Good-Bye Bobby Knight And All The Sales Managers Like You!
The recent dismissal of Bobby Knight as the head coach of
Indiana University should mark as big a change for sales
management as it did for coaching. For years it was popular for
sales managers to abuse their staffs with tirades and threats. I
remember one manager I worked for who prided himself in publicly
humiliating at least one person in every weekly meeting. While
this approach may have achieved results, it was still wrong.
Beating a person might get them to behave, but it doesn't make
it right.
I almost thought these Neanderthals had become extinct until I
was sitting in the Red Carpet Room at O'Hare Airport last week.
Behind me was the loudest, most obnoxious representative of this
breed. He was cursing a blue streak at full volume, so I had no
choice but to listen in. It seems that a particular sales rep
must have missed his quota last month and, in the words of my
loud friend, it was because he was just plain lazy. And
furthermore, if he didn't get on the stick he'd fire his sorry
%?#. With that he slammed down the phone and I realized that he
had been talking to this poor reps voice mail! The coward didn't
even have the courtesy to be rude in person.
What follows, I swear, is true. Moments later, our Neanderthal
took a call on his cell phone and the tone of his voice changed
remarkably. He was calm and collected and even nice. As I
listened in, he was telling a friend about a meeting with his
boss who had apparently recommended that he get immediate
counseling for anger management. (Imagine that!) He said the
boss let him know that it could affect his career. He told his
friend that the boss just didn't understand 'these guys' and if
he did he'd be screaming, too. Then he confided in his friend
that he had already started the counseling and that he was going
to try 'real hard' to make it work.
I noted that he never said his boss yelled at him or threatened
him, although I believe his boss had cause. He actually spoke
very nicely about the man who had just made it clear that his
job was on the line if he didn't change immediately. And he
referred to the fact that he was taking action based on the
advice he had received. It was clear to me that Mr. Loud and his
boss had very different styles.
I wonder who gets the best results: the screamer or his calm
boss? I wonder which one builds a loyal team that will give
their all to make goal in the tough months? I wonder which one
has employees who recommend friends to join their company? I
think the old style of management was a result of poor skills.
Managers who lacked the knowledge to handle people properly
resorted to the techniques they learned in high school football.
I don't know about you, but my high school football coach
retired with a winning record and a small paycheck.
Let's bury phrases like, "Winning isn't the most important
thing, it's the only thing". It's that attitude that caused one
parent to shoot another at a hockey rink near here recently.
What's more, today's workers don't have to put up with that
abuse. They are too smart and have too many options. Let's use
effective goal setting, coaching, mentoring, training and
motivating. Let's spend the time to hire the best and then
invest in them to make them better. Let's identify those who are
not right for the job and move them to other positions or 'free
them up for other opportunities' by helping them find jobs
elsewhere and discharging them with their dignity intact.
This is not just the right way to treat people; ironically, it's
the only way that works. If you have Bobby Knights in your
company, pull them aside. Tell them that they are a liability
not an asset and that you are sorry you let it go this long.
Give them the training, the tools and an opportunity to change,
but make sure they do. Then make sure you lead by example and
build an organization where smart people can feel good about
trying their best and where achievement is recognized and
failure points out areas for improvement.
Let's say good-bye to Bobby Knight and all those like him. The
future is too good to be spoiled by their kind.
For a free copy of "10 Keys to Sales Excellence" send an email
to article11@waterhousegroup.com and request article 11.
Stephen Waterhouse is Principal and Founder of Waterhouse Group
(www.waterhousegroup.com). They specialize in helping companies
increase their sales and profits. He can be reached at
1-800-57-LEARN or steve@waterhousegroup.com.
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