BusinessWeek.com offers a comprehensive article regarding executive development especially in regards to leadership.  Sales executives/managers are underserved in this area.  The author provides a handful of suggestions for development engagement, but I want to highlight two of them:

€¢ Targeted assessment and development planning as part of succession planning or career path planning;

€¢ Peer networking roundtables.

Those two topics are right in our wheelhouse.  We provide sales executive assessments today that help managers understand their natural strengths and potential blind spots.  The reports are important in providing the basis for the sales manager to properly onramp a new salesperson and to retain them over time.

To the second bullet – peer networking roundtables – we will be launching a Twin Cities’ based group this fall as our first foray into building a sales manager network.  The group will be headed by Mike Cardinal from our company and will cover numerous sales management topics.  Look for more information on the sales manager roundtable later this summer.

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If you have been sourcing salespeople recently, you have probably noticed some short tenures among the Gen Y candidates.  We are sourcing for an intermediate-level sales position that has garnered a noticeable response from Gen Y (or young Gen X) candidates.  The remarkable trend is that many of the candidates have 2-4 years in each position before they move on to the next opportunity.  Many of our Baby Boomer managers are questioning that “job-hopping” history.

This concern is valid but it is also systemic in the younger generations.  They are looking to move up in their career and loyalty to one employer is far less frequent than just 20 years ago.

The strength in this job-hopping approach is that these salespeople have had to adapt to different cultures, approaches and managers.  There are many less-than-spectacular sales positions out there.  Oftentimes, young salespeople have to do their time in those roles before moving up to a more challenging position.  If the candidate has the skills and talent we are looking for, we move them through our process.

The underlying issue in this youthful approach is retention.  The strong salespeople will still be looking to expand their abilities and grow into greater responsibilities while maintaining their desired work/life balance.  The modern-day manager has to juggle these variables while meeting department goals.

The days of task-focused management are gone.  The new generation will require managers who are adept at handling a wide range of personalities while adroitly rewarding these salespeople beyond a simple paycheck.  The perks of telecommuting, horizontal org structures, vacation time, onsite gyms, etc. will all become an integral piece to top performer retention.

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Tattoos & piercings are a growing phenomenon in our society especially as the younger generation embraces this body art.  The Rock Star posted on this topic last year and it spurred much debate.  And a worthy debate it is as seen in a Pioneer Press’ Body art on the job:

Nearly half of Americans between 21 and 32 have at least one tattoo or piercing other than in an ear, according to a 2006 study by the University of Chicago and Northwestern University. Men and women alike say their tattoos make them feel sexy and rebellious, a 2003 Harris Poll found, while the unadorned of both genders see body art as unsightly and think those with tattoos and piercings are less intelligent and less attractive.

And from later in the article, a fairly reasoned approach to handling this topic:

Beitner’s solution: the is-it-offensive test, applied on a case-by-case basis. “A butterfly is not such a big deal,” he said, but a skull and crossbones with blood dripping out of the eye sockets would be a problem. And sometimes Beitner does ask staffers to remove belly rings or tongue studs when they’re at work.

My take is that most tattoos are hopefully hidden by proper business attire.  If a butterfly is peaking out of the small of someone’s back, I would be more concerned about their clothing.

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Obviously we are strong supporters of blogging and encourage everyone we can to join the Blogosphere.  However, some people may not benefit from blogging about their company since some things are better left unsaid, or unknown.  Foxnews.com’s Blogging Gone Bad at Bear Stearns reports on a hedge fund manager’s blog that went wrong in a big way.

The manager seemed to have more than enough self-esteem to discuss his cratering funds in an unconcerned manner.  Here’s where the perception created by a blog can have a negative effect:

The blog, full of alpha-male inspired phrases likening the demise of his funds to the attack on Sparta would have provided comic relief if it weren’t otherwise decidedly disturbing.

