I was out running on the NH Beach this morning and picked up too much sand and a small pebble in my way-too-loose Saucony's. I tolerated it for the run out, but then reaching the end of the seawall, just sat down, took off the shoes, shook out everything, laced up and motored back.
I'm a pretty bad runner and basically, it's an excuse to get out on the beach at 6:00 AM when the weatha's as superb as it's been.
What I do know about, having learned the hard way through the School of Hard Knocks is to not to tolerate the irritation of continued poor performance and consistently bad attitude on the part of a sales manager...as the pebble in the shoe. With a background of working in corporations for 20 years and now hundreds of experiences over 25 years of management consulting, way too many times we've heard complaints from CEO like...
- "I just wish he would come in on Monday and resign."
- "I've lived with his problems for 5 years, and his performance continues to be B-
- "Everyone on his team knows that he has a side gig on Friday's and leaves early"
The Pebble in the Shoe
Salespeople and sales managers have one of the toughest jobs in any company. Performance is consistently in view, the numbers never stop, and every day, no matter how well planned, there's always interruptions and detours. 95% of salespeople love their job, they are very good at it, and they excel in their interactions both internally and with prospects and customers. And then, there's the other 5%. This is magnified, of course, when the lack of performance or poor attitude is occurring from a sales manager at any level.
The reality, especially in today's fast paced, rapidly changing, and customer-first environment, is that there should be zero tolerance for continued poor performance and consistent negativity.
1. Take a hard look at the numbers for the first half of '25
-Performance Metrics: Review the KPIs for the entire sales team. Are they consistently underperforming? Are there any external factors affecting performance?-Attitude Impact: How is the poor attitude impacting the team? Is it causing low morale and lack of motivation?
2. HAVE A DIRECT CONVERSATION NEXT WEEK
-Set Clear Expectations: Be direct about KPI performance and the impact of negative attitude.
-Be Specific: Address specific actions and behaviors, not generalizations.
-Be Constructive: Focus on how the attitude is affecting their role and the broader team dynamics. Frame it as an opportunity for improvement, not an attack.
3. PROVIDE SUPPORT & DIRECT COACHING
-Training: Provide resources for development.
-Mentorship: Pair them with a mentor or coaching sessions in leadership and attitude.
4. REQUIRE CLEAR IMPROVEMENT GOALS
-Performance Plan: Require a written plan that’s specific, measurable, and time-bound. Address attitude as part of the PIP and what needs to change in terms of behavior, leadership style, and team interaction.
-Frequent Check-ins: Set bi-weekly check-ins to monitor progress and offer feedback, both positive and constructive.
Hopefully, this simple outline of a plan will work, and sometimes it actually does through a lot of hard work, direct and transparent discussions and repetition over months. My experience however is that in spite of good intentions, success in terms of actual improvement at best is 40%. Sometimes, it's better just to shake out the pebble or buy a new pair of shoes.
Think about taking a day out in September to work with us to tune up...or maybe actually write your first sales playbook.
