In current scenario when sales leaders are dependent on upcoming economic and social class for their frontline sales team, they will ignore social affiliation need only at their peril. The needs of this social and economic class are different and are governed by social eco system. Only a socially conscious sales leaders who will recognize this and will provide ample space to address these needs in his sales strategy will succeed.

1. Salesleadership-Knowthe‘X’factoraffectingyourteam’s
performance
By-SanjayBharti,Enthusiast-IndianruralSalesandDistribution,email-bhartsanjay@rediffmail.com
Umpteenhasalreadybeensaidbyacademiciansandmanagementpractitionersonleadership.
Everytimeonereadsanarticleonleadership,itdefinitelysatiatessomeofthecuriosityofthe
readerbutneverevergoeswithoutgeneratingsameamountofrhetoricinhismind.Every
frameworkbaseddefinitionofleadershiponlycapturesitsdepthpartially.Almostallthe
definitionsofleadershiphaslistofitsexceptions-leadersorleadershipstyle-whichremain
undefinedorunderdefined.
SoamIattemptingtounfoldthedefinitionofleadership?Definitelynot.Iwillalsobedoingthe
obviousi.esatiatingsomecuriosityandleavingasmanyrhetoricinreader’smind.The
uniquenessofthisarticleoriginatesfrommymicroscopicviewformedaftercloselyobserving
someofthepeoplewhoweresupposedtoleadthesalesfunctionsofoneortheothercompany.
Underthestrictdefinitionofleadershipsomeofthemcouldbecalledleaderswhileotherswill
qualifyjustashighlypaidmanagers.Iwillbeemphasizingmoreon‘SalesLeadership’.
ThetemptationtowriteaboutSalesleadershipcamefromthreerecentlyreadarticlesinprint
andsocialmedia.Beingapracticingsalesprofessionals,Iamtryingtocontextualizethecruxof
thesethreearticleswithSalesleadership.
OneofthearticlepublishedinleadingdailyofIndiaduringtheplacementseasonofB-school
saysthatSalesandsalesrelatedjobsarenotthepreferredoneatB-schools.Theprincipleof
‘TINA’(ThereIsNoAlternative)governsthechoiceofmanypassingoutgraduateswholandsup
insalesjobs.Itimpliesthatmanywhoarethereinsalesjobsdonot‘choose’itbut‘landsup’
there.Hencevirtuallyeveryincumbentofentrylevelsalesjobisonaconstantlookoutforwhat
Indiansocietycalls‘settled’jobs.Thequestfor‘settled’jobshasitsrootinoursocietalfabric
whichoverratessecurityofallkinds,socialoreconomic-aboveeverything.EveryentrantinB-
schoolisexpectedtoprovehistenacityintermsofCGPAbythesociety(whichalsocomprise
theirfriendcirclewithinB-School).EveryincrementalCGPAearnedduringtwoyearstintatB-
schoolpavesthewayfor‘settled’jobs.ChetanBhagathasverybeautifullydefined‘settledjobs’
inoneofhisarticle.Hesaysit’saboutmakinglifeaspredictable,safeandstableaspossible.
Indiansociety,particularlymiddleincomegroupparentsloveszero–riskappetitelifewhere
monthlycashflowisassuredandeverythinginlifeisasperplan.Inslightlyharsherterms
‘settled’meansworkinoffice,producekids,watchTVathome,repeatallthisforfewdecades
anddie.Thecommonperceptionamongyouthisthat‘Salesjobs’arenowherenearto‘settled
jobs’aboutwhichtheyhavebeenpreachedsincechildhood.Thisdichotomybetweenwhatis
acceptableinsocietyandwhatasalesjobshastoofferhaskeptyouthsawayfromsalesjobs.
