I came to Advantage in 1991 after working several years in sales at a leading food manufacturer. During my time at Advantage, I’ve moved from brand sales manager to department head and regional business manager to sales team leader.
Today I manage the business for one of our largest CPG clients at two key California grocery retail chains. The most rewarding part of my role as a team leader is overseeing the development of our associates as they build their competencies and enjoy their successes.
Outside of work, many of my leadership skills were developed during my time coaching my daughter’s softball teams. That was a great experience for learning how to bring together and mesh a group of people, in that case parents and players, with diverse personalities and preferences.
As a leader focused on career development, I’ve shared five tips with associates to help them succeed:
- Operate with a high degree of integrity and reliability. Our customers and clients trust us and have confidence in our responsiveness and willingness to accept accountability.
- Be proactive and results-oriented with a strong sense of urgency and attention to detail. Start every day organized and with specific objectives to accomplish.
- A collaborative mindset is crucial. Be solutions-oriented to solve problems and capitalize on opportunities when our clients’ and customers’ goals or strategies don’t align.
- Build your skill sets and competencies. Know the 4 Ps — product, price, place and promotion — of the categories in which your client competes and understand the role of the brands you represent. Never stop learning the business — stay engaged.
- Finally, be persistent and maintain positive expectations. There will be ups and down, but the law of averages will reward those who go the extra mile every day.
Leading a team is a challenging balancing act and while you’re never going to please everyone all the time, if you’re consistent in your leadership approach, you’ll win their respect.
