Is Your Sales Manager Causing Your Team to Fail?

A bad manager can cause significant issues within the sales workforce. Spotting a sales manager who may be sabotaging his own team is essential to improving performance. Consider some of the ways that a manager can negatively affect the team and cause everyone to fail.

Setting Unrealistic Expectations

One of the fastest ways that a sales manager can cause his team to fail is by setting unrealistic goals and objectives. Although it is important to encourage sales representatives to strive for the best numbers possible, it is imperative that goals, objectives and deadlines are reasonable. A sales team attempting to collaborate under unreasonable sales expectations is bound to be ineffective, and both individual and collective loss of confidence in performance hinders the entire sales team. When the team is given goals that they feel capable of reaching, they can excel.

Refusing to Listen

A manager who refuses to listen to his sales team is laying the groundwork for failure. No manager who ignores his team can effectively address issues that impact success. A sales representative who has experienced an issue can turn around and cultivate success with the proper guidance from an attentive manager. When questions are answered clearly, sales performance can improve. Listening to the sales team's comments, suggestions and complaints is important to prevent misunderstandings and encourage healthy team and individual performance every day. When sales representatives feel they are valued as employees and being heard, they are likely to be jovial, effective workers. Sales representatives should evaluate the sales manager as well to assess current views toward management and reduce human resources issues within the sales workforce.

Disruption Through Micromanagement

Horrible micromanagement can make even the most adept employees feel uncomfortable and cause them to work unproductively. Under the pressure, sales agents are more likely to make mistakes. Horrible micromanagement can be thwarted by allowing sales reps room to collaborate with the team and work independently. When sales representatives are able to interact with their peers and move at their own pace within a team unit, they gain skills.

Poor Work Relationships

Encouraging a balanced relationship between the sales manager and the sales team is vital for achieving better sales results. On the other hand, a manager who refuses to coach and guide his sales team can doom them to failure. Once a company has a manager who is at odds with the sales team, profits may suffer. Providing the right amount of instruction is key to avoid micromanagement and still be a good sales manager. Employees who do not have to interact with an ineffective manager are often better performers.

A poor sales manager who hurts his team must be corrected in order for the sales team to thrive. It is possible that the supervisor may not know how his actions affect the sales team, but it is important that he finds out as soon as possible. When the offending behaviors and actions are corrected, the sales team can experience success without unnecessary pressure and stress from management.

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