Manyacorporateprofessionalsenjoystheadventuresperformedbysalesteamoftheir
company.Applaudforsalesteamasengineofrevenuegrowthneverdrieswithincompanies
buteverybodywantstodothisbyremainingawayfromthisandnotbybeingpartofthis.Its
personalchoiceorsocietalcompulsion,willremainaquestion.Mostlikelyanswerisresponding
tosocietalcompulsionatearlystageofcareer,ithasbecometheirpersonalchoiceaswell.
WhatitmeansforSalesleadership?
ForSalesleadership,itimpliesthatheinheritsateamwhichisnotabletotakeprideinhis

2. professionalachievementoutsidetheofficebecauseofprevailingmindsetinhissociety.
Motivationisdirectlylinkedtoachievement.Butachievementofasalesprofessionalhas
limitedacceptancewithinhissocietysoitmayproduceonlypartialmotivation.
KnowingthiswillhelpSalesleadershipunderstandthatunderperformanceormediocre
performanceofmanyofhisteammembersmaynotalwaysbelinkedwith–knowledge,skill
andattitude-framework.Manyatimeshisteammembersarerespondingtosocietalneedof
‘security’whileunderperforming.Socialpressureofasecurejobwheretheimportanceof
limitedbutassuredcashflowsupersedesrelativelyunlimitedbutnotsoassuredcashflow,the
runofthemillleadershipreactionintermsofreward,recognition,andperformancebased
incentivemayhavelimitedimpact.Thesereactionsarehelpingcompanymorethantheirsales
employees.Rewardingachievementjustmeansrationalizingthecashoutgoinfavorofdelivery
ofexpectedoutcome.Itdoesnothelpthelargesectionofemployeeswhoareunderperforming
duetothedisorientationcausedbysocialpressure.
Asensiblesalesleadershipwillhavetoformulatereactionsgearedtowardstherequirementof
socialaffiliationofhisteam.Hecannotremainignorantbecausesocialecosystemisan
importantpartofhisoveralllifeandsoafavorableresponseaddressingthisneedofsalesteam
mayhelpleadershipincontrollingthecommonproblemofattrition,underperformanceandlack
ofmotivation.
Howsalesleadershipcandothis?
Performancelinkedrewardisthemostcommonstrategyinplacetodealwiththeperceived
performanceriskoflargesalesteam.Whilesmallsectionofsalesteammaximizeshisgain
throughperformancelinkedrewards,alargesectionperceives‘Performancelinkedrewards’as
‘Underperformancelinkedpenalty’.Inotherwords,thisis‘Performancelinked’componentofthe
salarybecauseofwhichyouthsdonotcategorize‘Salesjobs’as‘Settledjob’.
SalesleadersproducejustificationslikePareto’slawof80:20,completionoflearningcurveas
preconditiontoperformancedeliveryorcorrelationbetweenvintageofsalespersonandhis
optimumperformancetodefinetheperformancepatternoftheirlargeteam.Theseare
plausibleexplanationsandgoodsalesleadersarekeepingthemselvesincontrolwithregardsto
thesefactorstoproduceconstantlyhighperformance.
ButmanyatimesthesestrategiesofSalesleadersfallshortofaddressingaverycoreneedof
thelargepartoftheirteam.Mostofthesalespersonsusetobeinajourneyfrom‘Unsettled’
(Saysales)jobsto‘settledjobs’.Theywanttocompletethisjourneybecauseofthesocial
compulsion.Andtheywanttocompletethisjourneyassoonaspossible.Becausetheirsocial
rewardsliketheirownrecognitioninthefamily,theirfamily’sstatusinthesociety,andtheir
valueinmatrimonialmarketisalllinkedtothistoanextentthattheycannotaffordtoignore
this.
Whilethismaylookthreattomany,asociallyconsciousSalesleadercanusethisasleverand
convertthisinherentneedofitsteammemberintoadvantage
Definetheworktomakeitlooklikesociallyrelevant
Salesprofessionalsareinthejobofeithermeetingwithortalkingtopeople(sayprospect).
