It’s great being a senior sales leader. There’s greater visibility within the organization and greater say in overall strategy. And, of course, there’s increased salary and status. That’s pretty great, too.
But there’s one thing that’s not so great. You’re removed from the frontline, sometimes by as much as two to three levels. In fact, you can become so removed from the frontline that you’re completely out of touch with what’s going on in the real world of sales. Soon a slip in numbers one month becomes an all out disaster the next.
How do you avoid the disaster that comes from being out of touch? Conducting consistent skip level meetings. Here are three skip level meeting dos and don’ts.
1. Don’t only having skip level meetings when there’s a problem
The first mistake that occurs with a skip level meeting is waiting to have one until there’s a problem. By this time, there’s enough tension in the air that it’s next to impossible to make the process positive and productive.
Not only that, a struggling sales manager, who out of the blue is asked to arrange a skip level meeting, can sabotage this meeting for sheer survival’s sake. Savvy salespeople, too, sensing a train wreck coming, will clam up, knowing that once you go back to corporate headquarters, career prospects are entirely dependent on their direct supervisor.
I recommend conducting skip level meetings on a quarterly basis, but no less than twice a year. In this way they become standard operating procedure for deeper leadership development, not an emergency one-off.
2. Don’t do skip levels meetings individually instead of in a group
The second mistake I see in conducting skip level meetings is when a senior leader does them individually, meeting with salespeople one-on-one instead of the entire team.
This is a misguided attempt to elicit greater honestly, but it does just the opposite in my opinion. In a one-on-one setting salespeople can say almost anything that pops into their head with little or no accountability. In a group, however, the comments of a more assertive personality are moderated, making it closer to reality.
3. Don’t focus on what’s going wrong, instead of what’s also going right
The final mistake senior leaders make in conducting skip level meetings is using them as a fishing expedition for finding a sales manager’s faults. Human nature being what it is, when asked for another person’s faults, we’re more than willing to comply. This makes a skip level meeting a gripe session, not a positive, productive experience.
A positive, productive skip level, however, spends as much time discussing what’s going right as it does discussing what’s going wrong. It approaches the meeting with balance and a belief in the leader being reviewed.
Set the tone at the start by asking the question, “What does Tom do well that he could do more of?” and take the time to have that question answered fully and completely. The next question is, “What does Tom do well that he could do less of?” And then finally, “What should Tom stop doing?”
Once you eliminate these three mistakes, here are three skip level steps to follow.
1. Do set the ground rules
Start your skip level meetings by stating their purpose: for everyone to get better at what they do. Repeat the three questions you’re going to ask: What does Tom do well that he could do more of? What does Tom do well that he could do less of? And what should Tom stop doing? Emphasize that you want as much positive input as constructive input, and that you’re there to listen and learn.
2. Do listen, listen, listen
The point, of course, of a skip level meeting is to listen to what’s really going on in the frontline of your sales organization. Don’t use this meeting as a way for you to defend the latest corporate policy or talk about a new product rollout. Save that for another meeting. This is a time to listen and listen well.
Ask the questions I just suggested. Ask them again. Double and triple click on these questions with words like, “Tell me more …” and, “How so?” Paraphrase and reflect back what’s being said until the people in the room exclaim, “Yes, that’s it!” Keep repeating this process for the entire meeting.
3. Do follow through
This follow through takes place in three ways: with each manager, with the sales reps, and with another next skip level meeting.
Following through with each manager involves talking to them first before anyone else regarding their skip level meeting and giving them a chance to respond. Cover completely what this leader is doing well and then share what this person could be doing better.
If you haven’t prepared this leader for the challenges her or she is facing, honestly admit that and get better together. Be clear and caring, honest and humble.
Follow through with the sales reps by thanking them for their input, communicating changes you and their manager plan to make, and explaining anything that can’t be changed with reasons that make sense.