The Various Ways to Be the Boss in Sales

Managing salespeople requires a level of empathy and understanding.

Most managers have been in the positions they now oversee. Successful managers recall the time they spent on the phone and at a computer, hounding down leads. They know what it takes and what is expected. Yet one question remains: should behaviors or results be managed?

Rich Chiarello, president and CEO of Above the Line, believes that a daily approach to employee management can lead to micromanagement. Chiarello feels that employees should have a level of autonomy to operate; in the end, they will be judged — and judge themselves — based on the results they achieve. The rest should be left for the manager to handle.

For more on management styles in sales, watch the full video from OpenView Labs.