Manyatimestheseprospectscomprisetheirsocialcircle.Ineverymeetingtheyfacethe

3. challengeofpresentingthemselvesasaholderof‘settled’job.
Everytimesalesprofessionalmeetsaprospectheexposeshimselftotheriskofgettingrated
byhissocialcircle.Favorableratingmayenhancehissocialstatusbutviceversaisalsotrue.
Whilemakingprospectlistandsequencingtheminordertomeetashot,warmandcoldevery
salesprofessionalfacesadilemma.Dilemmabetweenmeetingahotprospectwherehissocial
ratingmaysufferormeetingawarmorcoldprospectwheretheriskofunfavorablesocialrating
istheleast.Experiencesuggeststhatmostofthesalesprofessionalchoosesthelatermostof
thetimes.Thisisoneoftheleadingreasonbecauseofwhichmanysalesprofessionalare
eitherunderperformersornon-performersdespitehavingallingredientsofsuccesswithinthem.
That’swhyeverySalesleaderhasthetaskofformulating‘Sociallyrelevant’definitionoftask
theyareassigningtotheirteam.
Thesocietalperceptionaboutthejobbeingcredibleor‘settled’emergesmainlyfrombrandsfor
whichoneisworking.Jobswithknownbrandsareconsideredrelativelymore‘settled’than
unknownbrands.Butevenknownbrandsonlypartlyaddressessocietalconcernabout‘settled’
job.Strongbrandnameworksbutthisisalongtermpathtodefiningyourselfinsocially
relevantmanner.
Singlelineproblemdefinitionis“Howsalesleaderscanenablehisteamtotakeprideinhimself
whilemakingsalescalls”.Amongmanythingsthatitwillrequire,thejobdefinitionofsales
professionalshastomoveawayfromdefiningitselfmerelyasacashtransactioninlieuof
somegoodsorservice.Duringthesalescallinhissocialcircle,salesprofessionalhastoinvest
aconsiderableamountoftimeinimpressinghiscircleabouthimself.Inordertoachievethis,
theytrytoproducea‘bigpicture’abouttheirassociationwiththebrandsandproducts.Rightly
expressingthe‘bigpicture’helpsthemseekconfidenceoftheirsocialcircle.Withthehelpof
bigpicturetheyattempttochangethecommonsocietalperceptionthattheirfortuneisnottied
withtwotothreedailycashtransactionbuttheyareapartofalargemissionwhichisabsorbing
enoughtotakehiscareinlongandmediumterm.Ultimatelyallthesetalksaregearedtowards
convincinghissocialcircleabouthimselfasaholderof‘settled’orcrediblejob.Oncesales
professionalisabletowinthefirstpartofthebattlei.e.impressinghissocialcircleabout
himself,secondpartlinkedtoensuringcashtransactionoftenbecomessoeasyforhim.
Recognizingthisbysalesleaderswillleadtoadoptingchangesintrainingandskillingoftheir
salesteam.Trainingofthesalesteamshouldemphasizeconsiderablyonhelpingtheteam
understand‘whycompanyexist’,whythatparticularproductisneededbythesocietyasawhole.
Andallthisnottoadddimensiontosalespitchbutwithanaimtohelpsalesprofessional
redefinehis‘self’orpersona.
Choosetherightreward
Salesjobsarefullofopportunitiestoearnreward.Salesleadersoftenassumethatmonetary
rewardisthebiggestmotivator.Buttheirassumptionisrightonlytotheextentthatitdrives
onlyfewtoaveryhighlevelofperformance.Thereisalargeportionwhichremainsunaffected
bymonetaryreward.
Inordertodriveperformancefromallsectionofsalespersonnelrewardshouldaimat
facilitatingtheirjourneyfrom‘perceivedunsettledjob’to‘settled’job.Andsecondlyreward
shouldhelpincreatingtheimpressionofupwardeconomicmobilitywhichoftenisperceivedas

4. signalofstabilityandsecuritybytheirsocialcircle.Suchperceptionofsocialcirclehelpsin
enhancinghissocialreputationforwhichsalespersonsandtheirfamilycrave.
