Managing Different People Differently

Focus on Individual to Drive Performance at Scale

Driving the individual’s performance is about understanding what drives them.

Managers have long understood that their team consists of different people. What is less understood is the fact that even at the individual level there are many factors influencing the seller. The Managing Different People Differently training module provides a framework for recognizing and addressing the numerous parts of each seller.

Managing Different People Differently Module Overview

In this module, we introduce a 4-stage model to help managers manage their people differently.

The model starts with Broaden Your Thinking – here the manager is asked to think about what factors they should take into account when thinking about each of their Direct Reports. Factors that may affect how an individual is motivated are discussed.

To help with “broadening one’s thinking”, the second stage of the model, Deepen Your Understanding of direct reports, suggests managers explore these four key considerations:

• "Head" - What is their personality?
• "Heart" - What is important to them (what are their individual goals and values)?
• "Hands" - What can and can't they do (what is their skill set)?
• "Feet" - What drives them (what motivates their performance)?

With this information in hand, it helps inform some of our activities during the third stage, Develop Individual Coaching/Management Approach. Here the manager is asked to keep the various management disciplines in mind as they consider four factors for each individual.

• Frequency: the number of touchpoints the seller requires
• Format: the method by which the seller likes to be coached
• Fuel Needed: the amount of praise or recognition needed to keep the seller motivated
• Feedback: the amount of feedback the seller wants or requires

The final stage is Validation of Individual Approach. Here the manager works the plan, observes how the Direct Report reacts. The manager even shares the plan with the Direct Report and asks for feedback more than once. Input is assessed and the manager makes changes as required.

Module Objectives

In this training module the sales manager will:

• Define their own leadership style
• Explore ways to broaden their view of direct reports and the implications on coaching
• Deepen their understanding of direct reports by exploring four key considerations (“Head”, “Heart”, ‘Hands”, and “Feet”)
• Explore likely motivating factors for various direct reports
• Learn four factors to consider when preparing for and managing people differently