“Top Gun” Sales Managers

Several years ago, the U.S. military developed “Top Gun” training programs to increase the effectiveness of fighter pilots. These programs were based on the finding that, although technology had improved considerably, many pilots were becoming less effective. The problem was that these pilots were having difficulty with information overload. The best pilots had learned to focus on the few things that mattered most. Once the other pilots were taught what to focus on in specific situations, their effectiveness skyrocketed.

In a similar way, top managers can reconnect their sales management to profitability. A sales rep is most productive when focused on accomplishing the few things that really matter in each sales call. It is management’s responsibility to identify those few things, and to tie compensation specifically to their accomplishment. It is the rep’s responsibility to get the job done.

The biggest problem in sales force productivity is often that management has not given the reps the necessary goal clarity and focused compensation. This five-step process will ensure that top managers give the sales force what it needs to succeed, in the process ensuring the success of the whole company.