Meet Jon
Simon Sinek once said, “Leadership is not about being in charge. Leadership is about taking care of those in your charge.” This quote was shared with me by East Region Zone Sales Manager of the Year, Jonathan Hill. In Jon I found a teacher, someone who simply loves to share his wisdom with those who will listen.
The Zone Sales Manager role affords Jon the opportunity to help sales people come into their own in a challenging field. “As crazy as it sounds,” he told me, “after the time I spent as an AE grinding each day, sharing what I know and being part of a successful group is more fulfilling to me than independent success. I love being a mentor, coach, and cheerleader. Our business isn’t easy. I always tell my team to control what you can control and be ok with the ‘not right now.’ If it’s a ‘no,’ fine, put it on the calendar to follow up and move on. Don’t let small obstacles dictate your emotions.”
As a lifelong student, I wanted to absorb as much knowledge from Jon as I could. I was interested to hear his thoughts on the most important step in the sales process. “For me, it’s the initial meeting. Do you understand the need? We aren’t selling a catalog or menu, so our goal in that first meeting is learning how the client and their employees operate – what do they need. Succeeding in the initial meeting allows us to propose tailored solutions based on insight. We don’t sell coffee, we sell ourselves, and if you can’t sell yourself to the client in that first meeting there won’t be a next step.”
This week, whether in your charge or not, take care of those around you. Share your strengths and build from your weaknesses.
LOOKING AHEAD: Actively pursuing opportunity to help others and share in a collective success rather than your own is a sign of genuine leadership. People like Jon are born with that passion for growth and inspire me to be that person to those around me.