#1 Sales in times of corona virus – it is about self-leadership before you can lead
In times of the corona virus, which gives a lot of pressure, Skondras will publish a newsletter once a week. In this way we will provide entrepreneurs, sales managers, marketing managers and board of direction insight on how to deal with this crisis from a sales perspective. We will be sharing cases, new success stories but also insight about your personal situation. Also we will share the shifts we see within the market on what works and what doesn’t. Because a lot is required from you, the man or woman that is end responsible of the sales department.
Skondras thinks and acts with you more than ever. We are here to take the stress out of your sales and ensure that sales, the sales that ultimately pays all salaries, continues to run as well as possible. If you need help, want to discuss, or just want to talk to one of our sales experts and let all your frustrations off, call 0204499415 or mail us at sales@skondras.nl.
Leadership first
These are intense times. The corona virus puts enormous pressure on our society and economy. Sales in these times is important more than ever, it is even about surviving as a company. The tension and pressure on us is real and remarkably tangible. The question is not if tension is there, but how you manage it as a manager and director.
It starts with self-leadership
As a manager or director you cannot permit to have fear or get in panic. Fear makes you no longer see things clearly and make or dare to make a different choice then you usually did. Or even keep doing things that you always did, but then with more pressure and drive, working hard and making many working hours.
There are companies that run better than ever with their current proposition and business
operations, but often as a manager or director you have to make new important choices because at this point other actions are required from you. You must see the new developed trends and know how to respond and act upon them. Perhaps your company has to develop a new proposition with a new story (messaging) or there will be even new target groups emerging? Perhaps you have to approach your (new) target group in a different way.
Stress is outside of you and not inside
You feel that pressure, it is real but outside of you. How do you ensure that this is not fear or stress that finds it’s way into you and affects your clarity and choices in a wrong way? It is very important to realize: you are not that pressure, it is outside you and it will remain there. How you deal with that is your own choice. The pressure does not go away by going into a full action mode. In just acting there will be no space in which the necessary ideas and insights will come to you.
For example, take a break regularly, take a walk at home or in the office, and try not to use your head for a while, for example by simply feeling how your feet touch the floor. Feel your breathing as you walk. Walk to the toilet and wash your hands when you work in the office. Do a stretch or fitness exercise. When you reconnect with yourself in this way, you can also feel that the pressure is outside you but that it is not in you. Do you feel stress or anxiety coming on? Stop.
Going in an action mode it won’t help you take the pressure off. The pressure will not fade away by going into a full action mode. By just taking actions there will be no space in which the necessary ideas and insights come to you.
So how to keep the pressure outside you? For instance, take a break regularly, take a walk at home or in the office and try not to use your mind for a while by simply being aware and feeling your feet touching the floor.
Make sure to be aware of your breathing while walking. When you are at the office walk to the washing room and wash your hands. Try to stretch out and do an exercise if possible. When you reconnect with yourself in this way you will be aware of the fact that the pressure is outside of you instead of inside. Do you feel stress and anxiety? Stop.
Team based thinking and community based solutions
Realize that you can’t do it all and have to do it alone. This large-scale crisis requires community thinking to solve it. This also applies at a company level. You as a manager, management do not have to do it all alone. This crisis requires team thinking. For example, invite all your colleagues to think along about how to deal with the crisis from a sales perspective. Ask them to stand up as a leader and think along and come up with ideas.
Also, show your vulnerability and let your colleagues know if you do not know what to do, and ask them to think along. Acting as if you know it all does not work for you and your company and costs you an unnecessary amount of energy. Honesty and transparency what is going on with you also invites other people to help you. Because that is what people really want, help each other. Also ask for help as there is so much help available if you want to see it. Showing vulnerability is a great strength.
Taking care of your health
Then there is another point which is your health. If you get sick there will be little to lead and manage anyway. It is more than ever important to take responsibility for your health as much as possible, in order to remain healthy and not further push the congested health care.
Because people seem to forget that: not everyone gets or will get sick from the virus, you will need to have an opening for that and in many cases you create that opening yourself. We actually know very well what it takes to stay healthy. Healthy food and drinks (perhaps now some extra Vitamin C), going to bed on time, exercise (also possible at home, see, for example, this home fitness app Sworkit) sufficient sleep and perhaps the most important: no stress. Because if something undermines your immune system, it is stress.
So we are full circle: The pressure around you does not have to result in stress in you.
