As an executive recruiter, I always tell the clients who are hiring sales directors that the position is too crucial to allow for any mistakes. Sales directors are the people who lead the organization. They are just as important as the "C-level" executives within the firm, however they are more of a foot soldier to be labeled as such.

Below, you will find some aspects and traits that will help you hire the right person to lead your sales force to increase revenue, decreased employee turnover, raise company moral and, most importantly, will teach others how to lead, thus moving your firm forward.

Rule #1 - Proper Compensation For The Director:

Chuck Ames, the former chairman and CEO of Reliance Electric, "Show me a company's various compensation plans, and I'll show you how its people behave."

This is one position that, as an executive, you don't attempt to shortchange. It is too important. For the sales director, a very good base salary must be in place. In all actuality, to show loyalty to the individual, you should compensate slightly above market. That's the best trick that I've learned.

Following the aforementioned, there must be heavy performance based bonuses. True sales directors want to make money - some love the money itself, while others treat it as a trophy due to competitive winning. Regardless, the money must be there. Otherwise, reading further is probably not going to be the best use of your time.

Giving Up A Good Amount Of Power To the Sales Director

As an executive of the firm, sometimes it is hard to give the sales director full power. However, most management theories would tell you that, upon coming on board with the company and assessing the sales force, the director might have to cut dead weight.

Now, these people being laid-off (or fired to call it spades) may have close, personal ties with you and will come "making a case" following their pink slip, you must be able to deal with it. Nobody said this was easy, but then again, what worth while is?

Allowing For A Period of Retrenchment

A sales director, from the first day, should be aware of the numbers, but should not be given a quota from the second they walk in the office. It's not, "Welcome Sally or Bob, the clock starts ticking now!" If you study nearly any military strategy, all successful armies throughout history has postponed invasions or attacks due to a need to restructure their divisions to be ready to go to battle. You must give the sales director this type of flexibility.

I was once asked to do sales consulting / restructuring for a small, family owned business and after great forward movements were put in place within 8 hours, the owners, a son and father, called me in their office to scream and ask what I was doing for the monthly revenue. I politely walked out.

Here's An Example of the Importance of Retrenchment:

On Tuesday, June 6th of 1944, at 6:30 a.m. (GMT+2), the American troops successfully stormed the Normandy beaches and began a successful, epic penetration into Berlin. Common knowledge. However, before the U.S. Army could attack, the lower ranking troops had to be organized and the climate of the invasion (ideal was a sea state less than 4, wind speed under 24 knots, a visibility of 6,000 yards) had to be there.

The retrenchment parallel is that Eisenhower sat still until two specific fair weather days presented themselves. The weather was not perfect, but the attack was so successful that it paved the way for the American Army to swiftly put an end to an atrocious war.