Top Sales Manager Blog

As a sales manager, you REALLY must understand one thing about underperformers: there are different reasons why people perform below standards. It seems obvious, but Ill tell you why.

One of these reasons is that the person has limited amounts of talent. But if your instincts as a sales manager are telling you this person has something inside him or her that would make him or her an outstanding sales person, under the right circumstances, then let’s go ahead and apply the first rule.

The first rule: Set the Tone.

The first rule is to set the tone and be brutally honest with your sales people. Tell them the truth about their performance. If they did something right, praise them. But if they did something wrong, tell it them straight. Don’t sugarcoat your words.

Indelibly mark these two concepts below into the minds of your underperforming sales people:

• The only permanent value of work is achievement
• Achievement is a result of relentless effort and commitment

Invite them to a one-on-one discussion and talk about their goals. Explain to them what they need to do for the team for them to come closer to reaching their goals. I hope by now you’ve invested heavily on their Trust Accounts, because the only way that this is going to be effective is if your underperforming sales reps trust you enough to listen to your advice.

Remember it you who’s in the position of authority. Take charge. Be clear about your expectations, and if they did something wrong under your watch, tell it to them straight. Tell them underperformance is not an option. If they can’t change, then they’ll get their wish starting tomorrow – from here on out everything is going to be done their way… on the highway.

It sounds harsh, but it really isn’t. It’s the truth. And we all need to learn the truth if we’re going to be successful at what we do.

So remember, set the tone. A leader can do a lot of things right. But a leader will never be successful if he, or she, doesn’t set an expectation of excellence.

Rule #2 in my next post.

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What can you say about the first rule? Leave a comment below.

Filed under: Leading, Motivation, Underperformers by ralphburns