There’s probably always been tension between sales managers and their salespeople. I know I’ve felt that friction with my manager when I worked as a salesperson. I also felt it from the other side of the desk when I was a sales manager myself. I’ve sometimes even perceived that tension with a person I am coaching.
That push-and-pull most often happens when discussing activity. A manager might feel that the salesperson is not doing enough—is not creating enough new opportunities—to achieve their goals. The negative energy from the frustration of unmet expectations is picked up by the salesperson. Naturally, the salesperson will push back. It’s the “yen and yang of sales.”
Now this is an odd kind of tension, because, when you think about it, their goals are aligned. Both the manager and the salesperson want more revenue, higher gross profits and new customers. So why the negativity? Let’s look at what’s going on.
First of all, the sales manager is merely assessing the salesperson’s activity level, but the salesperson sees it as criticism. Unsolicited advice is viewed as criticism. We are wired to resist criticism and to resent the suggestions associated with it—even if they are warranted.
Secondly, the manager’s suggestion of “more activity” to “fix” the situation, is something the salesperson will take personally. Then it becomes more of a “prescription.” Something we have to do to “fix ourselves.”
What we end up with is a situation where the message is not well received, and the “prescription” tastes bad.
But the reality is this: The sales manager simply wants the salesperson to achieve—if not overachieve. And the advice is not to “fix” them but to help them win and ultimately achieve what they both want—more revenue, higher gross profits and new customers.
It’s just that the message gets lost in the presentation.
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