I’m a Sales Leader — This is the Management Approach That’s Made My Team More Successful

Patricia Singleterry has always been able to sell. But when she became a Mid-Market Sales Manager at Frontier Communications, she found an exciting opportunity to succeed as a sales leader. During her time working for the company in Irving, Texas, she’s helped create the supportive environment required to propel a team of Business Account Managers to success.

With a lifelong career in telecommunications, Singleterry is an industry veteran with the experience to develop her team and help them deliver Frontier’s value to enterprise customers. 

To do that, Patricia employs an individualized leadership style that centers on the growth opportunities she can offer to inspire personal achievement. Singleterry partners with her direct reports to devise a plan to get them where they want to go — whether that’s advancing to leadership or moving to another department. She believes that stating career goals keeps everyone focused and on track towards success.

She says that, “My management style is centered around a partnership between my team and myself. For my team to embrace this journey, we must align on what success looks like and what it takes to accomplish our goals. Leaders should also be understanding of personal matters and show a genuine interest in their employees.” 

This close relationship allows her to identify special talents that should be cultivated, Singleterry said. She noted that while some team members are better at building relationships, others may be more talented at the technical aspects of the business. By combining functional expertise across the sales cycle, individual talents can be developed and shared with the entire team. 

“I like to see myself as my team’s go-to person, but I also promote the idea of ‘iron sharpening iron’ — that each individual should learn from one another as much as they learn from me, and each of us becomes sharper and thus more effective.” she shared.

“We take turns presenting our attributes to the team and what makes them special from a sales perspective,” Singleterry said. “I choose to focus on what each Business Account Manager is great at, and how we can hone in on those skills to drive success. When we do this, the whole team benefits because they’re able to learn from each other. I’m always helping my team focus on how to reach the next level in their careers.”

To achieve this focus, Singleterry spends time at the beginning and end of each day checking in with her team members, realigning on their goals and celebrating their wins.  

“My day starts with my team of eight’s morning debrief. We spend time talking about our goals for the day, as well as what we’ll be working on,” she said. “We also meet at the end of the day to share our big wins from the day and ask questions like, ‘What is something you accomplished today?’ or ‘What did you learn?’ We celebrate every single sale.”

Beyond these mini-celebrations, Singleterry tries to keep a high energy throughout the workday. She believes enthusiasm about goals starts at the top. 

“I feel that as a leader, you must lead by example. Your team and others are always watching you, so if you’re not excited about your role and your goals, you can’t expect your colleagues to share that same excitement,” she said. 

Singleterry has her own cheerleaders. Her husband has spent the majority of his career working in telecommunications and is her biggest motivator. Her VP at Frontier, Lou Mooney, has been a mentor of hers. Singleterry says he’s a great example of a leader who follows through, and that he fosters a supportive workplace unlike any other she’s encountered. 

“I’ve never worked at a company that had such a positive work environment, and I think Lou plays a big role in that,” she said. 

Beyond encouraging management, Frontier offers a wealth of resources and opportunities that make Singleterry feel supported as a leader and as an individual contributor invested in her own career development. 

“Frontier offers continuous training to ensure we have the tools and knowledge we need. We’re also supported by product managers and a sales enablement team who keep us up to date on everything that’s going on within the business,” she said. “Here at Frontier, I feel we have everything we need to be successful, from the training, the products and the vast number of customers we serve.”

When asked what qualities she looks for when she’s choosing someone to join the Frontier team, she pointed to three characteristics that make use of the company’s unique opportunities.

“The main things I look for are drive, determination, and an entrepreneurial spirit. Drive being a need for satisfaction in their role, and what motivates them. Determination is the positive emotional feeling that involves persevering towards a difficult goal despite obstacles. And an entrepreneurial spirit is the mindset that embraces critical questioning, innovation, service and continuous improvement. These three qualities indicate that someone is a go-getter with a plan who is constantly seeking opportunities to grow within the company and drive the business forward,” she said. 

For women who are trying to foster that entrepreneurial spirit — and success — in themselves, Singleterry had strong advice. 

“Don’t let anyone tell you that you can't do it. If you do find yourself in a situation where there are things you don’t know, use your resources. I think back on a piece of advice from a mentor who told me: ‘If you run into a brick wall, find someone who has climbed that wall and learn from them.’ Stay focused, you can do it!”

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