager, you may sometimes have to sell ideas that you do not support 100%. However, it’s important to find out as much as you can about the reasons so you can present as much positive information as possible. Rehearse your opening statement so you can sound confident. Say it with passion, with conviction; say it like you believe it. Always be completely honest with your employees and others. Don’t disrespect them by failing to tell the whole story. Of course, if you have been asked to keep something in confidence you must do so, but it’s important to be as candid as you possibly can in every interaction. Making sales is largely about relationships. People are more likely to be persuaded when they have gotten to know you better. If you have been working to be open and genuine, you will already have a level of trust with these people. Trusting you helps others accept your information and ideas. They are more likely to get on board with what you are selling. Anticipate possible objections or concerns people will have to the idea you are presenting. Plan what you can say, yet still empathize with their concerns. “I see why you might think that,” is a good way to acknowledge someone’s concerns. Once you let them know their issue has some validity, don’t stop there. Stress how your idea (or the new software, or policy, or whatever you are "selling") is expected to provide some desired benefit. “I see why you might be concerned about the complexity, but we’re going to be trained and the new program will definitely be more integrated—and of course, that’s one of the things we have all complained about.” Allow your group to be in dialogue with you. When you are using persuasion skills to obtain a positive outcome, you should not cut off the dialogue. Good salespeople are excellent listeners. Allow and encourage your people to ask questions. Pose questions to them, too. “How do you think this will work, Pete?” Especially ask open-ended questions, and listen well to their answers. When your employees voice their ideas and concerns, this gives you the opportunity to know what’s on their minds and allows you to more easily craft your message to fit their needs. Develop a consistent message and repeat it often. You may want to say your piece verbally and put it in writing. Then keep reminding people of the “new way,” and use every opportunity to say it again. People may not fully hear or believe you the first time you say it, but repetition—especially when repeated in multiple ways—helps to make it stick. Use every opportunity you can find to practice being persuasive. These skills will help you in a great many situations you encounter. Return to List of Free Articles on Leadership Skills
|
