I WAS HAVING A conversation with a hyper-responsible, super-accountable VP of sales, whom I will call Victoria. One of the reasons this sales manager is so successful is because she is a non-excuse maker. If she makes a mistake, she owns up to it quickly and doesn’t assign blame to other people or departments.
During our coaching session, I was listening to Victoria take responsibility for a salesperson’s poor performance. “I haven’t given her enough training. We are trying to break into a new market segment and that takes time. We really need to provide more leads to our reps.”
I listened patiently and then asked a few pointed questions to raise this sales leader’s self-awareness.
“How much sales training did you receive as a salesperson?”
• “Uh . . . little or none. I took charge of my own learning.”
“How long did it take you to build your territory or account base?”
• “Not long, because I was working straight commission. I worked like crazy to make it happen.”
“How many leads were you given when you started in sales?”
• “None. It was up to me to generate my own leads.”
I could see the light bulb turning on above this sales manager’s head. She was starting to realize that she was more committed to success than her salesperson. Unfortunately, she had hired a salesperson who was going to find an excuse for lack of sales, regardless of the resources provided.
Sales leaders, this next statement might surprise you. Stop being so responsible and accountable. Because of these wonderful attributes, you might be falling into the trap of being more committed to success than your salesperson.
Like a good poker player, you have to know when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em.
Is it time to fold on a few members of your sales team? There will be times, even with all the right hiring practices and tools, where you still hire a sales dud. It’s discouraging because of the work you put into hiring, onboarding, training, and coaching. You’re an optimistic person so you keep thinking, “If I just do this . . . maybe if I try this . . .”
Stop. Time to fold ’em.
When conducting our sales management courses, I ask sales managers and CEOs, “How many of you have held onto poor performers for too long?” Almost 100 percent of the participants raise their hands!
In fact, some managers raise both hands!
Let’s take a closer look at what makes hard-charging, hardworking CEOs and sales managers hang on to poor performers for too long. There are several reasons but let’s review the top three I’ve observed over the years.
Is Your Salespeople Pipeline Full?
Sales managers teach their sales teams the tactics and strategies to build full sales pipelines. We know that a full sales pipeline sets salespeople free because a salesperson with a full pipeline is free to better disqualify opportunities that aren’t a good fit. He isn’t doing the desperation dance.
Apply the same advice you give to your sales team. Prospect consistently and build your people pipeline. Full people pipelines set you free. Think about it. How many of you would put up with poor selling behaviors and bad attitudes if you had a bench full of qualified salespeople?
You don’t have a people problem; you have a recruiting problem. The reason sales managers hang onto poor performers is because they’re desperate. They need a warm body to fill a seat, answer the phone, or send an email.
You’re desperate because you aren’t prospecting each week or each month for top sales talent. When a position opens up, you have limited candidates from whom to choose and end up settling for B and C players rather than A players.
Practice what you preach and prospect for top sales talent consistently.
Did You Hire a Worker?
My late father was an Iowa farmer and he was engaged in some type of farming right up until he died. He had a remarkable work ethic. He remarried in his early seventies and I was happy to hear the news. I gave him a call of congratulations and asked a little bit more about his soon-to-be wife, Mary, as I’d only met her once. I was expecting to hear about their common interests and likes. I still laugh at his answer. “Well, she’s a worker!” Keep in mind that his fiancée was also in her seventies. My father’s response pretty much sums up the work ethic in my family. We are workers!
If you’re wondering whether or not to keep a salesperson on your sales bus, ask a simple question: Is your salesperson a worker?
When I started in this business of sales consulting and training, I had a coach. The first area covered during our coaching sessions was my sales activity plan.
Initially, I thought this was a little strange because I mistakenly thought my coach would focus on my facilitation skills, helping me become a sage on the stage, a sales guru.
My coach recognized I could be the world’s best speaker or trainer; however, like every other business, I needed to sell something before I could teach anything. I needed to do the work so I could do the work of helping people.
Look at your best salespeople. They do the work. Work ethic isn’t old-fashioned—it’s always in fashion. Great salespeople work hard at prospecting. They work hard at proactively asking for referrals and introductions. They work hard at account management and improving client relationships. They work hard at practicing new selling skills needed for success. Good salespeople do the work—and as a result, they reap the rewards of working with great clients.
A salesperson who isn’t doing the work probably lacks a strong work ethic, passion, perseverance, or grit. Or, maybe the person simply doesn’t like the profession of sales.
If you didn’t hire a worker, it’s time to fold ’em.
Growth or Grumbling
Growth and improvement in sales and life is achieved only through feedback. We’ve probably all pushed back at one time or another when hearing well-intended—and deserved—feedback. Egos get in the way. Self-doubt about our abilities shows up as false bravado and excuses. I certainly know I’ve been guilty of such behaviors.
A salesperson who is poised for growth will come back to their sales manager and say, “Hey, I appreciate your feedback and recognize my initial reaction was kind of defensive. Thanks for taking the time and here’s what I am going to change up.” That’s a hold ’em salesperson, one who should stay on your sales bus.
Dr. Henry Cloud is the author of Necessary Endings. His book inspired the title for this chapter, as he offers great insights on the topic of letting go, which is often difficult.
I particularly liked the wisdom he offered around the difference between wise people—individuals who accept feedback and responsibility—and foolish people—those who demonstrate the exact opposite behaviors.
• Wise [salespeople] take in feedback and adjust accordingly.
• Foolish [salespeople] get defensive when receiving feedback and immediately come back to you with a reason why “it” is not their fault. “I have a bad territory; the SDRs aren’t qualifying the leads; we are having too many fulfillment issues.”
• Wise [salespeople] own their performance, problems, and issues without excuses or blame.
• Foolish [salespeople] immediately shift the blame to you and somehow make it your fault. “I haven’t been given enough direction or training. We need better . . . everything!”
CEOs and sales managers: Are you trying to coach a wise salesperson or a foolish salesperson?
Dr. Cloud shares that if you have a foolish person on your team, stop talking. Stop giving feedback. These individuals can’t or won’t hear it.
Eliminate that growing bruise on your forehead.
Time to Fold ’Em
Many years ago, one of our Ei Selling® trainers, Michael, managed a successful sales team selling project management training. The company was growing and so was a sales management problem. One of his top salespeople was showing up to work late and not participating in group sales meetings. He was hitting his numbers but ignoring the values of the sales culture Michael was trying to create at the company.
Michael had several heart-to-heart conversations with his top producer, which produced little change. After several “foolish” coaching conversations, Michael let his top producer go. It wasn’t an easy decision because of the sales being generated by this individual.
To his surprise, several members of his team thanked him for getting rid of their less-than-cooperative teammate. They respected Michael for his decision and were enthused by it. So much so that they quickly made up for the lost revenue being produced by the former foolish salesperson. It was a necessary ending that produced better beginnings of a strong sales culture.
Take time to think about your current sales team. Apply self-awareness and examine your own sales leadership behaviors. Is your hyper-responsibility making you more committed to success than your salesperson?
Apply the principles from the game of poker. Figure out which members of your team should stay on your sales bus. Which ones you should hold and which ones you should fold.
For more interview questions and hiring resources, go to www.EmotionalIntelligenceForSalesLeadership.com.