How To Use “Confrontation” To Turn Around Sales Underperformers
April 7th, 2010
Avoiding conflict is the key to good sales management. Or is it?
Like I said in an earlier sales training post, the top-performing sales manager spends the majority of his time encouraging his reps…unlike most sales managers who constantly break their reps down through criticism, criticism and more criticism.
This paints a nice, rosy picture…doesn’t it?
When it comes to an underperforming sales rep though – forget encouragement. The time for that has passed.
The sales manager now must become the confrontationalist. Sales performance stinks – and the sales manager needs to take action now!
Rule #2: Confrontation is Good.
Pressure is good. Its what “turns coal into diamond” right? But confrontation most people hate.
For the pro-level sales manager confrontation is their best friend. Most people hate confrontations and will do almost anything to avoid it. But this is a huge mistake.
Sure, confrontations could get tense and uncomfortable from time to time, that’s a given, but it’s also one of the most effective ways of drawing out the true potential of your company’s sales people.
Think of “confrontation” as simply an opportunity to set things straight with a sales person. If you put it that way, it isn’t so bad, right?
By looking into their eyes, you could get to the source of their fears and motivation. This knowledge is the trump card in helping them change their average, or below average, ways.
By confronting sales people and being honest with them, this achieves two things:
- It increases the chances of getting them to perform above standards.
- It makes it crystal clear to them what is expected from them in the future. Most sales people prefer sales managers who are honest and direct than someone who likes to beat around the bush.
A warning, though:
Never confuse confrontation with negative criticism
They’re the exact opposite of each other!
Confrontation is all about being honest and facing facts, whereas negative criticism is just mindless railing against their inadequacies. The difference is that confrontation is and always should be framed in a positive light.
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