Building a culture of performance is crucial for sales leaders, and addressing employee performance issues is a key aspect of this. In this episode, the guest provides valuable strategies for handling difficult conversations and driving performance improvement. They emphasize the importance of taking ownership as a leader and understanding that poor performance is their responsibility to address. By asking the right questions and encouraging self-discovery, leaders can help struggling team members find solutions to improve their performance. The guest also highlights the significance of creating development plans and providing the necessary support and resources for team members to succeed. However, if despite efforts, an employee's performance does not improve, it may be necessary to part ways with empathy and understanding.
Take Aways
Take ownership of addressing employee performance issues.
Ask the right questions to understand the underlying reasons for poor performance.
Encourage team members to take ownership of their development plans.
Invest in training and coaching to close skill gaps and boost confidence.
Know when it's time to part ways with an employee, but do it with empathy.
Handling difficult conversations well is one of the most important skills of a leader. Here are a few ideas about how to do them well. First, take ownership. You have to realize that as a leader, poor performance is your responsibility to deal with.
If I have team members who are not performing, I either hired wrong, managed wrong, or didn't lead properly. I have to fix it. Figure out what's really going on. Talk to the salesperson who isn't doing well to figure out what's happening. Ask questions and unpeel the onion to truly understand the situation.
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This is much more likely to work than if you try to find the answers for them.
Third, ask the team member to take ownership of their development plan. Once a team member has identified the gaps they need to address to perform to their expectations, work with them to define the plan to address those gaps. I like to ask, what specifically are you going to do to solve this? And then how and when are you going to communicate with me about your progress?
Every person on the team should know what their job is, what their goals are, and how to reach them. If performance isn't up to par, it might be time to go over these standards again and make them clearer. Investing in your team's abilities is essential. Is there a skill gap that can be closed with practice?
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Lastly, know when to say goodbye. If a salesperson isn't getting better, even with help or training, or if they don't have the motivation to do the things necessary to succeed in the job, it might be best for everyone if they went in a different direction. It's a hard decision, but sometimes it's one you have to make.
Exiting an employee well is incredibly important. Do it with empathy and the understanding that this isn't just their fault. When I've been in this situation, I try to realize that the seller is in this situation because of mistakes that I made along the way. Look for ways to help them in their transition.
I've heard it said that you don't really become a manager until the day that you have to let someone go. It's hard, but it's harder for the employee. So be firm, but also kind.
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Get your team back on track and keep going after those bold growth goals. Not only is it important to fix the problem, but also to create a mindset of success.
