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Today, selling is no longer enough. With decision-making cycles getting longer, more and more people to deal with, and exchanges taking place by video, e-mail and in the field, the sales profession has changed. And so has the role of sales manager. Here are the 4 pillars of effective sales unit management
A good salesperson needs clear reference points to give his best: knowing where he's going, where to focus his efforts and what's expected of him makes all the difference. In a sales team, clarity is based on precise objectives that are accessible and understood by all, and on well-established priorities. When these elements are in place, the team can move in the same direction and work better together.
To engage a team, you need a clear direction. Defining objectives is an unavoidable step that focuses individual and collective efforts on what really counts. To visualize your objectives, you can use the SMART method:
This method enables you to define the important objectives and mobilize the right resources to achieve them.
Each team member needs to know exactly what is expected of him or her. This requires a clear formalization of missions, as well as a distribution of tasks consistent with each person's skills.
When working on a collective project, it is also useful to designate leadership roles within the team itself, to reinforce shared responsibility.
It's equally important to make everyone's roles visible: who does what, with whom, and within what scope. Clarifying the areas of interaction between roles and success indicators avoids misunderstandings, limits conflicts of attribution and promotes fluid cooperation.
For example, at the start of a project, during the kick-off meeting, we take 20 minutes to clearly define roles and, above all, to ensure that everyone understands them. We then note all this in a document that we make available to everyone.
Achieving objectives is important. But they have to be in the right direction - the one that moves the company forward and helps teams grow.
The role of the manager is to ensure this. In concrete terms, this means :
That's how you create alignment - not one-off, but lasting.
Even when individual performance is in the spotlight, the collective remains a real driving force. A good team dynamic encourages mutual support and sharing, and defuses tensions. The manager has a central role to play in bringing this cohesion to life on a daily basis.
Weekly meetings, performance reviews or more targeted individual meetings create a framework for exchanging and sharing information, giving feedback and ensuring that everyone remains involved in the life of the team. These times keep information flowing smoothly, provide regular feedback and keep everyone involved in the collective dynamic.
For example: every week, the sales team organizes a meeting dedicated to "deal breakdown": each sales person presents an opportunity won or lost, detailing the context (customer, offer, stakes), the stages and the levers that worked or didn't work. Together, the team analyzes this feedback to identify best practices and areas for improvement.
Recognition, however simple, is a powerful motivator for your employees. Highlighting a job well done or encouraging initiative, whether through a simple "thank you" or other forms of gratification, strengthens their commitment.
For example: at the end of each quarter, take time to congratulate the work accomplished, whether over lunch, in a small ceremony or during a simple meeting. The aim is to set aside a specific time for this.
A change in tone, a gradual withdrawal or a drop in energy can signal the beginning of disengagement. The role of the manager is to be attentive to these weak signs, and to address them without delay.
This also means keeping a watchful eye on workloads : regular discussions at individual or group meetings can create a space for listening and taking action before the situation deteriorates.
For example: once a month, schedule a team meeting dedicated to "perceived workload" - a time when we don't talk about figures or results, but about how we feel about the pace of work. The aim is to detect any overload and adjust the distribution of tasks if necessary, before this has an impact on motivation or performance.
Sales management relies on indicators, but it's not enough just to keep track of the figures. You need to interpret them, understand trends, and quickly adjust actions according to feedback from the field. An agile approach enables you to remain responsive and maximize results.
Tracking sales alone is not enough to effectively manage your business and the performance of your sales team. For a truly relevant vision, it is essential to combine it with other key indicators such as :
These KPIs shouldn't be chosen at random. They must reflect your current context (growth phase, new product launch, internal transformation...) and your strategic priorities. Take the time to :
With these elements in place, you'll be better equipped to detect weak signals, anticipate risks, and adjust your actions in a proactive, informed way.
Don't rely on data alone: systematically cross-reference it with what's coming in from the field. A purely numerical reading can miss important human signals.
Talk regularly with sales people and managers, and listen to customer feedback. Comparing these feelings with indicators will help you to better identify action levers and adjust your priorities.
For example, this month, the number of sales briefs increased by 30% compared to the same period last year. On paper, this is a good sign. But feedback from the team reveals a general fatigue and a drop in the quality of these briefs, which leads to a loss of efficiency. Without these signals from the field, we could wrongly consider this increase as progress, whereas in fact it masks an overload and a risk of under-performance.
In a business environment, impact is not just about motivation or achieving objectives. What really makes the difference is the capacity for continuous learning. The sector is constantly evolving: new tools, new scripts, new sales postures... To remain successful, teams need to learn constantly.
In this context, the manager plays a key role. They must adopt a coaching posture, supporting the development of skills within their teams.
In both cases, feedback is a valuable tool for individual and collective individually and collectively, provided it is formulated in a clear, constructive and benevolent way.
Peer coaching enables employees to take a step back from their own posture, develop a spirit of mutual support and exchange constructive feedback between peers. This practice encourages a culture of collective progress, which does not rely solely on the intervention of the manager.
For example, you can train junior profiles by organizing one-to-one meetings with senior sales people, with the aim of exchanging methods, tips, advice or tools that may be useful.
To support each employee's progress, it is essential to structure appropriate development paths: action plans, negotiation training, posture development, etc.
These courses can include a variety of formats, but it 's best to focus on training involving real-life situations, as this often has a greater impact, especially for sales staff who have to work in the field.
The aim is to provide concrete benchmarks, reinforce key skills, and provide long-term support for the ramp-up.
Business unit management is based on a combination of clarity, cohesion, agility and continuous development. By drawing on these four pillars, managers can build high-performance, resilient teams that are aligned with the company's strategic objectives.
To find out more about these topics, discover the Numa workshops dedicated to team management.
