"We take high performers with low trust and make them leaders just because they hit their numbers."

This common mistake creates toxic environments where top talent leaves, team culture suffers, and long-term growth stalls.

But what if there was a better way to identify and develop sales leaders? In this article, we will explore the insights shared by Eric Stavola, VP of managed services sales and programs at Visual Edge IT, during SellMeThisPen podcast on how to approach internal promotions in sales organizations, identify true leadership potential, and create an environment where both individuals and teams can thrive.

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The Problem of Sales Leadership Selection

When it comes to promoting sales reps to leadership positions, many companies follow a predictable pattern: identify the top performers, promote them to management, and hope for the best.

The logic seems sound – if someone excels at selling, they should be able to teach others to do the same, right?

Unfortunately, this approach often leads to disappointing results:

• Talented individual contributors find themselves struggling in roles that require completely different skill sets
• Team members become disengaged under leaders who lack people management capabilities
• The organization loses both a great salesperson and the opportunity to develop a truly effective leader

As Eric points out, hitting numbers doesn't automatically translate to leadership potential. The best salespeople don't always make the best leaders, and forcing this transition can be detrimental for everyone involved.

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The Leadership Formula

Instead of focusing solely on sales performance, Eric suggests a more nuanced formula for identifying and developing leadership talent:

Performance = Potential - Interference

This formula highlights three critical components for successful leadership development:

1. Identifying true potential that goes beyond hitting quota
2. Removing obstacles that prevent growth
3. Creating environments where learning and development can flourish

This approach acknowledges that raw potential alone isn't enough – the organizational context and support systems play crucial roles in whether a leader will succeed.

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4 Key Traits That Signal Leadership Potential

According to Eric, there are four fundamental traits that signal real leadership potential in sales organizations:

1. Leadership Maturity

Leadership maturity encompasses:

• Humility – the ability to acknowledge mistakes and learn from them
• Self-awareness – understanding personal strengths and limitations
• Situational awareness – reading the room and adapting approach accordingly

These qualities form the foundation of authentic leadership and create the trust necessary for teams to follow willingly.

2. People Smart

Being "people smart" means:

• Understanding others' motivations and concerns
• Processing information quickly in dynamic situations
• Adapting communication and management styles to different personalities

This emotional intelligence enables leaders to build strong relationships, navigate conflicts, and bring out the best in their teams.

3. Problem-Solving Skills

Problem-solving orientation demonstrates:

• The ability to find creative solutions to complex challenges
• Clear articulation of problems and action plans
• Implementation skills that turn ideas into results

In sales leadership, this approach helps teams overcome obstacles, adapt to changing market conditions, and continuously improve processes.

4. Executive Presence

Executive presence manifests as:

• Inspiring confidence in team members
• Building trust with superiors and peers
• Leading by example in both actions and communication

This quality ensures that a leader can represent the team effectively and drive alignment across the organization.

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The Reality Check: Not Everyone Wants to Lead

Perhaps one of the most important insights Eric shares is something often overlooked in succession planning: "Not every top performer wants to be a leader."

Eric recalls a conversation with a high-performing salesperson who told him directly: "I want to make money, talk to customers, and solve their issues. Not manage pipelines and personnel."

This honest feedback highlights a critical truth – forcing people into leadership roles they don't want can lead to frustration, decreased performance, and eventual departure from the organization.

Instead, understanding where each person's passion and talent lie is essential for making smart promotion decisions.

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The 3 Sales Superpowers: Finding the Right Fit

Rather than forcing everyone into the same career trajectory, Eric suggests identifying and leveraging what he calls "sales superpowers" – the distinctive strengths that allow individuals to excel in specific roles within the sales organization.

The Bird Dogger

This sales professional excels at:

• Getting initial meetings
• Creating new opportunities
• Driving early engagement with prospects

Bird Doggers are invaluable for building pipeline and opening doors that others might find closed.

The Utility Player

These versatile team members bring:

• A combination of IQ and EQ that enables them to connect with various stakeholders
• The ability to align business needs with solutions
• Skills for driving valuable, substantive conversations

Utility Players adapt to different situations and can fill multiple roles as needed.

The Momentum Builder

Momentum Builders specialize in:

• Maintaining progress throughout the account lifecycle
• Preventing wasted motion or stalled deals
• Keeping opportunities moving toward closure

These professionals excel at overcoming obstacles and creating forward momentum in complex sales cycles.

The key insight here is that organizations should place people where their natural “superpowers” can shine, rather than forcing them into predetermined career paths that might not align with their strengths.

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The Do's and Don'ts of Internal Promotion

Based on Eric's experience, here are the essential guidelines for effective internal promotion and leadership development:

Don't:

• Treat training as a one-off event
• Outsource development entirely
• Check boxes instead of building real skills

Do:

• Make development ongoing, not one-time
• Focus on daily improvement
• Invest in your people consistently

These principles emphasize that leadership development is a continuous journey rather than a destination – one that requires consistent attention and investment.

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Blueprint for Success: Creating Effective Sales Leaders

Drawing from Eric's insights, here's a comprehensive blueprint for building successful sales leadership:

1. Focus on continuous development, not one-off trainingCreate regular opportunities for learning and growth rather than relying on occasional formal training sessions.
2. Create safe environments for learning and failing forwardEncourage experimentation and view mistakes as valuable learning opportunities rather than failures.
3. Build business conversations, not just sales skillsDevelop leaders who understand the broader business context, not just the techniques of closing deals.
4. Understand each person's natural strengthsTake time to identify what makes each team member exceptional rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.
5. Match roles to individual superpowersDesign career paths that leverage natural talents instead of forcing everyone into the same progression.

By following these principles, organizations can develop sales leaders who drive sustainable growth, build strong teams, and create environments where everyone can thrive.

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Full episode on the topic ⬇️

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In this episode of SellMeThisPen Podcast, Michael and Eric discuss common mistakes in sales leadership selection, the formula for identifying true leadership potential, and how to create environments where both individuals and teams can thrive. They explore why the traditional approach of promoting top performers often fails and provide a practical blueprint for building effective sales leadership pipelines.

Eric Stavola is the VP of managed services sales and programs at Visual Edge IT. As a former CEO and CIO with over 20 years of leadership experience, he has built and coached multiple high-performing teams, transforming struggling sales organizations into industry leaders.

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