Sales Leadership: the dynamic management of paradoxes

3rd September 2016 |   Dr Javier Marcos

Leading modern sales forces requires us to develop synergies between paradoxes that may initially appear irreconcilable.

I’m aboard the “Baie de Seine”, the ferry that covers the route Portsmouth–Bilbao. I am sitting at the back of the vessel watching the foamy trace it leaves on the sea and the seagulls that escort the ship, relentlessly defying the winds. It’s a beautiful sunny day, we are enjoying a mild sea and I’m about to start my holidays after having closed our financial year a couple of weeks ago.

I reflect on what the year has brought about… and the meaningful lessons learned. A vivid thought that comes to mind is the dynamic shifting I’ve experienced across the dimensions of my role as head of sales of customised executive education programmes at Cambridge Judge Business School.

As with many sales leaders, I have found myself constantly moving backwards and forwards between focusing on the top line (ie, revenue) and the bottom line (ie, profit). The achievement of these two overarching objectives often requires distinct mind-sets, a “growth” one in the first case, and an “efficiency” one in the second case.

Dr Javier Marcos

Director of Learning for Performance Ltd | + posts

Dr Javier Marcos is a Professor of Strategic Sales Management and Negotiation at Cranfield School of Management. Javier combines in unique ways corporate, consulting, and academic expertise to address transformational challenges in professional selling, key account management and strategic commercial negotiation. Javier has co-authored four books: The High Performing Key Account Manager (2025), Implementing Key Account Management (2018), Sales Management – Strategy, Processes and Practice (2016), and From Selling to Co-Creating (2014). His research has been published in academic journals such as the Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, Journal of Business Research, Industrial Marketing Management, Management Learning, and Journal of Marketing Education. He has written numerous professional reports and articles in the professional media and is a regular speaker at conferences and industry events.