Hiring the Right Leaders

There is a myth that sales leaders are born not made. However, that is not necessarily the case, according to a newly released white paper by Manpower, "Recruiting the Right Talent Increases Sales Effectiveness." The typical time to fill for sales leaders is 25 days, and in these turbulent economic times, organizations cannot afford to sit and wait for the perfect leader to walk through the door. In addition, a growing body of research suggests that up to 40 percent of externally hired executives fail within the first 18 months. How can organizations avoid turnover and increase effectiveness of sales management?

Establishing a profile for success from the point of hire can mean the difference between a sales leader and the right sales leader. Consider the following:

• Does your organization require specialized technical knowledge?
• Do representatives need prior experience in a particular industry, in sales, in general?
• Have candidates participated in leadership development and training initiatives or have they managed others?

By establishing a profile of success, organizations then can hire against it and consistently find those qualities in candidates. When organizations put greater focus on recruiting right-fit candidates and identifying high-potential leaders early in their career, they are able to effectively build a team for long-term success.