--- title: Sales Managers! Do you inspire or impose? description: Summer sales manager training and coaching program image: https://www.rickroberge.com/hubfs/20170729_123259.jpg --- # [SELLING IN THE 21ST CENTURY](https://www.rickroberge.com/) [![header-sm-linkedin-blue](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-465400397-png/images/header-sm-linkedin-blue.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickroberge) [![header-sm-twitter-blue](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-465371692-png/images/header-sm-twitter-blue.png)](https://twitter.com/RainMakerMaker) [![header-sm-google-plus-red](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-462412948-png/images/header-sm-google-plus-red.png)](https://plus.google.com/+RickRoberge/posts) [![header-sm-rss](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-480298330-png/images/header-sm-rss.png)](https://www.rickroberge.com/rss.xml) # [Science for Sales Rock Stars](https://www.rickroberge.com/) ## [Sales Managers! Do you inspire or impose?](https://www.rickroberge.com/sales-managers-do-you-inspire-or-impose) ![](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/hubfs/RR.jpg?width=35&height=35&name=RR.jpg) By [Rick Roberge](https://www.rickroberge.com/author/rick-roberge)   Jun 20, 2018, 6:53:16 AM How often do you talk with your salespeople 1:1? How long do you talk with them? Do you talk to them or with them? What do you talk about? As you might imagine, I talk to a few people. A few years ago, a hot shot sales guy working for an international company **[reads this article](https://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-lyons/sales-coach_b_4979638.html)** and reaches out to me. He makes decent money, but he thinks that he could triple his income if he had someone coaching him. When I asked about his sales manager, he replied that his manager was hard to reach and the only thing that he cared about was filling in the boxes on his monthly sales report so that he could show his boss that he was gonna make his quota. I wrote about these **[three sales managers](https://www.rickroberge.com/who-is-your-next-sales-rock-star)** a few months ago. What is your style? What is your motivation? Why are you a sales manager rather than a rep? Do you inspire each rep to reach a goal that's meaningful to them, or do you impose a quota as something that's relevant? Goals come in all shapes and sizes. - Earn $40K more per year to afford an apartment with no roommates in New York. - Earn $50K over and above living expenses to seed a real estate investment. - 3X quota to be able to help grandmother move to safer housing. (**[more here](https://www.rickroberge.com/its-that-time-of-year)**) - **[Get from $3,500/month to $20K/month](http://rickroberge.com/Blog/bid/333006/2014-Sales-and-Business-Goals)** - **[Last year we proposed $1.7 million and closed $700K. I want the other million](http://therainmakermaker.com/2007/08/23/joes-escalade/?__hstc=59613234.3595ba6f9006d40fbaf688f6a2be8af8.1465473861709.1529406050004.1529483796555.897&__hssc=59613234.11.1529483796555&__hsfp=935546000)** Now, honestly, don't you think that those goals are more inspiring than imposing a monthly quota? OK... Two more things. Last month I wrote five articles about how I coach reps. You can read them [here](https://www.rickroberge.com/10-think-and-share), but even better... Yesterday I announced my summer program. It's hands on, all about how to get each of your salespeople to double their sales this year. It could be a fun summer! **[Start here](https://www.rickroberge.com/sales-manager-intensive-summer-session)**. - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ### Want updates as they're published? #### Enter your email: BTW, do you have an idea or question that would make a good article? Would you like to write or co-author it? Either way, **[send me an email](mailto:therainmakermaker@gmail.com?Subject=Blog%20article/author%20idea)**. **[Rick Roberge](https://plus.google.com/116082120720832878924/posts?rel=author)** ## About this blog *This blog is for, by and about Sales Rock Stars, RainMakers, Entrepreneurs (and/or those that strive to be)* ## [Read My Articles on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/rickroberge) ## [About Rick](https://www.rickroberge.com/contact-me) **[The Original](http://therainmakermaker.com/)[RainMaker Maker Blog (pre-2012)](http://therainmakermaker.com/)** [**Remote Bookkeeping**](http://www.slcbookkeeping.com/blog/bid/116710/remote-bookkeeping-made-easy)[**Made Easy**](http://www.slcbookkeeping.com/blog/bid/116710/remote-bookkeeping-made-easy) [**Awesome Website Design**](https://www.inbounddesignstudio.com/contact/) Search RainMakers & Sales Rock Stars Search ### Subscribe to Email Updates ### Posts by Month - [November 2025 (19)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2025/11) - 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