Key soft skills to be a good leader in direct selling

Nov 30, 2021 in Opiniões

The universe of sales has evolved, diversified, and gained new, advanced work tools. However, still there’s nothing that can replace the effect of a seller who can capture the attention of the client, create rapport, and get the client to make a decision. This is undoubtedly where the magic happens. And that is why direct selling exists and makes increasingly more sense, because it is a technique that generates relevant results for the companies which use it as a business channel in their sales strategy.

And which are the key qualities for those who want to be good team leaders in this business area?

Those who work with direct selling know that what it takes to run a large team is a leader who knows how to evaluate and maximise the best in each team member. In this role, it’s not all about hard skills, it’s also about having people’s trust. And that’s fundamental to get results and to succeed.

The idea of that “boss” who uses aggressive commercial pressure is long gone (or at least it should have been). Now, you need opposite qualities to be worthy of leading a team. Business vision, passion, and integrity are some of the qualities that are most appreciated, but they aren’t the only qualities that guarantee success. There are key soft skills that a leader in the direct selling area must have:

Empathy
The ability to understand and share the feelings of others is what we call empathy. It’s extremely important in every environment and helps manage conflicts and relationships. In addition, being empathic helps to better understand client’s needs and to gain people’s trust.

Optimism
Many believe that being optimistic is being hopeful. It’s true, but that’s not all. Optimism is a quality that also means to have confidence in their own success and others’. It’s obvious that excessive optimism is not good (as with everything else), but optimistic leaders inspire and motivate people.

Altruism
Altruism means to care about the wellness of others.

In the corporate world, that means that the people who surround us do better, feel better, and produce more. It’s an amazing quality when it comes to team and business leadership, but many people don’t feel that way yet, because they don’t associate altruism with leaders and with being capable and strong.

Eloquence
With the digital transformation, knowing how to talk and write in a more persuasive way has gained ground. People expect that their leaders communicate, and they want to feel engaged with their speeches. Good rhetoric and engaging texts can demystify fears and concerns, and lead people to reach levels that they weren’t expecting.

Discernment
Making the right call, whether in terms of people, situations, or business decisions, is a key skill for a leader. It’s essential to know how much time one must dedicate to understanding a problem, finding multiple solutions, and defining which solution is the best.

Modesty
As important as the air that we breathe. Nobody wants to listen how the other is fantastic every day in every situation. Even less when it’s said by the others themselves. Attitudes speak for themselves. Confidence must go hand in hand with modesty – it will go on your favour, and not the other way around.

For the direct selling business, or any other business that wishes to differentiate itself, to be successful and, of course, get results (that is what makes a company successful), it is essential to “think outside the box” and visualize new perspectives, investing in human capital and technology to value the business. This way, it’s fundamental to know that any direct selling business must follow a consistent strategic plan, present quality products, and rely on good people at every level.