Sales Leaders Make Effective CEOs – Here’s Why

As a CEO, having a history in sales is particularly advantageous because many of the necessary characteristics and acquired skills are directly applicable to the responsibilities of running a business at a senior level.

There are particular qualities that would make a salesperson stand out in a crowded sector. These abilities can influence leadership style and ultimately be the reason for success as CEO, almost regardless of the sector you operate in.

Here are the main lessons about what it takes to be a great leader in the modern corporate world, taken from those with strong sales experience.

Community-Building

People feel a part of something greater than themselves when great leaders foster an open, purpose-driven community. This is continually demonstrated on sales floors, as people band together to achieve a common objective. Enterprise salespeople are aware of the importance of team unity as much as they are of the market or the product.

All of a community’s work comes from its members. Star players are welcome within an organisation, but they do not guarantee victory. You succeed when your team is strong and operates as a unit. As a sales-leader, be sure to focus on efficient operations, less political interference, and making sure that everyone feels like they have a voice in how decisions are made.

A strong sense of community helps an organisation foster trust and focus its members on a common team goal.

According to a McKinsey and Company survey, 70% of employees believe that their feeling of purpose is connected to their jobs. People at work are more motivated and effective when they feel like they belong and have a purpose. In the age of the Great Resignation, where work burnout is more prevalent than not, this is crucial for leaders to foster.

Authenticity

You need to have a high level of emotional intelligence in order to assess people and circumstances quickly and accurately if you want to succeed in sales. In order to assist your customers and overcome any obstacles that stand in the way of their success, you must have a high level of empathy.

People with the greatest potential in sales frequently fall short of their objectives because they lack empathy and the capacity to establish connections with potential customers. Authenticity is the key to building meaningful relationships with other people. Both CEOs and staff must meet these requirements. Employees don’t want their leaders to be acting; in order to win their employees’ trust, leaders must be authentic.

Genuineness in the midst of difficulty is also essential. There will inevitably be obstacles in your way in sales (such as product delays), but the best salespeople are resilient. The same is true for CEOs; losses are inevitable and are frequently outside a leader’s control, but staff members will watch for how a CEO handles hardship and how they steer the business accordingly.

Creating Significance

Any leader’s ability to create importance is a critical responsibility. Everyone must feel important in their position, regardless of their title or place in the organisation. Every employee has to feel that they are a part of a larger goal to drive an organisation’s success, just like a sales team does. Strive to create a culture that is intelligent and healthy. Intelligent means to utilise reliable, carefully thought-out systems and processes, and healthy means to function with minimal work-place politics.

For instance, after spending a lot of time developing a new product line, the current CEO of digital employee experience (DEX) company, 1E, decided to terminate it. He came to the conclusion after examining the data that it wasn’t in line with the company’s corporate objectives or the demands of their clients. He was aware that the team would be disappointed because they put in endless hours on the project. He held a constructive discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of moving forward with the full team before making the choice in order to make everyone feel heard and important. This made everyone feel like their voice mattered and enabled the team to come to a consensus. As a result, the team are still inspired to come to work and complete their tasks each day, even following incidents like this.

Fostering Excitement

Continually inspiring and motivating employees is crucial for sales success at scale, but this concept also holds true for other aspects of business. Without a workforce that is enthusiastic about coming to work each and every day, organisations cannot prosper. This excitement needs to cover everything from significant corporate decision-making to minor logistical issues.

You cannot properly manage a project or situation unless you feel enthusiastic about it, just as you cannot truly sell something that you are not passionate about. The enthusiasm and energy needed to inspire individuals in their work are produced by passion. This enthusiasm may be extended throughout an organisation with constant direction and a connection to a goal and larger purpose.

A CEO motivates an entire business in the same way that a sales leader motivates their team by leveraging the power of community, authenticity, significance, and enthusiasm. As a result, many of the fundamental beliefs and values of a salesperson are directly applicable to those required for success in the CEO role.