Top Traits Of The Best Sales Leaders

Leaders have more impact on their team's results than they even realize. The way I see it, leadership is a learned art, and we have to keep learning and growing. In this list, I'll share the top traits as compiled by a group of the top sales leaders I've worked with over the last 30 years.  I'll be interested to hear your thoughts.  

BTW, some of you have mentioned that you've really enjoyed my FB LIVE series.  So, I'm starting a new series on this topic, and I'll be supplementing this blog with more details and live examples in my FaceBook Live Series: Thursdays from 11:30-12 pm Eastern Time.  
Here's a link to this week's live series: https://fb.me/e/jUynllMQw.

The TOP 10 TRAITS of the BEST SALES LEADERS:

• They create a vision for their team, not just to achieve goals, but also to work as a team, to take care of the customer, to consistently learn and grow. 
• They genuinely believe in their team and their capabilities.
• They exude confidence in the face of challenges, even if they're not sure what to do...they're confident that as a team, they'll figure it out. 
• They lead with positivity and encourage others. 
• They inspire others to bring their best selves every day.  

Being a leader who inspires others is typically a learned trait, but it doesn't happen overnight.  It takes time to build confidence in oneself and to learn your team before being able to genuinely inspire them. But the best leaders learn some key habits to help them accelerate this learning curve and lead with inspiration. 

2.  They BUILD RELATIONSHIPS with others: 

• They put people first. 
• They connect, they learn the WHO of the person before they focus on the DO. 
• They build trust. 
• They take time to show they care. 
• They empathize.

As they say, people don't leave bad companies, they leave bad managers.  The best managers take time to truly get to know their team.  They connect on a more organic level; they're not afraid to share their own personal stories to help connect with their team on a deeper level. 

3.  They consistently COACH and DEVELOP others: 

• They embrace every teachable moment and use it as an opportunity to raise the bar and help others grow. 
• They make it a priority to spend time in the field to observe their team in action, and to coach.
• They have the ability to identify strengths and weaknesses, but they focus on building strengths and mitigating weaknesses. 
• They understand the importance of not just building competence, but also building confidence.
• They look at others and see the possibilities.
• They bring out the best in their team.

I couldn't agree more with the book ..."It's the Manager, Gallup Finds that the quality of the managers and team leaders is the single biggest factor in your organization's long term success" written by Jim Clifton and Jim Harter and published in 2019 by Gallup Inc.  In this book, the authors write: "If leaders were to prioritize one action- Gallup recommends that they equip their managers to become coaches."  This is so true, but many sales leaders find themselves stuck in meetings or in administrative minutia, and they don't prioritize coaching despite its many benefits.  Furthermore, coaching is a learned skill, done well, you can develop rock stars.  If poorly executed, you risk demotivating your team.  The best leaders hone their coaching skills because they know the benefits are astronomical...to the individual, to the manager and to the organization.  I'll talk more about this in my FB live.  

What do you think are the rest of the top 10 traits? 
Send me an email, or comment below.  

Join me to hear more of the TOP TRAITS of the BEST SALES LEADERS Series:
Thursdays, 11:30-12pm, ET in my Facebook Live Page...Kathy Tucker Coaching & Consulting.
https://www.facebook.com/ktsrockstars

April 15: TOP TRAITS of the BEST SALES LEADERS part 2.
April 22: TOP TRAITS of the BEST SALES LEADERS part 3.

In our Sales Leadership Academy Program, 9 Steps to Leading a Rock Star Sales Team, we go in depth on all of these topics and more.  If you or someone you know would like to learn more,  visit:  http://www.kathytuckercoaching.com. A new Group Masterclass starts in May, contact me at kathy@kathytuckercoaching.com for more info and to get on the VIP list.


PS.   If you know a sales leader who would enjoy this, please share.
PPS. If you're new to my writing and would like to receive my weekly blog, sign up here: https://mailchi.mp/5cdcfd058197/kathytuckercoaching

Kathy is a corporate Homebuilding Sales Leader turned Sales and Leadership Coach.  She started in new home sales, worked many years as VP of sales, working her way up to Division President of a national homebuilder.  In 2018, instead of retiring, she founded Kathy Tucker Coaching & Consulting to help builders and real estate companies develop top producing sales teams and brilliant sales leaders who foster a healthy, high-performance sales culture.

Kathy offers:
 The Sales Leadership Academy: A 12-week Leadership Program: 9 Steps to Leading a Rock Star Sales Team.  Offered weekly in a 1:1 or a Masterclass setting.  Next program starts in May.
Virtual Sales Training Workshops: The Art of Selling New Homes 
 1:1 Coaching for Sales Professionals and Sales Leaders