A popular misconception is that effective leaders always have the right answers. Nothing could be further from the truth. However, they do have the right questions that stimulate the conversation where the right answers often emerge. As a starter, try these questions at your next staff meeting.
Source: Inc., September 24, 2018. Link. No leader is perfect. However, the only way to improve is to understand where your weak spots lie. Expect to ask this question multiple times before workers provide serious responses. Some people are reticent to provide constructive feedback for fear of retribution.
INSIGHTS: Your reaction to your team’s responses is equally as important as the questions. Expect to be tested with some nonsense initially. It will be a test to see if you’re serious and really want to know or if you’re just doing something you read about.
I would expect a good sales manager to be able to do what I was being asked to do. Detail specific product(s) to a market channel distributor representative, distributor management, veterinarian, animal health dealer or a producer. I would also expect that sales manager to be able to handle initial objections. So many times there is someone put into a sales managers roles that do not have a complete understanding of the market as it pertains to the specific product line the sales manager and his/her sales team is pushing. I once asked a sales manager what he thought I should do to increase sales. I got no viable response which told me that he did not have a clue.