| In my first management course at the City College | | | | staff members achieve their personal and |
| of New York over 30 years ago, I learned an | | | | professional objectives. Setting a climate for success |
| important truth--you can't motivate anyone except | | | | is developing the right support staff, support tools |
| yourself. As a manager, all you can do is "create a | | | | and support systems. Setting a climate is making sure |
| climate" in which your sales team members motivate | | | | that your products and/or services meet or exceed |
| themselves. | | | | the positive description your representatives use to |
| It's true that you can motivate your staff with | | | | sell them. Setting a climate is setting up an upward |
| fear--the fear of management's anger, the fear of | | | | communications system with your sales team and |
| looking foolish or even the fear of losing their job. | | | | then consistently following-through on what you learn |
| Fear motivates human beings for short periods, but | | | | from the field. Setting a climate is acting as an |
| eventually this tactic fails, because most people will | | | | advocate for your sales team members with upper |
| only accept this type of negative incentive for a | | | | management. Setting a climate for success is in |
| short time and then they quit. | | | | avoiding the sales management myths outlined in the |
| Setting a climate for self-motivation by staff | | | | pages of this manual by applying the methods for |
| members is a full-time job for successful sales | | | | success that are suggested here. |
| managers. As suggested earlier, setting a climate | | | | Your staff will motivate themselves to improve their |
| starts with hiring the right people with the right | | | | sales success, if you consistently provide the climate |
| attitudes and then training, coaching and helping these | | | | for them to do so. |