Sales Managers have so many responsibilities to juggle to keep their teams humming along at full performance capacity. If one of these responsibilities is not executed effectively, part of their sales engine will falter and cause the entire sales machine to run inefficiently or, worse yet, crash. No pressure - right?

What if you, the sales manager, could simply avoid most of these problems?

There is a way. It is a simple operating system that takes a small amount of work on the front end and then ... runs on auto-pilot.

Just like a pilot with a pre-flight checklist and a disciplined system, you can operate within a similar system. The following is a list of management activities - your operating system, to be scheduled in advance. Committing to this operating system will put your team on "auto-pilot" so you and they can focus on the destination.

The sales manager's operating system covers four main parts:

1. The Manager,
2. The Team,
3. The Customer, and
4. The Company.

Use the following to-do list, adjust it to your world, and go on auto-pilot for a more proactive and successful ride to the top.

You, The Manager:

• Create a network of your peers (successful sales managers) and commit to having one conversation per week with one person in that network.
• Think! Each day schedule some time to think - it's a big part of what you were hired to do.
• Read one book on leadership per quarter. Set aside time on your calendar to read. Get ideas here.
• Find a mentor. Commit to lunch or coffee once per quarter with your mentor.
  

The Team:

• Commit to interviewing and networking with one sales candidate every week. Open territories mean declining sales and neglected customers.
• Commit to weekly sales team meetings with your team. See our 10 Tips for productive, interactive weekly sales team meetings.
• Schedule weekly one-on-ones with each member of your team.
• Whether your company does them or not, commit to quarterly performance reviews with your team.
• Continually build sales skills on your team through scheduled practice and repetition.
• As a team, read and discuss one new book about selling or business each quarter.
• Thank and praise your team regularly.
  

The Customers:

• Send thank you notes to your team's customers every week.
• Commit to customer days every week.
• Attend Customer Business Reviews with your reps whenever possible.
  

The Company:

• Block out time to complete necessary reports for senior leadership. Setting aside time will allow you to pay attention to detail and provide insights on the data.
• Filter communication between other company departments and your reps.
• Create a communication system on your own team. Decide, as a team, the best way to share and receive useful internal communications in the least distracting way possible.
• Identify and/or create subject matter experts on your team.
• When you must send emails with random pieces of information, use a coding system in the subject line or set up Outlook rules.
  

Clearly, sales management is a full-time job. It can be a proactive, rewarding one when a disciplined operating system is installed. Putting a system like this in place will allow you and your team to enjoy the ride and all the rewards that come with your destination - success.

Enjoy your flight.

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