| Dear Coach: Is selling a man's world? Coach says: In many ways, sales is indeed a man's world, but maybe not how you're thinking. It's not a man's world because men hold the power or do better in selling. The main argument for sales being a man's world is because of its strong connection with concepts of competition--how men see "play." When boys play, they often play games that involve rules. This is analogous to having sales quotas. Boys' play and games also involve establishing winners. In sales, even the language we use relates to competitive games; e.g., we "win" or "lose" accounts. Though women are just as competitive as men, the way that women naturally compete is often very different. Most of the play that girls engage in is not about competitive games at all; in that there are very few objective rules, and no clear end that produces a winner. To the contrary, we steer away from play in which someone wins, because we don't want others to "lose." The difference noted above can create problems for women in sales. Our concepts about play do not translate cleanly to the type of competition involved in a sales culture. This lack of experience often makes us feel uncomfortable and reluctant to play, at all. This is one reason why many sales managers look for women who have competed in sports. That type of competitive experience develops the perspective that aligns with many sales cultures. The good news is that being in a primarily-male sales culture can teach women how to enjoy healthy competition without sacrificing their own strengths and values. |