GreenSide

Sales manager

Confronting a rep who is looking

I manage a team of sales reps and found out one is actively looking. I don't blame him given some circumstances around the company and his recent performance.

As a manager, would you bring it up to him directly?

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38 comments

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CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

What exactly are you wanting to accomplish?

GreenSide

Politicker

Sales manager

Transparency I guess? I don’t want hostages. I want volunteers. And if confronting brings transparency to either ship him out earlier or bring things to the table and forge ahead then I’d find either of those two acceptable. Of course I realize there are plenty other outcomes.

CRAG112

Valued Contributor

Account Executive

Yeah, that sounds like a great way to make it all about you and not about the other person.

Do you try and teach people the same methods when selling, or are you a fan of being consultative?

The only thing you will accomplish is furthering the idea that the place this person works sucks.

The best thing you can do is say I realized you were looking for a new role. If you need my support, you have it, but other than that, I hope it won't take time from your daily duties here. If you need time off, you have your vacation and sick days as applicable. Or, just don't say shit. Your company probably has roles kept open or are looking behind the scenes consistently anyways. Let's not try to start calling the kettles black around here.

Space_Ghost20

Valued Contributor

Account Executive

I mean, I'm a sales rep who is actively looking (and has been during the entire course of my employment here). If my manager brought it up with me, I would probably lie/bs my way through the conversation to buy time, because I do not wish to be unemployed, and even if it risked burning bridges, I would stay until terminated in order to qualify for unemployment. I completely understand that's not in the employer's best interest and they would prefer I simply resign.

If I were to be truthful, I would tell my manager that I only took this job because I was laid off and unemployed, but that I do not feel it fits my skills, or level of experience, and the pay is far less than what I had expected. Because there's no flexibility on these things, there's no way for the company to solve the problem. Since I have professional integrity, I'm still putting in effort. But no, I don't see myself here long term.

Again, I would never actually say any of that. And unless this person already has an offer in hand, I doubt they would be honest with you.

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

☕️

Paid job searches are too expensive not to prevent. Keep in mind, it’s not a confrontation, it’s a conversation with a desired outcome: refocus on the job they have OR opt-out with an end date of their employment.

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

100%. The tone of the approach will be key

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

I agree you should talk to him. I’ll take the turtle.

oldcloser

Arsonist

💀

We get bunny a turtle- It’s race time!

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

You figured it out!
And I haven't figured the name out yet. My son does have a turtle already, named Tomas Tertl (after his then-favorite hockey player Tomas Hertl), so I have to be clever. Might take a bit.

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

Bravado's Resident Asshole

Well, I like turtles too. What will you name yours?

GreenSide

Politicker

Sales manager

I like turtles.

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

#turtleclub

SoccerandSales

Big Shot

Account Executive

Definitely talk to him. Don’t need to be overly aggressive about it, could go in with the mindset of “just looking for feedback on why you are looking to move on”

oldcloser

Arsonist

💀

No, you should immediately turn your head and ignore a non-performing seller who could be single-handedly costing you a bonus. Buy him some ice cream too. Give him a pet name. Slide him $500 and say, "Hey Pal, just because you're you." Buy him a turtle.

Dude, yes!!!! You should confront him directly! 5 minutes ago. You don't have to be hostile. You can do it with empathy. But in this case, as fuqqered up as the org may be, you're still cashing their paychecks.

Get his intentions. If they don't serve the mission, get his ass out.

GreenSide

Politicker

Sales manager

Well when you put it that way… know any good turtle dealers?

oldcloser

Arsonist

💀

noice

Justatitle

Big Shot

Account Executive

Why do you want to bring it up?

Director Western Regional Sales

My approach may be a little different than most…in sales we are hired “guns”. We are let go as quickly as we are hired in many cases. There is no loyalty anymore. With that said. Is there a career path established for this person? Is he progressing along that path? Can the company deliver? Are they giving employees all the tools and training and other to be successful?

We will look and you might be surprised to find out the reason he is looking while also being objective and understand that persons view.

Pachacuti

Politicker

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

No. Don’t make things awkward.

But make sure you lock down company information.

BlackVNeck

Good Citizen

Mid Market Account Executive

Lock down company info? He still works there...

CRAG112

Valued Contributor

Account Executive

Idk man. If you came to me with that I’d ask how you think you know that and deny it till the end of time.

