Steve had the golden touch.

Long a top salesman in the organization, Steve was one of those irrepressible guys who just seemed to be able to move the product. No matter the time of year, the customer or the economic conditions, Steve consistently exceeded his targets.

So, it wasn’t surprising that, after years of producing leading results for the sales team, he would get bumped up and put in one of the top jobs in his organization. The people who promoted Steve felt that, if he could pass on some of the gold dust to others in the organization, new levels of success would surely follow.

However, a funny thing happened on the way to achieving all that success.

A few months after Steve’s promotion, one of the top account leaders under his charge suddenly left the company. Shortly thereafter, two more people from the same team left, as well. Among those left behind, the problem was clear: Although he was an excellent salesperson, Steve did not make a great leader.

Steve’s history in sales dictated the way he treated his people. He would make bold promises and statements but never followed up or followed through. He often exaggerated so much, he was ultimately seen as manipulative and dishonest.  He would also make promises that others were expected to deliver on — but without

For all his positive attributes, Steve clearly had no idea that trust is an essential element for any leader trying to build influence and followership.

On the positive side of the equation, Steve was available to his team when he needed them and was clearly competent in advising others on how to sell. Steve had closed a lot of big deals and his experience in this regard was valuable.