If you're a managing director of a company that's turning over R12-million - R20-million and have 3+ sales people reporting to you, and don't have a sales manager, then perhaps we should talk.

You've got a shit-ton of other stuff to deal with. Mothering a sales team was probably not on your radar, was it?

But you and I know, that sales is the lifeblood of your company. Without sales nothing happens. So, someone has to lead them ... and if it can't be you, you have three choices:

- Hope that your sales team is mature enough to lead itself and bring in the business

- Hire a sales manager. That's an expensive exercise ... any sales manager worth his or her salt will not work for under 40k a month. But, with a great track record, they'd absolutely be worth it. That's what I'd recommend you do. And, I'm not talking about Frik, your top salesperson running the team ... that's just going to collapse the whole set up. Get someone good and pay them what they're worth.

- But if you don't have 40 to 60k a month, then consider hiring an outsourced sales manager who knows how to get the best out of people and can achieve the results you want.

Here's what I've noticed about non-performing sales teams.

- There's no proper sales strategy (a target and a territory is not a strategy)

- The wrong people are hired for the job (no assessments are done)

- There are weak systems in place

- The standards a waived (if there are even standards) so no one is held accountable

- There's nobody coaching and motivating the staff

- Leaders don't want to have the courageous conversations with their staff (you know the one ... first warning and all of that). That just leads to mediocrity. I suppose if you're happy with 42% of target, that's ok then.

- Sales meetings are normally a negative experience for everyone and not a learning and motivating experience (what's wrong with you, Sally, why didn't you hit your target?). Like that's going to work.

- Sales meetings are there to discuss targets and figures only. On what planet does that happen? Everyone already knows what targets are being met and who's performing and who's not ... even the professional who serves the tea. Just send an email ... seriously.

- The wrong questions are asked. Like, "How are we going to hit our number today?" Perhaps a better question would be, "How many people are we going to gift with our product/service to make their lives a little better, today?"

- There's no CRM system. And if there is, it's being used to 10% of its capacity. And, just in case you were wondering, Excel is not a CRM system.

I know what it feels like to be on both sides of the fence ... being a sales manager and a sales professional. I know what it feels lke to be the last on the leaderboard, dreading the sales meeting and having to explain my empty pipeline. I know what it is like to be on top of the leaderboard ... the pressure to stay there and pretend that you've got it under control (burnout city ... here we come.

I've said some really stupid things to my sales people in my time. Not quite as bad as this, but bad enough, "As you all know, first prize is a Cadillac Eldorado. Anybody wanna see second prize? Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third prize is, you're fired," John Williamson (Kevin Spacey) in Glenngary Glen Ross. Seth Davis from The Boiler Room: Fine, fine. I’m gonna take you off my list of successful people today.

You know that sales manager that always says, "The ABC of selling - Always Be Closing." Wouldn't you just like to take one of those steak knives ...

I've also said some magnificent things and when I put my sales people first, we got great results.

So, I've had screw ups and successes. I know the pitfalls and can help any sales team navigate them. I also know what motivates them ... oh, did you think it was money. If it was, they'd all be hitting 100% of target.

There's a lot more behind a sales person than just making money (any human being for that matter) ... things like meaning, making a difference, feeling fulfilled, being conscious.

I'm good at that stuff. I'm good at getting people to believe in themselves. And, when they have belief then there are infinite magical possibilities for them and for your company.

I facilitate heart-centred sales teams ... teams that actually give a shit about things ... things like making themselves better human beings, setting their clients up for success and doing their duty and serving the organisation that hired them with every fibre of their being.