Rewardslikereimbursementoftuitionfeeofprofessionalcourses,promotionafterthe
completionofprofessionalcourses,provisionofshorttermleaveforpreparingandcompleting
professionalcoursesareverymuchindemandwithinsalesprofessionalswhowantedtouse
salesjobsasplatformtofurthertheirquestfor‘settled’jobs.Beingpartnerintheirquestwill
definitelyenhancetheirloyaltywhichwillenhancetheirperformance.
Rewardsinkindshelpsalespersonnelfurtherhissocialreputation.Salesleadersshould
recognizetheneedof‘socialaffiliation’ofsalespersonnelandshouldorchestratedistribution
ofrewardsinmidofthesocialcircleorbyleadingopinionleaderofthelocality.Thesenseof
fulfillmentachievedbysalespersonnelthroughthiswillremoveallhispsychologicalbarrierto
approachhissocialcircleasprospect.Thefearofgettingratednegativelybythesocialcircle
goesawayashissocialcirclestartedperceivinghimasholderofrewardingand‘settled’job.
Thechangeinperceptionofthesocialcircleensurescontinuityofthesalespersonnelinthejob
resultingintolonglastingperformancedelivery.
Careergrowth
Careergrowthlookslikeacommonneedforallkindofprofessional.It’snotunlikeforasales
professional.Everyprofessionalviewsitasarewardintermsmonetarygainsandenhancement
inaccountability.Butsalesprofessionalsviewitverydifferentlyandmuchdeeply.Anybodywith
experienceofinterviewingsalesprofessionalmusthaveencounteredthequestionslike‘how
muchtimewillittakeformetogetateamortobecomeateamleader’.Whilethisquestionmay
looklikecomingoutnormallyfromanaspiringprofessional,inrealityitsoriginliesinhismental
perceptionaboutsalescomingundercategoryof‘unsettled’job.Whileaskingthisquestion,in
theirmindtheywanttocalculatetheminimumtimerequiredtocompletethejourneyfrom
‘unsettled’torelatively‘settled’profile.Careergrowthforasalespersonnelisatooltoderisk
himselffromtheonslaughtof‘unsettledjobs’.
Salesleadersshouldfocusoncreatinganorganizationstructurewhichcanensureverticalor
horizontalcareergrowth.Careergrowthandcorrespondingaccountabilitywillrequirearobust
trainingandskillbuildingfunction.Salesleadersshouldgivedueconsiderationsto‘Training
needanalysis’ensuringfasttrackcareergrowththroughonthejobskillbuilding.
Care
Salesleadersshouldcareabouttheneedofsocialaffiliationoftheirteam.Generallysales
speechesarefullofphraseshelpingsalesteamaspireforbetterperformancesinlieuof
performancelinkedmonetaryrewards.Butsalesspeechfromasensitivesalesleadersshould
trytocreatearightbalancebetweenmonetaryrewardandsocialaffiliationneedofhissales
team.
Notonlyinspeechesbutalsoinactionsalesleadersshoulddisplayhisdesiretocreatean
ecosystemwhichassistshissalesteaminrespondingtohissocialneed.Careerprogression,
trainingandskillbuildingandrewardandrecognitionshouldbeinstitutionalizedinawaythatit
helpssalesteammembertomeethissocialneedsaswell.
Incurrentscenariowhensalesleadersaredependentonupcomingeconomicandsocialclass

5. fortheirfrontlinesalesteam,theywillignoresocialaffiliationneedonlyattheirperil.Theneeds
ofthissocialandeconomicclassaredifferentandaregovernedbysocialecosystem.Onlya
sociallyconscioussalesleaderswhowillrecognizethisandwillprovideamplespaceto
addresstheseneedsinhissalesstrategywillsucceed.