Why go to the expense and bother of hiring outsiders to cure your salespeople when you already have a doctor in the house? Too many sales directors leave salespeople to their own devices rather than giving them the benefit of their wisdom and experience. If you're one of those “hands off” types, it's not too late to turn the ship around.

Begin by gaining proficiency in all areas in which your team needs to excel: The next time you have an opportunity to take part in what may seem like basic training for your staff, join in. Don't consider yourself exempt because you had similar training five years ago. Ask yourself, “Do I really know everything I should about this subject so I can effectively coach my people?”

Taking part in their training ensures you will speak the same language after the course, and getting away from the hotel will afford you the opportunity to build stronger relationships. And stronger relationships will help you to identify your staff's strengths and weaknesses.

If one of your team is taking online training, meet with him or her as often as possible to answer questions and discuss the training. But to do this effectively, you must know the material as well or better than those who report to you. Again, take the training yourself.

Get involved with your team. Develop a yearly plan that includes books, tapes, CDs, seminars, educational programs and in-house exercises that improve selling skills; arrange weekly educational experiences; role-play and critique likely situations and encounters; give quizzes and tests on the material to demonstrate your commitment to developing a top-notch team; design and role-play presentations for new programs, packages and plans. Don't just say, “Get out there and sell.”

Accompany your salespeople on calls and offer constructive criticism after each one. When a member of your team is working on an important piece of business, discuss their strategies and action steps on a regular basis. These sessions are great opportunities for sales directors to teach and, indirectly, to increase sales. Make learning and professional growth an integral part of annual evaluations.

I estimate no more than 20 percent of hotel directors of sales take a professional approach to continuously improving their staffs.

If you're not one of the 20 percent … you should be.

Tom McCarthy, CHME, CHA, spent half his career with Hilton and Marriott in sales, advertising and public relations and half in his own training and consulting business, Hotel Professional Education and Consulting of Falls Church, VA. He is a past president of Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) and a member of the HSMAI Hall of Fame. Reach him at ttmccarthy@cox.net or 703-931-0757.