DataCorrupter

Politicker

Account Executive

This will not be the first or last time you have a rep under you who will be looking.

You should think about how you want handle this not just this time or the next time, but over the rest of your career (assuming you want to be in management for the rest of it). Pick an approach that scales, not just here at this company/situation, but that will work at the next company/situation, and the next, and so on.

In this situation, why do you want/need to bring it up directly?

I sense some urgency in your post, like it needs to be dealt with now. Does it though? Will some situation be exacerbated if you don't say something now?

I would caution you against saying anything to anyone at all. I've had a few managers do something similar to people on the team, and while I may have agreed with the manager, it was incredibly awkward on the team afterwards. For the whole team, yes. And honestly, I kinda lost a little respect for the manager... it just wasn't necessary to bring it up or take it up a notch.

If I were his manager, I'd let this work itself out naturally, no direct action needed. He looks for a new role, he finds one, and he leaves. Who is to blame for that? No one, maybe him... but this is the nature of sales... people leave. Let's say you have to act now: his performance isn't good, right? Ok, then put him on a PIP and give the situation an expiration date. Who's to blame for that? Probably him. In either situation, you look just fine, he leaves and you don't make the situation greater than it needs to be. Pick the option that puts the team dynamics first, and not the option that has you feel less bothered about it.

GreenSide

Politicker

Sales manager

True. Few people who are performing are also looking to leave. So a PIP could handle the matter without that rep feeling like I’m retaliating for their unhappiness.

lowhangersalesbanger

Executive

Director of Sales

As someone who has been on many paid job searches, I say leave it be. As a manager I say of course just speak to the rep with candor and let them know it's ok if they want to be somewhere else but also figure out if there is some issue with your business that can be resolved.
I had a rep who was doing this earlier this year and I approached him about it and he told me that there was nothing we could do and so I asked him for an end date to his work. He gave it to me.
I saved myself the headache of an employee who effectively gave up on working, and was able to get a head start on replaceing him.

GDO

Politicker

BDM

Jus ask him whats up and LISTEN. You're both grown ups just discuss it.

saaskicker

Celebrated Contributor

Enterprise AE

How did this go? @GreenSide

saaskicker

Celebrated Contributor

Enterprise AE

how did you find out?

GreenSide

Politicker

Sales manager

Other reps

saaskicker

Celebrated Contributor

Enterprise AE

could lose their trust if you handle this the wrong way.

CPTAmerica

Opinionated

President/CRO

One on one, bring it up. Hey I understand you're not happy here and that's ok. What can we do to make your last few weeks here mutually beneficial? At least it's out in the open and you're more likely to have a solid amount of notice ahead of them leaving. Make it clear that you are there to help them in their career but you do expect them to continue to perform while still employed.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

Try to understand why they are looking, no matter what you can learn what you can be doing differently

ScorpionZD

Executive

Enterprise SDR

Depending on how close you are, you could bring it up.

Or don't. 90% of reps are casually browsing anyways

Inbound Sales Representative

Have they been performing? How is the team rapport? Would their leaving disrupt everyone else’s morale/flow? Did you already know about issues they had with the team/company? A lot of intermediate questions, but these would shape your next moves/thoughts.

GreenSide

Politicker

Sales manager

Not performing. Worst in our segment. He’s both good and bad for the team culture, very moody. So when things go his way he’s great and when they don’t, the opposite.

emperex

Valued Contributor

Senior Sales Representative

Honestly sounds like this is one you just let be. If someone else wants that mercurial irritant, he’ll be their problem. Support where you can in the meantime, and especially support your team through his moods. Subtly start your own process to fill the gap if you can, too.

CEO

I personally would bring it up in a non threatening manner.
I would approach the conversation with as much curiosity as possible.
It is likely that you won’t get straight answers but look beyond the surface.
Your only goal should be to figure out what you can learn about yourself to become a better leader.
Because we both know at this point it’s a waste of time trying to keep him around.

SalesCyclist

Personal Narrative

Key Account Manager

If the rep is actively looking given his recent performance and recent company circumstances, can you really blame him ?
Would it be wiser to help him get better by mentoring him, that way he knows that he is getting the support from you, would stop looking around and put-in his 100% ?

LuckBombMcFagglecrits

Regional TLM

put him on a pip that'll show him

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GreenSide

Confronting a rep who is looking

38 comments

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