Have you ever considered the differences between managers, supervisors and team leaders within your business? Maybe you think they are all the same? Read what these roles all have in common.

While having the right experience selling in a certain industry helps, most hiring managers blindly hire sales people based on their experience and track records, only to find these sales people under-performing. What hiring managers need to know are what are some of the critical behaviours that separate the winners from the mediocre. Having experience, a good "feel" during the interview, and even a good track record are no indicators of future success. Some of these critical behaviours have general, and can be applied across different industries. Others may be very specific right down to the specific customer buying a specific product. Whatever it is, once the critical behaviours have been identified, they can be taught and further developed as habits for the entire sales force.

While experienced sales people have the intimate knowledge about the market they serve, new sales people usually have the drive and energy to develop new markets; However, most companies are stuck with either complacent experienced sales people, or clueless rookie new sales staff. Experienced sales people are also the targets of competitors luring poaching them with the promises of higher pay and financial rewards. Many companies are thus faced with the dilemma of paying a lot more for their sales people, or losing them to the competition. While many companies are committed to developing new sales people via coaching, most coaching programmes are haphazardly implemented, and most sales coaches don't quite have a clue what is coaching.

If you are in sales management, you may be experiencing the 20/80 productivity rule? These four tips may help you reverse that statistic for your team and help to increase sales.