The whole objective of selecting the right sales leader for a vertical /SBU/Organisation has a substantial impact on the business of an organisation. It is important to have reasonable expectations and prioritize the ones which are crucial, to begin with; Also, understand that you may not get everything in one person.
You need to make sure how the team can help the leader to be more effective with the qualities the leader brings to the table. As Dr Belbin said ” “Nobody’s perfect, but a team can be!”
- Make sure they have an established track record of success. Look for a sales leader who has a proven track record of driving sales growth and meeting sales targets.
- Look for a leader with strong interpersonal skills. A successful sales leader must be able to build strong relationships with customers and colleagues.
- Look for a leader with strong analytical skills. A sales leader should be able to analyze data and identify trends in order to make informed decisions.
- Look for a leader with a strategic vision. A sales leader should be able to develop and implement a long-term strategy to achieve sales goals.
- Look for a leader with a customer-centric approach. A successful sales leader should have an understanding of customer needs and be able to design solutions to meet those needs.
- Ensure the candidate is a team player. Sales leaders must be able to collaborate with other departments and motivate teams to achieve sales goal
How to be more rational in the process of Interviewing candidates? Sometimes we want Gold at the investment of Silver, that’s impractical. That’s an interviewer has to probably prepare more than the candidate to avoid emotional biases during the process of selection.
- Create a detailed job description: It’s important to have a well-defined job description to ensure that you are interviewing for the same role. At the same time, go beyond JD when you find a promising candidate with some rare capabilities.
- Develop a set of interview questions: Develop a set of questions that are tailored to the job and focus on the skills and qualifications required for the position.
- Make sure the questions are objective: Use questions that are not easily manipulated by the candidate and that provide information on how the candidate would think and work in certain situations.
- Take your time: Don’t be rushed. Take the time to ask questions and really listen to the answers.
- Take notes: Taking notes during the interview can help you to stay focused and to remember important points.
- Be consistent: Use the same criteria for evaluating each candidate. This will help to ensure fairness.
- Avoid making snap decisions: Don’t rush to make a decision. Take time to review the information you have gathered and make an informed decision.
How to avoid cognitive biases?
As humans we all can be biased; Hence it is important to be careful by knowing our traps in thinking.
- Acknowledge your biases: Recognizing that you have biases is the first step in avoiding them. Be aware of your own biases and how they may influence your decisions.
- Seek out different perspectives: It is important to seek out different perspectives and consider different viewpoints when making decisions.
- Question your assumptions: When making decisions, question your assumptions and consider alternatives.
- Take your time: Don’t rush to make decisions. Take the time to consider all the relevant information and make an informed decision.
- Use objective criteria: Use objective criteria to make decisions instead of relying on your intuition or feelings.
- Ask for feedback: Ask for feedback from trusted colleagues or mentors to help you to identify and avoid cognitive biases.
We would invite your attention to our perspectives on the same. Check this page from our leadership advisory firm : https://grovalselectia.com/our-approach/.
