A guest post from Henning Schwinum from Vendux – experts in interim and fractional sales leadership.
One of the problems organizations face is hiring a sales leader with the experience and proven track record to succeed. An alternative approach that many companies favor is contracting a fractional sales leader to challenge, disrupt, and become a real catalyst for growth.
A fractional sales leader has a clock ticking, so they don’t have a moment to waste. They do not have sufficient time to get to know each individual, earn their trust and respect, demonstrate their capabilities to help. There is no time for a ramp-up or learning curve; they need to be immediately successful. They only work part-time, possibly remote. Their mission is clear, and they bring a necessary urgency too. Under those circumstances, how can a fractional sales leader be successful?
Eight Elements of a Successful Assignment
- “A prophet is not without honor but in his own country.” An outsider has no roots and also no baggage. They know nobody, do not need to please anybody in particular, nor do they need to worry about stepping on anybody’s toes. The sole focus is on doing the right things.
- “The Prairie Traveler. A Handbook for Overland Expeditions Between the Mississippi and the Pacific.” Trailblazer, first mover, those are labels we assign all too quickly. Most often than not, the reality is that there is someone out there who has done before what you aim to accomplish. The perfect match is then to bring their experience into your organization.
- “The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” An outsider brings a fresh perspective, especially when this outsider doesn’t need to think of a career or other benefits but instead focuses solely on the organization’s rights. A “clean-slate’ approach will produce new ideas, strategies, products, habits, culture, and so much more.
- “Get the ophthalmologist, not the family doctor, to fix your vision.” You are hiring a specialist to make a particular diagnosis and prescribe special treatment. Some problems in an organization are urgent and temporary. A fractional leader can be on board quickly and bring in just the right set of experiences and skillsets. After an interim phase, the family doctor can take it over again.
- “Men Wanted, for hazardous journey, small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger. Safe return doubtful,” (Ernest Shackleton) – Identify the right criteria to find the perfect match: role-relevant (e.g., type of product or service, length of the sales cycle), verified and not just self-declared, prioritized to make sure a knock-out criterion is genuinely relevant. Fractional sales leaders hit the ground running.
- “Light is bent as it passes through water.” When a larger company goes through a merger or re-organizations, there are many unknowns and uncertainties by nature. In this situation, it is not only costly but also risky to fill a permanent position. A fractional sales leader offers a quick onboarding process, flexibility, little commitment, and relatively low cost.
- “My name is Bond, James Bond.” The assignment starts with introducing the fractional sales leader to the team by the CEO, founder, or owner. The reasons for the hiring and the criteria in the selection need to be crystal clear.
- “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” A fractional sales leader becomes a full member of the client company’s management team for the duration of the assignment. As an independent expert, they will operate as part of the team. They won’t be part of an external organization.
With these elements in place, the fractional sales leader will be successful. Wouldn’t you like your CEO to be able to say:
“The fractional executive placement has now completely disrupted our executive team and culture in a very positive way. He leads the company’s revenue generation and intellectual property monetization with speed, focus, and high intensity. He has all the sales and leadership skills necessary for our business, including the development of the right strategy and tactical execution. I have never been more impressed by a sales leader. He is the real deal.”
Would you like to explore this option for your business? Contact me, Henning Schwinum, at henning.schwinum@vendux.org or 913-620-0807.
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Photo by Andrik Langfield on Unsplash
