Why is it that the general counsel of a company is always a lawyer and the head of engineering is always an engineer, yet the top sales manager isn't always a sales person? Sales is the engine that drives a company. No sales means no company.

I recently discussed this quandary with my friend Tom Hopkins, who is a sales management rock star. More than 4 million people have attended Tom's lively sales seminars. He leads 30 seminars each year throughout the United States and many foreign countries. More than 35,000 corporations and millions of professional salespeople use his sales training materials daily. He's also the author of 17 books, including the sales classic, "How to Master the Art of Selling."

Tom hit hard on these areas of improvement for sales managers:

Preplan sales meetings. Too many sales managers just show up and go through the motions. Tom led the country's top Coldwell Banker real estate office, and he always had an agenda to pass out so sales reps knew exactly what would be covered. And he always had some exciting new things because, "You have to really sell salespeople on selling each and every meeting."

Catch people doing something right and praise them. At every sales meeting Tom recognized people who were doing something right. He would try to praise 25 percent of the attendees at every meeting.

Serve as a role model. "Sales managers need to be a shining example of what they want their salespeople to be like," Tom said. "They need to be truly respected as human beings -- the way they live, their honesty, integrity and work ethic. Sales managers need to work harder on themselves than they do on the job of management to become the type of person that their salespeople want to become."

Emphasize time management. Tom said: "Sales managers need to work harder on time planning and organization than most people do. We all have 86,400 seconds in a day. No one has any more or any less. The most successful sales managers are eloquent time planners."

Strive to motivate and train people. Tom told me that the biggest mistake sales managers make is not making their salespeople productive fast enough. He stressed the need for up-to-date training and having a top-notch library in the office.

For example, Tom said when he was in management, he would give a favorite sales book to each new hire with a two-week assignment to highlight the best ideas on each page. On the last page he wrote that he would treat the person to a nice lunch. Then after two weeks, he would call the salesperson into his office and ask if he finished the book. If he said, "Oh, yeah. I finished it all," and didn't mention the lunch, then Tom knew his new hire had a character flaw.

I also use books for training, asking reps to share their insights with the rest of the staff. And when we send our salespeople to conventions, their assignment is to come back and teach everyone about the concepts at our next sales meeting.

Fire unproductive sales reps. "A good sales manager can't be afraid to change their people if they can't change their people," Tom said. "If you can't change a person after a 90-day period to where they get their attitude back and are productive, then you have to make a change. Too many sales managers just don't want to rock the boat."

I always say, it's not the people you fire who make your life miserable; it's the people you don't fire who make your life miserable.

Tom added: "If you are not periodically bringing in good, highly enthusiastic new people as needed, your office will plateau as to productivity, which is not what any company wants."

Be proactive. Tom told me that following a recession, too many companies wait until things are much better before they really get active and go out and take advantage of the market. The top companies start gearing up their sales activities before the cycle turns, so they're ahead of the competition.

Tom said: "When the economy is coming back, the story salespeople should be telling their customers is that all indicators by major economists are showing that your market is not only picking up, but it's getting hot. And we want your company to be ahead of your competition."

Mackay's Moral: A great sales manager sells his staff on the importance of managing their sales skills.

Have you heard the story of the colossal customer service bungle over the "bedbug letter"?

A guest in a hotel finds himself attacked by bedbugs during his stay. He writes an angry letter to the president of the hotel company. Within days, the president sends the guest a heartfelt apology, which reads in part: "I can assure you that such an event has never occurred before in our hotel. I promise you it will never happen again."

Sounds good, except for one small detail: Included with the apology is the guest's original letter. Scrawled across the top is the message: "Send this idiot the bedbug letter."

So it begs the question, who is sorry now?

There are several lessons to be learned from this tale:

-- Remedial customer service may start with an apology.

-- Never, ever mess up an apology.

-- The apology is almost always the start, not the end, of finishing things.

-- If you think being sorry solves a problem, you will really be sorry.

-- Finally, the cost of the fix is nearly always greater than doing things right the first time.

Start with the premise that everyone makes mistakes. It's human nature. What happens next is what demonstrates the true level of regret. The hotel president likely lost that customer forever. Unfortunately, it doesn't stop there. That customer tells family, friends and anyone who will listen about his experiences -- both with the bugs and the insulting letter. Reputations are ruined in an instant.

Businesses have long understood that bad customer experiences will be reported to family and friends nine times more than good experiences. Misery loves company, I guess.

Even the most sincere apology has limited effect. But if it helps a little, it's worth the effort. So don't blow what could be your only opportunity.

We see an apology from some thoughtless public figure every week: "If I offended anyone, I apologize." "My words were taken out of context." "I didn't realize that my actions would cause such a stir." All pretty pathetic attempts at sounding sorry, in my opinion.

