“The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to give thanks. In the middle, the leader is a servant.” Max de Pree.

I continue to be amazed by leaders who wish to see the world through rose-colored glasses and not face reality head-on with their Teams. While these people are likely to exist in all areas of the business, it is especially evident in a sales environment.

If it is the manager who cannot or will not define the reality of working in a team environment and the basic responsibilities that are expected (and, as a result, does not hold people equally accountable throughout the team) for all appearances as favorites when they are simply avoiding potential conflict) or the sales leader who continues to believe that because of the brand they represent, customers will come running for their services; many leaders fail to define reality for their team.

Time and time again I have walked into organizations and shared the most basic information with sales teams only to be surprised that they weren’t aware of things like specific product or service goals. In fact, they had been a team in name only, but in reality they were very focused on their own results and contributions. In effect, a collection of people who only shared your reporting structure.

The second responsibility of the leader is to be a servant of his people. As leaders (especially in sales), we need to focus on what obstacles we can remove for our teams. How can we help our people advance their agenda and remove obstacles for our people?

Unfortunately, this does not happen rarely either. Leaders don’t spend enough time meeting the needs of their Team and they don’t spend too much time finding ways to deflect blame / make demands (Yes, I know that’s a great generalization).

I can think of a case where a friend of mine (who is an excellent and experienced salesperson) was placed in a position where the leader could not define the reality of his team or be a servant and really help move the business forward. . In this case, the leader refused to accept the failures of the product set and the pricing policies that his company was bringing to market. Rather than fight internally (which he should have), he spent time refusing to listen to his team and failing to represent his team to senior management. This ‘Teflon’ behavior rarely serves the team well and in fact undermines a leader’s credibility with his team. As a result, a downward spiral begins in which salespeople disengage and lose their rights and then end up leaving the organization in search of a more supportive leader and organization.

The last piece, gratitude, is also something few leaders do well. A well placed thank you and public acknowledgment go beyond anything else in acknowledging and supporting the work that Team members do.

For all leaders, remember the formula. Define reality, be a servant of your people and thank them again and again. Do this and your team will support you and you will soar to great heights. You will rise with them; without your team you cannot fulfill your mandate.