That’s because the blog opened a window on the wild west mentality at Bear Stearns Asset Management €” reinforcing the public’s perception that too many hedge fund cowboys are at the helm of funds that are too leveraged and too opaque for comfort. With Wall Street having loaned an estimated $500 billion dollars to funds with collateralized mortgage obligations similar to those in the Bear Stearns funds, the public has plenty of reasons for concern.

There is a part of me that empathizes with this gentleman.  His blog appears to be more of a personally diary as opposed to a corporate blog.  This article approaches his “wild west mentality” as a real liability.  Perhaps it is, but it is still just his style.  An overly-worried, quiet manager could have had just as spectacular a crash.

Nonetheless, this perception has to be considered when blogging openly about your company or position.

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Time for some simple Friday stats:

According to the US Census Bureau the projected percentage of the population represented by each age group, from the 2000 census projected out to the year 2050.

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The 50 best small & medium-sized companies to work for were selected and ranked by the Great Place to Work Institute Inc., a global workplace research and consulting firm headquartered in San Francisco. The institute also selects Fortune magazine€™s annual list of the €œ100 Best Companies to Work For,€ recognizing companies with more than 1,000 employees, as well as similar lists in 29 countries.

Here are the top 25 small companies with 50 to 250 U.S.-based full- and part-time employees:

1. Badger Mining Corp., Berlin, Wis., Mining & Quarrying
2. InsureMe, Englewood, Colo., Financial Services & Insurance
3. Analytical Graphics Inc., Exton, Pa., Information Technology
4. Heinfeld, Meech & Co. PC, Tucson, Ariz., Financial Services & Insurance
5. Professional Placement Resources LLC, Jacksonville Beach, Fla., Professional Services
6. Triage Consulting Group, San Francisco, Professional Services
7. Root Learning Inc., Maumee, Ohio, Professional Services
8. Insomniac Games Inc., Burbank, Calif. , Media
9. Dixon Schwabl Advertising, Victor, N.Y., Advertising & Marketing
10. McMurry Inc., Phoenix, Advertising & Marketing
11. MATRIX Resources Inc., Atlanta, Professional Services
12. Clark Nuber, Bellevue, Wash., Professional Services
13. McWhinney Real Estate Services, Loveland, Colo., Construction & Real Estate
14. Integrity Applications Inc., Chantilly, Va., Professional Services
15. Northeast Delta Dental, Concord, N.H., Financial Services & Insurance
16. Runzheimer International, Rochester, Wis., Professional Services
17. archer>malmo, Memphis, Tenn., Advertising & Marketing
18. Bridge Worldwide, Cincinnati, Advertising & Marketing
19. Bowen Engineering Corp., Fishers, Ind. , Construction & Real Estate
20. Kahler Slater, Milwaukee, Architecture/Design
21. Urban Innovations Ltd., Chicago, Construction & Real Estate
22. ENGEO Inc., San Ramon, Calif., Professional Services
23. Schleuniger Inc., Manchester, N.H., Manufacturing & Production
24. Landrum Human Resource Cos. Inc., Pensacola, Fla., Professional Services
25. Moody, Famiglietti & Andronico LLP, North Andover, Mass., Professional Services

Here are the top 25 medium companies with 251 to 999 employees:

