Always treat your employees (people) exactly as you want them to treat your best customers.” – Stephen R. Covey

“To win in the marketplace, you must first win in the workplace.”  – Douglas Conant

 

After gaining a sense of the individual’s personal integrity, you will want to know the candidate’s “people orientation”.  To get a sense of this particular character trait, here are a few of questions that must be answered and confirmed in a sufficient level of detail:

• “Describe the most fundamental responsibilities of a leader.”
• “Provide some information on people who would say that you’ve had a significant impact on their career growth and development.”
• “How would former employees describe your relationship with them?”
• “Describe situations (within or outside of the workplace) where you have helped people with personal challenges and difficulties.”

The purpose of these questions is to gain a firm understanding as to the prospect’s interactions and relationships with other people. To be specific, the candidate must provide clear examples of where he has demonstrated a willingness and a commitment to support and assist other human beings.

We know that customers are the “lifeblood” of our business. In a competitive marketplace, we will have a healthy, successful and viable enterprise over the long term only by providing an experience that will delight our customers, consistently exceeding their expectations. To continue with this line of thought, our employees represent the critical “arteries” connecting our business to its “lifeblood”. Therefore, it is imperative that leadership’s highest priority must be to focus on providing consistently superior employee satisfaction. Our people have a direct impact on the customer experience, and we want this interaction always to be exceptional. The bottom line is that leadership will show how we want customers treated in the way that employees are given support.

In summary, the business needs strong employee engagement to drive superior results and the very best customer experience; however, this does not just magically happen. Emotional commitment only becomes a reality through a diligent and disciplined focus on employee well-being. Sales leaders must build solid personal relationships with their people, setting clear and high expectations while being committed to helping each team member be the best they can be. These leaders must demand employee accountability and, at the same time, maintain a deep sense of caring for the personal welfare of their folks.

If you believe that these behaviors are a lot to ask of an individual, the answer is yes! Nevertheless, strong, people-oriented sales leadership is yet another essential attribute of a winning culture.