So you were hired as a sales manager. Then the team grew to help with the business developments and somewhere along the way you’ve gone from managing a few employees to the double digits and growing pains are a real thing you’re facing. 

Here’s three common rookie mistakes you can easily avoid as a manager:

1. You Can’t Manage Them All

Sure you wish you can, and in the beginning you could, it’s easy to check on employee number 4 and 5 on your team, but come employee 8, 9, 10, 25 and more - you can’t manage them all. As a manager it’s easy to think that you’ve mastered the task by beings available to all, trying to solve everyone’s problems and keeping everyone on task. But there’s more to a top sales manager than having a hand in everything happening. The best managers build a network of employees who inter-depend on one another, rather than their boss.

If you’re feeling bogged down, struggling to grow and advance, check how your day plays out as the sales manager – are you completing manager responsibilities or putting out fire from employees all day?

If managing ineffectively, start by learning how to effectively run a project meetings, dole out task, give positive and negative feedback, and when to be taught or when to offer grace.

2. The right HR person at the right time is absolutely priceless.

Whether an entrepreneur or fortune 500 business, hiring happens. Having the right tools to access top sales candidates when you need them will save you.  As a sales manager, along with the laundry list of task to complete on a daily basis, hiring doesn’t have to be one. Tap into a recruitment agency to recruit and present top candidates for the position you need filled.  You wouldn’t trust your most valuable asset to just anyone. You want credentials, some indication of quality, integrity and even distinction. People are the most valuable asset any company can have.  Need assistance?  Reach out to our team of recruiters.  Barclay Personnel is local and woman-owned. We know the people and we know the community. Our connections are your advantage.

3. Building a Culture Requires You To Be Present

To reinforce the values and the behavior you want as the sales manger, you have to be present to display it yourself. Sounds simple, but often it’s easy to spend day after day out of the office and as the days add into weeks – employees hired lose sight of the values and behavior you expect.

Likewise with communication, sometimes the way things are presented need to be reinforced daily with encouragement and personal conversations. It’s hard to host those moments when out of the office.