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Seven Habits of Highly Defective Sales Managers

Written by: Barry Maher

Article Overview: While the best sales managers cover virtually every personality type imaginable, the worst--the very worst--seem to have a number of characteristics in common.

Seven Habits of Highly Defective Sales Managers

As a consultant, a speaker and a trainer, I’ve hired, trained and worked with sales managers at every level. The best of them have taught me much of whatever it is I know about sales management. The worst have also been a learning experience. But while the best sales managers cover virtually every personality type imaginable, the worst--the very worst--seem to have a number of characteristics in common. With apologies to Steven Covey, I offer this completely unscientific compilation of those traits, “The Seven Habits of Highly Defective Managers.”

1) They rely on other people for their thinking. Whatever the idea of the moment happens to be, that’s what they believe. They’re not only up on all the latest clichés and buzzwords, they pride themselves on it.

2) No matter how much they may prattle on about openness, inclusiveness, innovative thinking and tolerance, they insist upon conformity. And obedience.

3) Like a cheap politician, they never miss an opportunity to talk about their leadership skills, figuring that if they proclaim that they’re leaders frequently enough, someone might actually follow them. True leadership, on the other hand, means never have to tell someone you’re a leader.

4) They believe their own BS. Or desperately try to.

5) They’d take credit for the sunrise, if they thought they could get anyone to believe it. They’re certain they’re responsible for anything their people might accomplish--though failures, mistakes and screw-ups are obviously someone else’s fault.

6) They’re sure their own successes are the result of their superiority and/or their favor in the eyes of God. Other people are lucky, started with silver spoons hanging out of various orifices, or just butt kissed their way to the top.

7) On the subject of butts, in spite of all their constant claims to the contrary, their actions are guided by the one overriding commandment of their universe: To Thine Own Butt Be True. They cover theirs, whatever the cost. Though the cost is usually born by someone else.

# # #

Copyright 2006, Barry Maher, Barry Maher & Associates

This article is adapted from "Filling the Glass: The
Skeptic's Guide to Positive Thinking in Business," which
has just been cited by Today's Librarian as "[One of] The
Seven Essential Popular Business Books." Barry Maher
consults, speaks and writes on sales, management and
employee and customer motivation. Contact him and/or sign
up for his free email newsletter at www.barrymaher.com.

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Related Forum Posts
Re: My 3 best business books - 1. Think and Grow Rich - Napoleon Hill 2. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen R. Covey 3. Permission Marketing - Seth Godin Think and Grow Rich seems more powerful each time I read it or dip into it. The 7 Habits not only offers some very effective ways to organize your life (which I have yet to master!), but also some great quotations and thought provoking statements including this by Nazi concentration camp survivor, Viktor Frankl: [i:2naxzsom]Between stimulus and response, man has the freedom to choose.[/i:2naxzsom] Seth Godin's Permission Marketing is a good read for anybody seeking to understand how to approach doing business on the Internet in the right way with regard to winning people's trust.
Re: Money Does Not Guarantee Happiness - Thanks for singling this point out, Chris. One book that comes to mind that covers it in an overall approach is "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen Covey. He addresses our inner life and the way it can change our effectiveness home and at work. There are corporations who have taken this model and effectively molded their business around it.
Re: What I'm reading this weekend - Sept 10, 2010 - Glad you liked it David! I only managed to get partway through the list today because my one year old was looking for some playtime but I did read the Zen Habits one - I love reading Zen Habits while relaxing at a coffee shop!
Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional - Hi Evan, I am noticing that many of the posts in the Sales/Marketing section deal with online marketing, SEM and and SEO and Affiliates. I was wondering if it might be a good idea to separate that section into two; 1) Online Sales and Marketing; 2) Traditional Sales and Marketing
Re: Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional - [quote="ltrahan":31w9r2iz]Hi Evan, I am noticing that many of the posts in the Sales/Marketing section deal with online marketing, SEM and and SEO and Affiliates. I was wondering if it might be a good idea to separate that section into two; 1) Online Sales and Marketing; 2) Traditional Sales and Marketing[/quote:31w9r2iz] I second the request...


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