Vital stats
- Bradley Taylor
- Designation: Managing Director
- Company: PNet
- Sales Team: A team of three sales managers & 59 sales people
- Career Summary: Taylor cut his teeth in insurance sales in the early 1990s. With the launch of cellphones in SA in 1994, he was fortunate to become involved in this industry early on. This boosted his sales career as the opportunities and scope for growth were enormous. This early success led him to decide on a career in sales. He was involved in manufacturing, FMCG, and retail sales before joining PNet. Experience in these sectors gave him a good foundation and exposure to a multitude of businesses and how sales functions within various industries.
What makes your sales team successful?
It’s primarily their collective drive and ambition. This, linked to selling a service or solution we believe in and the knowledge that it impacts our clients positively, ensures success.
What is the best advice you have ever received about sales management?
Never try to manage a team; instead, manage the individuals within the team. There simply isn’t a ‘one-size-fits-all’ when dealing with people. The only way you can do this is to know each person, their specific strengths and weaknesses, where they require coaching, what their aspirations are, and what motivates them.
What’s your sales leadership style?
I’m a blend of the ‘mentor’ and ‘expressive’ types of leader. Mentors measure success using three criteria: exceeding revenue goals, creating an environment where the entire team can succeed, and helping all team members realise their individual potential.
Mentors are confident in their own abilities and possess the business insight to know what needs to be done and how to do it. Expressive managers are people-oriented. They have a natural ability to put people at ease, but are also quite comfortable praising or admonishing the team.
Expressive managers create an environment where a considerable amount of energy is focused on how their organisation is thought of and perceived within the company. It’s not something I have consciously orchestrated, it’s just who I am.
I find it easier not having to check my thinking and just being able to go with what feels natural to me. Thankfully, it works out more often than not, but I do acknowledge there are definite areas of improvement I can work on. It’s this knowledge that keeps me motivated.
What’s the worst sales mistake you have ever made?
There are many. The one that still haunts me happened nine years ago, when I thought we were good to go on a really large deal with a financial services institution. Although I had confirmation from all senior management as well as business heads, I had neglected to involve group IT which resulted in delaying the signing and ultimately, the group going out to tender, which we lost.
What’s your greatest sales learning?
It’s never done until it’s done and when it’s done, that’s when the work starts.
What business lessons have you learnt from colleagues and mentors?
Sales requires consistency and tenacity. Those who demonstrate this always do well.
Do you have a favourite business quote?
I don’t know who wrote it but I remember seeing it in a magazine years ago and it really rang true to me: ‘Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t, so you can spend the rest of your life like most people can’t.’ The life of an entrepreneur often calls for sacrifice, but working hard and working smart bring real success.
What is the best business advice you ever received?
The best advice I ever got was to find something I loved doing. Then, to do it with honesty, integrity, passion and pride. This will ensure success, both personally and professionally.
What motivates you every day about your business?
The knowledge that if you’re not winning, you’re losing. I don’t like losing! Your career is definitely not a game, but when you treat a business or business function like it’s your own, the sense of success and failure is amplified which greatly assists in driving me to do better. Always hold yourself accountable, to the successes and the failures.
