Why do great salespeople often make average or poor sales managers?

1. Lack of empathy. They just don’t get how you just can’t get it, or how someone could struggle with something they never struggled with.
   
2. Incompetent competence. They are masters at getting deals done, but not necessarily good at SYSTEMATICALLY explaining how; therefore it’s not very repeatable or trainable to other subordinate profiles.
   
3. Wrong, or not ideal, behavioral style. Typical top producers are aggressive (high “D” on the DISC profile), impatient, assertive and don’t mind conflict, and again not SYSTEMATIC. Not good coaching and mentoring traits.
   
4. They get bored quickly. Self explanatory, when it comes to the administrative or operational elements of management it drains their energy.
   
5. It’s not their fault. The time demands on mid-management today leave very little time for true coaching and development. Reacting to the “fires” alone can fill a 60 hour week.

This profile of sales manager will resort to joint sales calls and selling to prove their worth, which is not all bad, but a true management role should be focused on developing a “best in class” sales force.

Desire and intelligence trumps behavioral style! What does that mean? If you have a manager that fits the four traits above, but has strong desire to become a great manager and is intelligent, they can overcome these traits through awareness and coaching.

CC