A company’s bottom line depends on the success of its sales team and the success of the sales team depends on the success of the sales manager. Many successful sales people share a list of similar sales traits, but did you know the same could be said for sales managers? It’s a vital role in the sales department. Only under the direction of an effective manager can a sales person truly fulfill their role.

Successful sales managers have plenty of sales experience themselves and have a thorough knowledge of the sales process. They also tend to have a few key characteristics that set them apart from less successful sales managers. Here are five sales traits of successful sales managers.

1. Supportive

Sales managers need to be approachable. Otherwise, sales people will not feel comfortable working with them and will not reach out for help when they need it. Since managers have had practice and success in sales, they are incredibly useful sources of knowledge, experience, and skills. Successful sales managers show their support, offer guidance, and provide assistance when needed. They provide ongoing sales coaching and training to continue to develop their teams’ talents. Get to know your team of sales reps and find out what motivates them. You should know their individual strengths and weaknesses and do what you can to guide them through difficult sales calls. Successful sales managers are engaged, approachable, and supportive.

2. Leadership

Successful sales managers embody leadership skills. They have what it takes to keep a sales team motivated and driven. Great sales managers are confident and motivational leaders. Not all successful sales reps have the leadership skills required to lead and manage other sales people. Successful sales managers are fantastic sales reps but also have the leadership qualities needed to help others succeed. However, they also know it can be disruptive and damaging to micromanage team members. Trust your sales reps with the tasks you’ve assigned them.

3. Positive Attitude

Of all the sales traits we’re discussing here today, a positive attitude is key. Successful sales managers maintain a positive attitude. A negative attitude would only discourage team members. Your attitude and actions can have a huge impact on your sales people, so be mindful of this and practice positivity. It’s also important that you recognize your team’s achievements and show appreciation. They need to know that you value their hard work so congratulate them on their successes.

4. Goal Oriented

In order to succeed, sales managers need to be goal oriented. It’s up to them to set goals for the sales team, to encourage and assist team members to achieve these goals, and to monitor progress. Without goals, how can sales people be expected to improve? How would sales managers measure progress, shortcomings, and accomplishments? How would the business grow? When clear goals are established, everyone can work together to achieve the shared goals. Without specific aims, your sales team can lose focus and productivity will suffer. Setting goals will encourage and motivate your team to work hard and deliver results.

5. Responsible

Sales managers are responsible for the sales team. They need to be able to make decisions quickly and confidently. They must accept this responsibility so they can make difficult decisions, delegate tasks, promote good communication, and make sure everyone works well together.

Successful sales managers exude these qualities. Whether you believe it or not, there aren’t any tricks or secrets to success. However, there are a number of sales traits that these great managers have in common. If you’re trying to improve your performance as a sales leader, try working on some of these positive sales traits. If after reading this you realize you aren’t always the most approachable, maybe you should make yourself more available to your team and let them know you’re there for them. Show your support.