What is the number one trait that all entrepreneurs share? One trait all entrepreneurs share? Ability to solve problems on your own.
Entrepreneurs are always looking for solutions to problems. This is what makes entrepreneurs successful. Not all problem solvers start their own business. Some people choose to work in companies or agencies such as yours.
Sales is the place to look for such naturally talented and high-performing people.
Why Sales? Salespeople are most likely to encounter messy situations with customers that do not fit into a manual or script. Entrepreneurs are easy to spot because their dirty jobs require them to solve problems constantly.
A salesperson who has an entrepreneurial spirit would tell you: “There was a trouble, but I fixed it.” A salesperson who is not entrepreneurial will be polished, rehearsed, and unable to deviate.
Because I know their value, I love finding entrepreneurs to join my sales team. Problem-solving is a transferable skill that’s hard to learn. Entrepreneurs are important to your sales team because they will be future leaders in your organization. You don’t want to lose these entrepreneurs if you do not respect their potential.
One of my colleagues, a COO extraordinaire, has doubled her organization’s revenue in just three years. She admitted to her interviewer that when her current company first hired her for a midlevel position, she didn’t know how effective she would perform in the role. She was asked why. She said that her former employer had a top-down, stay-in-your-lane culture.
The interviewer saw an entrepreneurial spirit in her and gave them a chance. She was promoted within six months of taking the job. One year later, she was promoted to the C-suite. Her former employer will probably hire her at triple the salary she was earning before. Ironically, the company would have retained her if they had realized the value of her skills.
It’s okay that not every salesperson has entrepreneurial skills. As a leader, it’s your responsibility to identify which salespeople possess these skills. You can then retrain the salespeople as necessary and hopefully keep them on board for a long time.
Here are four suggestions to make sure that your competitors do not lure away your best problem solvers.
Make routine one-on-one meetings count.
You’re not getting the most out of your one-on-one meetings if you only talk about operations and current projects. Introduce conversations about ideas and philosophy into your sessions. Discuss potential problems. Ask your sales reps how they will resolve these issues.
Some of your salespeople will have a lot to share because they are deep thinkers. They will be keen to share ideas and brainstorm. It would be best if you took them up on the offer.
You might even come up with new ideas to help you move your business ahead.
What do your salespeople want?
Susan Drumm is a great executive coach. I enjoy her approach to employees. Instead of the typical performance review, she asks such questions as “How can I keep you on long-term?” She asks questions like “How can I assist you in realizing your role?” She calls these talks “stay interviews.”
Do not be afraid to inquire about the ambitions of your problem solvers. You’ll be better able to support your problem-solvers once you know what they are trying to achieve. If you don’t know where people want to go, it’s difficult to determine what resources they need.
Your superstar salespeople can explore new roles.
It may sound counterproductive, but it is important to keep an open mind. Tell your sales entrepreneurs when other positions and opportunities become available at your company. You can permit them to move laterally, upwards, or cross-functionally. So they can discover what they are made of.
Many managers are afraid to let go of a star because they fear that the star will never return. It’s the opposite for me: I find that when I let my entrepreneurs grow, they come back better than before they left.
Treat your department or company as a school where employees can grow and learn, not only a place to get paid.
Give entrepreneurs a leash.
It’s not easy to be an entrepreneur. It’s important to follow through on what they promise to do. You have to set clear expectations because entrepreneurs can get caught up in dreaming and innovation.
You shouldn’t micromanage. It would be best if you let them spend 10% of their time on passion projects. You never know the magic they will create. I’ve witnessed a casual discussion turn into a successful customer program. The conversation would not have taken place if the salesperson had not been allowed to think.