Leadership is a critical characteristic of any successful sales or marketing manager. But what is it that sets leaders apart?

Most experts agree that a true leader has many of the following qualities:

• Commitment – They are willing to apply themselves to achieve a goal or to work for a cause. They take their jobs seriously and don’t hesitate to go the extra mile for their prospects and customers.
• Initiative – They are self-starters with a desire to excel. They want to be in charge and are willing to work hard to achieve success.
• Integrity – They refuse to compromise their values. If there’s only one right way to do a job, that’s the way they insist that it be done. They are honest with themselves and with their prospects and customers.
• Self-confidence – They are confident in their own abilities and can make sound decisions quickly and rationally.
• Perspective – They understand the big picture. They know how to shift perspective from the details of the sale at hand to the impact on the organization as a whole.
• Sense of order – They can walk into a chaotic situation, quickly scan it and impose order. As a result, sales goals are clarified and more easily obtained.
• Willingness to take risks – They have a strong self-image. If they take risks and come up short, they don’t let their world fall apart. They’re willing to accept the responsibility that risk-taking entails.
• Stamina – They have the stamina to withstand the pressures of the job and the resilience to bounce back from failures.
• Sense of humor – They aren’t afraid to laugh at themselves from time to time or to point out the humor in otherwise discouraging situations. This keeps up their morale and motivation.
• Human relations skills – They recognize that intuition, curiosity and sensitivity to customers are essential to effective sales leadership.
• A good mind – We’re not just talking about IQ here. Successful sales leaders have the type of mind that can sort out complex situations in a logical and analytical manner.
• Open attitude toward change – They aren’t set in their ways. They listen to their customers and prospects to find better ways of selling products and services.
• A positive outlook – They focus on the positive rather than the negative. They know how to keep their sales up despite the economy or competition.

Adapted from “Gain By Following Up On the Sale,” by Barry Farber

Tags: Leadership, marketing, morale, motivation, qualities, sales