How Emotionally Intelligent Sales Managers Lead through Change

Change is a constant and we have certainly learned this as all of us continue to navigate through the pandemic. We are seeing that the best sales leaders have learned to lead through change.

But change doesn’t happen by reciting inspirational quotes.

Change doesn’t happen by presenting the logical arguments to salespeople on the benefits of change.

Change occurs because the sales leader is adept at addressing the emotional aspects of change.

To Lead through Change, Understand Salespeople’s Emotional Needs

Salespeople are slow to adopt and change for the same reason’s prospects don’t buy your solution—even when your logical solution makes them more money, improves efficiency and lowers stress.

Human beings don’t like change.

Apply emotional intelligence skill and sell to the real buyer.

The real buyer in accepting and buying into change is a salesperson’s reptilian brain. In our sales training courses, we teach that great selling is a combination of understanding and mastering the psychology of sales and physiology of sales.  But many sales managers haven’t learned—or embraced—the important role this part of the brain plays when persuading their sales team to accept change.

The reptilian brain is wired for survival, always on the lookout for danger. So when sales managers introduce a new idea, approach, that new idea represents danger. The survival brain kicks in and says:

• You don’t know how to do this… you could fail. Danger!
• The company tried this approach in the past. Don’t waste your precious time on this flavor of the month idea. Danger!
• You’re already working 50-60 hours a week. This change looks like even more work. Danger!

Selling change will continue to be an important skill for sales managers to master. So remember to sell to the real buyer of change.

Sell to your salesperson’s reptilian brain.