Today, selling is no longer enough. With decision-making cycles getting longer, more and more people to deal with, and exchanges taking place by video, e-mail and in the field, the sales profession has changed. And so has the role of sales manager. Here are the 4 pillars of effective sales unit management
A good salesperson needs clear reference points to give his best: knowing where he's going, where to focus his efforts and what's expected of him makes all the difference. In a sales team, clarity is based on precise objectives that are accessible and understood by all, and on well-established priorities. When these elements are in place, the team can move in the same direction and work better together.
To engage a team, you need a clear direction. Defining objectives is an unavoidable step that focuses individual and collective efforts on what really counts. To visualize your objectives, you can use the SMART method:
This method enables you to define the important objectives and mobilize the right resources to achieve them.
Each team member needs to know exactly what is expected of him or her. This requires a clear formalization of missions, as well as a distribution of tasks consistent with each person's skills.
When working on a collective project, it is also useful to designate leadership roles within the team itself, to reinforce shared responsibility.
It's equally important to make everyone's roles visible: who does what, with whom, and within what scope. Clarifying the areas of interaction between roles and success indicators avoids misunderstandings, limits conflicts of attribution and promotes fluid cooperation.
For example, at the start of a project, during the kick-off meeting, we take 20 minutes to clearly define roles and, above all, to ensure that everyone understands them. We then note all this in a document that we make available to everyone.
Achieving objectives is important. But they have to be in the right direction - the one that moves the company forward and helps teams grow.
The role of the manager is to ensure this. In concrete terms, this means :
That's how you create alignment - not one-off, but lasting.
Even when individual performance is in the spotlight, the collective remains a real driving force. A good team dynamic encourages mutual support and sharing, and defuses tensions. The manager has a central role to play in bringing this cohesion to life on a daily basis.
Weekly meetings, performance reviews or more targeted individual meetings create a framework for exchanging and sharing information, giving feedback and ensuring that everyone remains involved in the life of the team. These times keep information flowing smoothly, provide regular feedback and keep everyone involved in the collective dynamic.
For example: every week, the sales team organizes a meeting dedicated to "deal breakdown": each sales person presents an opportunity won or lost, detailing the context (customer, offer, stakes), the stages and the levers that worked or didn't work. Together, the team analyzes this feedback to identify best practices and areas for improvement.
Recognition, however simple, is a powerful motivator for your employees. Highlighting a job well done or encouraging initiative, whether through a simple "thank you" or other forms of gratification, strengthens their commitment.
For example: at the end of each quarter, take time to congratulate the work accomplished, whether over lunch, in a small ceremony or during a simple meeting. The aim is to set aside a specific time for this.
A change in tone, a gradual withdrawal or a drop in energy can signal the beginning of disengagement. The role of the manager is to be attentive to these weak signs, and to address them without delay.
This also means keeping a watchful eye on workloads : regular discussions at individual or group meetings can create a space for listening and taking action before the situation deteriorates.
For example: once a month, schedule a team meeting dedicated to "perceived workload" - a time when we don't talk about figures or results, but about how we feel about the pace of work. The aim is to detect any overload and adjust the distribution of tasks if necessary, before this has an impact on motivation or performance.
Sales management relies on indicators, but it's not enough just to keep track of the figures. You need to interpret them, understand trends, and quickly adjust actions according to feedback from the field. An agile approach enables you to remain responsive and maximize results.
Tracking sales alone is not enough to effectively manage your business and the performance of your sales team. For a truly relevant vision, it is essential to combine it with other key indicators such as :
These KPIs shouldn't be chosen at random. They must reflect your current context (growth phase, new product launch, internal transformation...) and your strategic priorities. Take the time to :
With these elements in place, you'll be better equipped to detect weak signals, anticipate risks, and adjust your actions in a proactive, informed way.
Don't rely on data alone: systematically cross-reference it with what's coming in from the field. A purely numerical reading can miss important human signals.
Talk regularly with sales people and managers, and listen to customer feedback. Comparing these feelings with indicators will help you to better identify action levers and adjust your priorities.
For example, this month, the number of sales briefs increased by 30% compared to the same period last year. On paper, this is a good sign. But feedback from the team reveals a general fatigue and a drop in the quality of these briefs, which leads to a loss of efficiency. Without these signals from the field, we could wrongly consider this increase as progress, whereas in fact it masks an overload and a risk of under-performance.
In a business environment, impact is not just about motivation or achieving objectives. What really makes the difference is the capacity for continuous learning. The sector is constantly evolving: new tools, new scripts, new sales postures... To remain successful, teams need to learn constantly.
In this context, the manager plays a key role. They must adopt a coaching posture, supporting the development of skills within their teams.
In both cases, feedback is a valuable tool for individual and collective individually and collectively, provided it is formulated in a clear, constructive and benevolent way.
Peer coaching enables employees to take a step back from their own posture, develop a spirit of mutual support and exchange constructive feedback between peers. This practice encourages a culture of collective progress, which does not rely solely on the intervention of the manager.
For example, you can train junior profiles by organizing one-to-one meetings with senior sales people, with the aim of exchanging methods, tips, advice or tools that may be useful.
To support each employee's progress, it is essential to structure appropriate development paths: action plans, negotiation training, posture development, etc.
These courses can include a variety of formats, but it 's best to focus on training involving real-life situations, as this often has a greater impact, especially for sales staff who have to work in the field.
The aim is to provide concrete benchmarks, reinforce key skills, and provide long-term support for the ramp-up.
Business unit management is based on a combination of clarity, cohesion, agility and continuous development. By drawing on these four pillars, managers can build high-performance, resilient teams that are aligned with the company's strategic objectives.
To find out more about these topics, discover the Numa workshops dedicated to team management.
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