Train your brain to think before you speak, act or tweet. Self-restraint is not old-fashioned. Remember that your private conversations or anonymous postings may be anything but private and anonymous.

The apology is just the beginning. It is critical to get it right. So take steps to be sure you don't disappoint a second time. The shallow "if I offended anyone" indicates that you are only sorry because you were forced into the apology. I'm curious, does anyone take those kinds of apologies seriously? Or do they sound like something your mother made you say when you were a child?

In business situations, apologies are generally related to poor service or defective products or missed deadlines. Those apologies must go beyond words.

First, admit your mistake. Don't gloss over the error or the effect it had on your customer. Get to the point and own the situation. You will not win the blame game.

Next, offer a solution that will demonstrate your sincere desire to make things right. Even if the customer had some responsibility, the cost of fixing one mistake is much lower than trying to repair a reputation after you've been panned on Facebook, Twitter or Angie's List.

Third, express your intention to make sure the same mistake never happens again. Offer the customer an opportunity to make suggestions, and be prepared to deal with critical feedback. Be sure to thank the customer for his input.

Finally, learn from the experience and use the lesson to train your staff. Make sure they understand that even minor mistakes and disappointments can cause major damage to your company's good name.

So my ideal apology might read: "We are so sorry for messing up what could be our only opportunity to serve you. Your disappointment in us is completely justified. We will fix this problem immediately and will not consider the case closed until you are completely satisfied. Here is the name, email and phone number of the person you can contact 24 hours a day to question, complain or check the progress of your situation." Then insert the name of the president of the company. That should let the customer know that you're serious.

Mackay's Moral: Saying you're sorry and showing you're sorry are not the same thing.

What's not to love about a cheerful fellow who arrives with chocolate, heralding the arrival of spring after a long, cold winter? Whether or not you celebrate Easter, everyone can learn some fundamental wisdom from the Easter Bunny.

Much like Santa Claus, whose leadership lessons I wrote about a few years ago, iconic characters espouse many of the values and virtues we share. And although they may be associated with religious holidays, their messages cross multiple faiths.

A friend sent a list of lessons we might take away from spring's floppy-eared rabbit. I'm not sure where they originated, and my research attributes them only to "anonymous." I've plucked a few from the long list she sent, added a few of my own and expanded on all the ideas.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Only an extreme risk-taker bets the farm. Develop your talents and skill set so that you are able to adapt. Companies value employees who are flexible and versatile. Even specialists need a broad view to understand how their abilities can best contribute to the organization.

Everyone needs a friend who is all ears. The Easter Bunny knows that we can't go it alone. We all need a sounding board, preferably one or more who will listen to our worries, concerns and crazy schemes and give good, unfiltered feedback. Even if they don't offer any advice, sometimes saying your thoughts out loud helps you sort them out better.

There's no such thing as too much candy. Don't take that too literally. I interpret it to mean you can never have too much joy and happiness in your life. I recommend celebrating everything from a great round of golf to a lucrative business deal. Looking on the bright side doesn't have a dark side. A positive attitude is better for you than sugar -- and not as fattening!

All work and no play can make you a basket case. Take time to smell the roses -- or the lilies, as the season dictates. Balance between work and play improves both. Your job performance will suffer if you never step away and breathe some fresh air. I've gotten some of my best ideas when I'm out for a run, and even figured out some of the mysteries of the universe.

The grass is always greener in someone else's basket. Don't be too eager to give up because you think you are at a disadvantage. For example, when I first started in business, I thought that when I became successful, I could finally coast along much like the hare in Aesop's fable "The Hare and the Tortoise." I soon discovered that the road to success is not a finite journey, but a trip I still look forward to continuing every day. Along the way I learned that the grass is as green as I make it.

To show your true colors, you have to come out of your shell. Have a hidden talent? To borrow a phrase, don't hide your light under an Easter basket. From the help-desk techie who organizes a company softball team to the factory worker who devises a money-saving process, speak up if you have an idea that could make your company work better.

Variety is the spice of life. Some folks like coconut eggs, others prefer Peeps. Check out the candy aisle at the store and try to pick a favorite -- that's what makes Easter baskets interesting. Try something new every now and then just to keep things fresh.

Do the bunny hop. The Easter Bunny knows the importance of exercise, especially aerobic activity. Get moving and you won't have to worry about having some jelly beans every now and then.

You don't have to be big and scary to be effective. Is anyone afraid of the Easter Bunny? He/she is a lovable creature who is universally welcomed. Sometimes a soft approach is most appropriate.

The best things in life are still sweet and gooey. Success is sweet. Life is sweet. Helping others is sweet. Cherish the opportunities you have to enrich your life. You don't need the Easter Bunny to help you appreciate that.

Mackay's Moral: Let positive thoughts multiply like rabbits.