As part of his executive development Dave attended Cranfield’s Sales Directors’ Programme, so we spent five minutes with him to discover his thoughts on the programme.
Executive Education: Welcome Dave, can you tell us about what encouraged you to join the Sales Directors’ Programme?
Dave Black: I’ve been a sales leader for many years, but I’ve never been on any recognised training course at this level. I’ve done numerous sales courses in key account management and sales management, but I’ve never done a training programme that was designated for a Sales Director. I wanted to come along to see how I could judge myself as a leader and liaise with other people at my level from other industries. I thought that would be very beneficial and attended this course.
EE: What did you enjoy most about the Sales Directors’ Programme?
DB: I mostly enjoyed the interaction with the other people from other industries. We all in our individual siloes within our own companies, we all think we’re doing the right things and most of the time I’m sure we are! But it’s always great to have a perspective from outside your organisation, see how other people do things. So, what I’m going to take away from this course is actually the friends that I’ve made and the learnings from how other people do things.
EE: In which ways will the programme benefit your organisation?
DB: My organisation is a very demanding organisation, we’re multi-faceted. For me, I’m going to take a step back and just review what I currently do, from what I’ve learnt on the course and speaking to other delegates. There are many things that I’d like to do but being in the real world I’m just going to take a step back and reflect on how I lead my business.
EE: In which ways will the programme benefit you as a leader in sales?
DB: There are a number of tools that the course has taught me. Especially the detail behind the numbers. I haven’t really drilled into the detail previously but understanding about the detail behind the numbers more and how I can influence it, which will ultimately change my thought process going forward. For me, that’s the main thing I’m going to take away.
EE: Would you recommend the Sales Directors’ Programme to others and why?
DB: 100% absolutely I would. I’ve really enjoyed this course and it’s very important that you come with an open mind. Come with a view to learn from the tutors and other delegates and I think you'll really benefit from this course.
Read more:
- 5 minutes with Rob Molyneux: My Sales Directors’ Programme experience
- Setting Effective Sales Targets
- Motivating and Rewarding the Sales Force
- Creating a High Performing Sales Organisation
- Crafting a Value-Creating Sales Strategy
