AnotherAE244

Account Executive

Have you survived a Performance Plan?

I was put on a performance plan with a bs number, but by the grace of the sales gods I hit it out of nowhere.

What I am trying to figure out is if I should stay or jump ship?

I hate the fact they put me on one and I don't think I will come to terms with ever being on one.

I am at 120% to go for this quarter now though and don't see it slowing anytime soon.

Have you ever been put on a performance plan and hit the number?

Attached poll

Hell yeah and I survived! I didn't hit the number. I have never been on one.

*Voting in this poll no longer yields commission.

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14 comments

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alecabral

Arsonist

Director - Digital Sales Transformation

I was put in one early in my career. I was just missing the numbers and all over the place. My manager was not great really but did try to help. When nothing else worked for both of us, HR suggested the PIP and he said yeah. I got my PIP, hit my numbers before the end of the plan and actually worked my way into being promoted some time after that.

That being said, I never put anyone on a plan in 12 years leading teams. I really think managers can step up before that happens.

ChunkyButters

Tycoon

Fucking this.

IF YOUR MANAGER IS SURPRISED BY YOUR PERFORMANCE AND PUTS YOU ON PIP THEY ARE A SHIT MANAGER.

Any good manager will be well ahead of the curve if your performance is off. They should be supporting you and all up in your business well before any thoughts of PIP.

alecabral

Arsonist

Director - Digital Sales Transformation

Agreed. The guy was too new, and I was too. The good thing though is I got out of that shithole after the promotion and went on to finally understanding how things worked in the corporate sales world.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Hell yeah and I survived it. It happens sometimes. Especially when you are dealing with Enterprise long sales cycles. If your manager made it attainable and truly helped you through it, then let it go. It's over. You made it.

1nbatopshotfan

Politicker

Sales

If you think the number was out of line with where you should be, and more importantly, received no additional support to get off of the PiP and back to normal, get out.

If your organization aligned and helped you to meet expectations, then you’re in a good spot.

CaneWolf

Politicker

Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract

Yeah, if you pulled a rabbit out of the hat and that's not likely to happen again, they may be trying to get rid of you. So much hiring, OTEs are nutso right now. Seems like a good time to look.

UrAssIsSaaS

Arsonist

SaaS Eater

Was this plan unexpected on your end? Were you performing at a competent level prior to being put on one?

Just playing devils advocate, in our org its a really transparent process where if you are trailing over the prior 2 quarters at less than 75% of your number, we give you a warning that we are in PIP territory and put a plan in place to support so we can get ahead of the problem. I work my ass off to coach and help get AE's over their number for the month.

If that doesn't work then it goes to a 60 day play where you just have to hit 100% of your number and again I do everything in my power to help that rep get there.

If your process looks similar I think its on you to own some of what happened. If it doesnt and it came out of nowhere, be wary, sounds like a shitty place to work.

Upper_Class_SaaS

Politicker

Account Executive

Stallions don't get PIPs 🐎

sneakysnek

Politicker

KCSM

I was put on one at my last company, hit the numbers, exceeded the qualitative asks, and still got cut. Sometimes, it's just a formality to kick you to the curb.

I had no birds in the hand (or the bush) because I naively thought I was owed something for what I had put in, but I still survived!

FeedTheKids

Politicker

Solutions Consultant

Never been put on a performance plan - but if you get put on one with unrealistic numbers probably not a good sign.

I'd clean up that resume for back-up and keep doing your thing in the meantime!

Anonymous_Sales_VP

AVP, Enterprise Sales North America

There is no point in a performance improvement plan if the intent isn't to get someone on the path to success in their role. If you have been in sales for a meaningful amount of time you will be the recipient of some level of a warning about results at some point. I have received them, I have delivered many and the intent on every single one was to get the recipient to a better place. I have promoted reps who at one point have been on a plan.

RedLightning

Politicker

Mid-Market AE

It's a double edged sword. Do you trust your team and the process? If so then they geniunely may think you can improve and are trying to help. I've known a few people who were put on them and ended up excelling after. Obviously, the opposite happens.

Generally, I'd only trust it if it was data backed. If they have you making 200 dials for no reason, then it's just a "we're justified in firing you."

Do you think you deserved to be on a PIP?

Mothy

Politicker

Account Executive

I got put on a PIP a couple years ago when I was in the wrong industry, and I hit the number but got let go regardless 🤘🏼. It ended up being for the better though.

AnotherAE244

Politicker

Account Executive

The PIP was definitely deserved and I recognize that, but I felt that I wasn't put in a position to succeed from the beginning.

To provide additional context, they let the VP go who put me on the PIP after I hit the number so it was more of a team issue in my opinion.

I appreciate the insight from everyone and I am going to stick out until the end of the year and see how the new guy works out.

Happy hunting! =]

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AnotherAE244

Have you survived a Performance Plan?

Have you ever been put on a performance plan and hit the number?

14 comments

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