A term "intelligent" has been claimed everywhere. When associated with other words such as: intelligence quotient (IQ), emotional (EI), and artificial (AI), powerful and appealing concepts emerge.
An intelligent manager (IM) simply uses the three giants IQ, EI, and AI in an integrated way, making their activity and decision-making more impactful, thus with even more competitive effects. The three pillars are interconnected to create an IM. Here, synergy is essential. The interdependence and intensity in the fusion between the parts have an exponential effect that we can call creativity. A necessary condition for innovation.
People and Technology
People are us, the employees of the company. But also everyone else - our customers, consumers, suppliers, ... . The more respected we are within and by the organization, the more motivated we are in coordination with colleagues and leaders. Here, we essentially play with internal EI (positivity and teamwork) and with the external (negotiation). Good ideas only work if the IM also masters EI. And here, the relationship between IQ and EI is welcome to make us more persuasive and fun.
If we work at the same time with "Technology," we will be more efficient people and IMs. And in this technology-immersed universe, as IMs, we don't have to be experts in AI, but we have to know how to use this tool to our advantage. Via social networks, social media, search engines, and XR programs, we have to be faster and more effective, tracking everything they say about our brands, our customers, and, of course, our competitors, and consequently, be sharp in response. But even here, no matter how many algorithms we use on the many platforms available to us, an intelligent sales manager must continue to take risks, improvise, and surprise (EI, in its intuitive component).
Let's look at the potential of AI in sales support, for example:
• Lead Classification and Prioritization;
• Predictive Lead Analysis;
• Chatbots and Virtual Assistants;
• CRM Optimization;
• Sales Performance Analysis;
• Market Segmentation;
• Handling Objections and Negotiations;
(at the request of my student Vasco Henriques, ChatGPT provided the list...).
But the AI tool will only be powerful with scrutiny and critical thinking... once again, IQ/EI supervision over AI is necessary. In order to put this into practice and maximize our different intelligences, we have to actively learn/unlearn, be restless, question ourselves constantly, and humbly embrace our mistakes. Fifteen editions later, our mission at PG Sales Management is to continue transforming professionals into IMs.
Article by Pedro Quelhas Brito e João Paulo Rocha, directors of the Postgraduate Programme in Sales Management.