1. Holder Construction Co., Atlanta, Construction & Real Estate
2. The Beryl Cos., Bedford, Texas, Health Care–Services
3. Ultimate Software, Weston, Fla., Information Technology
4. Stark Investments, St. Francis, Wis., Financial Services & Insurance
5. ACUITY, Sheboygan, Wis., Financial Services & Insurance
6. Nevada Federal Credit Union, Las Vegas, Financial Services & Insurance
7. EILEEN FISHER INC., Irvington, N.Y., Design & Manufacturing
8. The Integer Group Denver, Lakewood, Colo., Advertising & Marketing
9. Sage Products Inc., Cary, Ill., Manufacturing & Production
10. Orange County Teachers Federal Credit Union, Santa Ana, Calif., Financial Services & Insurance
11. Lincoln Industries, Lincoln, Neb., Manufacturing & Production
12. Hypertherm, Hanover, N.H., Manufacturing & Production
13. The RightThing Inc., Findlay, Ohio, Professional Services
14. AMX, Richardson, Texas, Electronics
15. Park Industries, St. Cloud, Minn., Manufacturing & Production
16. Massachusetts Medical Society, Waltham, Mass., Media
17. CXtec, Syracuse, N.Y., Information Technology
18. Advanced Financial Services Inc., Newport, R.I., Financial Services & Insurance
19. Hoar Construction LLC, Birmingham, Ala., Construction & Real Estate
20. Michigan State University Federal Credit Union, East Lansing, Mich., Financial Services & Insurance
21. InPro Corp., Muskego, Wis., Manufacturing & Production
22. Digital Federal Credit Union, Marlborough, Mass., Financial Services & Insurance
23. SuccessFactors Inc., San Mateo, Calif., Information Technology
24. SJE-Rhombus Controls, Detroit Lakes, Minn., Manufacturing & Production
25. Hand Held Products, Skaneateles Falls, N.Y., Manufacturing & Production

If you are wondering how to your company can apply for the 2008 list, follow this link – Best Small & Medium Companies to Work for in America.

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Yahoo.com offers up a unique article titled Five Myths of Managing Up that purports to help employees communicate more clearly with their boss.  I don’t know – many of the suggestions seem like sucking up to me.

For instance:

Conventional wisdom: If you’re even five minutes late, the boss will think you’re a slacker.

Why it’s a myth: In an age of flex time, telecommuting, Blackberries, and instant messages, bosses care more about whether you’re getting the job done than whether you’re warming your seat.

Try this instead: Make sure the boss knows you’re putting in extra hours at home or on the road, both by maintaining a rapid-response email or instant message presence, and by hinting at when you’re putting in those extra hours.

Example: “I had to work over the weekend on this report, but I think you’ll agree the extra effort was worth it.”

The example statement is, well, pathetic.  If I was this person’s boss, I would laugh at that self-promoting comment.  My perspective is probably skewed by years in sales, but these mental gymnastics involving excuses, shameless self-promotion and explanations of effort are pointless.

Be on time – how hard is it?  If your boss is waiting, you can expect to hear about it.

The other issue is the commentary about effort.  Obviously effort is important in being a strong employee (how about some effort to be on-time?).  But salespeople are not paid based on effort, they are paid based on success – i.e. closing deals.  We’ve seen plenty of salespeople who work hard and close little.  At the end of the day, those employees can feel good about their effort but it is doubtful that they will keep their job without bringing in business.

Sucking up won’t save them.

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One guy closes with this line:

P.S. – I haven’t taken a sick day in years – I don’t get sick.

I don’t know why, but that line caught my attention and made me laugh.  Not a bad technique to stand out in a crowd.

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This week we focus on a trait that is strongly needed in a team-based sale.  The salesperson needs to be the lead on a team-based sale, but they have to have the ability to let the other team members do their part.  If the salesperson struggles in this area, they will be less efficient and more dictatorial in their interaction.  A bad mix in today’s market.

Surrendering Control
The ability of a salesperson to surrender control of a given situation, or outcome, to another person or group of people. The ability to be comfortable in a situation where a significant portion of the responsibility for achieving a goal lies in the hands of others.

A salesperson with strength in this trait will be comfortable trusting other team members with the success of a mutual objective.

A salesperson with weakness in this area will have difficulty turning responsibility over. They want control when the results of a task will impact them directly.

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From the JustSell.com guys:

In July 1776, 2.5 million people lived in the newly independent United States, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2007, the nation’s population has grown to 302 million, and to celebrate Independence Day this year, the National Retail Federation reports that consumers will:

• enjoy a BBQ, cookout or picnic (61.1%)
• watch fireworks or attend another community celebration (42.5%)
• purchase patriotic merchandise (17.3%)
• travel or go on vacation (11.3%)
• attend a parade (9.7%)

Have a Happy and Safe Fourth from all of us at Select Metrix!

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