A version of this article was originally published as a post on Ray's LinkedIn page.
The Q&A section at the end was taken from questions posed in the comments of the post.
Writer: Ray Reed, Sales Consultant and Coach, Editor: Kelly Johnson
*Editor’s note: We recognize that gender diversity exists on a wide spectrum and includes more than two genders. However, for the sake of simplicity, this article will refer only to male and female genders, with the understanding that true diversity is inclusive of the wider spectrum that includes minority gendered people, who, like female salespeople, experience inadequate representation in the federal sales sector despite the value they contribute.
We're facing a critical moment in federal sales, with very few women working on sales teams and in positions of leadership... but it doesn't have to be this way.
As someone who has led sales teams to achieve significant growth many times over, I can attest that embracing gender diversity isn't just a moral duty but a strategic necessity. Imagine a team where men and women work side by side, their diverse talents sparking innovation and achieving success. This isn't just a distant dream; it's a reality I've experienced firsthand. As I pursued excellence when creating my own sales teams, ensuring a balanced gender ratio wasn't just a decision; it was a fundamental principle. For those striving for exponential growth, a 50/50 gender ratio isn't a choice: it's essential.
My recruiters and I actively pursued talent from diverse backgrounds, especially from the private sector, because we saw the untapped potential of saleswomen. We then gave them the coaching and support needed to thrive in the highly competitive DoD market. While they faced many obstacles, their resilience and perseverance prevailed - proving that one's gender should never be a hindrance to their success.
Why do I, a man, champion women in sales? Because I've witnessed what they can bring to the table: their unique perspectives, empathy, and unwavering determination are indispensable assets in the competitive world of sales. To overlook their potential is to deny our teams the the opportunity for greatness.
It's time for leaders to recognize the importance of gender diversity in sales, and to take decisive action to ensure equal representation and opportunity for women in this field.
Q & A with Ray
Q. “I’m curious, why do you think the pipeline of women in sales and sales leadership is shrinking every single day? We know women can sell, and we know the data on how they perform. The ROI on women in sales is available for anyone to find. So, in your opinion, why are women choosing to say no thank you?” - J
A. The challenge may seem complex, but in my view, the solution isn’t. To fully answer your question, I'll share my experience from when I was Regional Vice President of Sales and led my own team.
Our numbers were beginning to grow consistently and incrementally, but I knew I needed team diversity to achieve exponential growth. So, I asked my recruiter why women were not interested in selling in the Federal market, when it seemed that a significant number of women were selling in the private sector. He answered that they could not find women with experience selling to the federal government. This prompted me to change the criteria (from federal experience-based) to "traits only"… with one caveat: They had to have been successful in selling something; I didn’t care what. Only their success mattered. Once we made this change, we began to receive numerous resumes.
The second thing I did was provide my recruiter with a talk track that outlined my vision and philosophy regarding having a diverse team. The third thing was that I personally interviewed every candidate over breakfast, for a couple of hours, and always on a day that we had a discovery call panel scheduled. So, why did I do that?
Because I wanted to ensure that the candidate was a good fit. I did this by observing how they treated the wait staff and the receptionist when getting their visitor badge. My belief is that good people make great salespeople, and good people fit into our team culture. I also wanted the candidate to realize their own importance, and to know that I, the Regional Vice President, appreciated them and wanted them to be part of our team. Not one woman declined the offer.
The bottom line is that, as a team leader, you can’t delegate this responsibility. If you do, the probability of women saying NO increases dramatically. When they don’t see your commitment and transparency, they don’t believe that they will be treated as equals.
Q. “Ray, do you have any thoughts on WHY we aren't seeing many saleswomen in the federal sales space? I would really appreciate hearing your thoughts on what you believe to be some contributing factors or barriers to entry. There must be some reason that the numbers are low and getting lower.” - K
Let's simplify this as much as possible...
Scenario one: team leaders lack a continuous training and coaching program that explain the "Art and Science of Sales" to their teams, including the new hires. Or, scenario two: The the company has a general training program, but the sales team leaders fail to develop their own, assuming that the company program is sufficient. However, such general training programs typically focus on selling to the private sector and neglect the public sector. Team leaders tend to hire salespeople with experience in the federal market... a historically male- dominated space. This creates a downward spiral, funneling fewer and fewer women into the federal sales sector.
The process of stopping the spiral begins with you, the team leader.
Here are the steps that I advise you to take. Firstly, communicate to your recruiting team that your hiring criteria should be based solely on the traits the individual possess. Ask them to forward all resumes to you and your leaders, so that you may handle the responsibility of evaluating salespeople, thereby relieving them of the burden of elimination. Secondly, develop a talk track for your recruiting team that highlights your vision for growth, with a focus on achieving a gender-balanced team. Thirdly, have your recruiting team start reaching out to women at other companies to let them know that you're actively seeking more female salespeople.
If you with implement these steps and commit to creating a gender-diverse team, soon you too will be convinced of the value of having more saleswomen into the federal marketplace in general and on your team in particular. Be proactive and dare to do something new. You will not be sorry.
*Interested in working with Ray? Contact us to learn more about Ray's in-person team trainings and/or his consulting capabilities.
We hope you enjoyed this guest article from Ray Reed.
Over the next couple of months, we will continue to post more of his sales-related articles. They will be informative as well as instructive, and will include some great tips and stories that anyone in the sales industry can enjoy and learn from.
Make sure you're subscribed to our newsletter so you don't miss out on any of them!
To opt in, please visit our Contact page and send us a note - Subject: "Subscribe".
Kommentare