Kosta_Konfucius

Sales Rep

Acclaimed Answer

Sales Manager Increasing for Forecast 4x

to/dr: any advice on having productive conversations when you manager sets unrealistic goals

I work for a payroll company selling to smb. I am at 98% ytd and rank 6th/21 in my region and 3/9 on my team.

basically my manager calls me everyday to change my forecast to extremely unrealistic numbers. She is having me finish every month 300-400% over quota for the rest of the fiscal year. I told her "with my current pipeline I don't see those numbers as realistic" and said "no one has put up that much in a month in our region." She then tells me one of two things 1. Just make 200 cold calls a day and start prospecting on Saturday and you should hit that number easy. 2. She tells me she once had a month last year that was 300% of quota so I can too.

my main issues are I don't want to cold call on Saturday and running demos and meetings doesn't allow me to come close to 200 calls, plus I highly doubt I could be 400% quota even with that volume.

with her 2nd point of "I have done a 300% month so you can to", I have looked up her number and it was negative so she is just lying.

I am looking for advice on having a productive conversation with her and be able to set appropriate goals that are actually motivating. should I flat out tell her I know you didn't sell that much?

😤 Conflict Resolution

☁️ Software Tech

22

20 comments

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poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

10

☕️

Time to dust off the ole resume and leave Paychex.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

10

🦊

My advice is to find another job. Check out Bravado jobs too.

funcoupons

WR Officer

7

👑

Don't waste your breath. Instead, polish up your resume and start hunting.

FattySnacks

Politicker

4

Senior Account Executive

^ what they all said

Incognito

WR Officer

2

Master of Disaster

No wonder you folks are up my ass all the time.

buckets1

Politicker

1

AE

Get out of payroll!!!!!!

Beans

Big Shot

1

Enterprise Account Executive

This person is toxic and will use you as a scape goat.

Get out.

LordOfWar

Tycoon

1

Blow it up

Hmmmm, work Saturdays eh? Are you getting a base pay bump to cover working 6 days a week?

No one you would sell to is either working weekends or if they are, they don't want to be bothered on their one busy day.

You're gonna have to leave that company for greener pastures. Bonus points if you throw her under the bus on your way out and torpedo her career.

FinanceEngineer

Politicker

1

Sr Director, sales and partnerships

You need to push back a little, but also look for a new job. It sounds like (1) she might be on the chopping block and is pushing you and probably a few others to do more as you are the best options or (2) the company has to make cuts (doesn't like you) and she needs a reason to call out.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

0

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

That's them trying to get you to make up for the gap in projections they made.

I'd be following the advice of the rest and start looking for a new role. With your success, you can find something else where they is most likely going to be better management.

Diablo

Politicker

0

Sr. AE

This is the definition of insanity. Tell her rather than making calls on Sat you would f** off from there.

TheOverTaker

Politicker

0

Senior Account Executive

catch the first train outta there. Also...is there anything i give a less of a FUCK about than a manager's "glory days"?

NorthernSalesGuru

Politicker

0

Manager, Outbound Sales

Leave. If a sales manager is dictating your forecast, they better be prepared to work your pipe with you. Forecasting isn't meant to be used to set unrealistic goals/targets. It's meant to project accuracy of pipeline.

sketchysales

Politicker

0

Sales Manager

How do people like this get into positions of leadership or even retain any talent? That's a total joke. New job time 🙏

Gyro25

Notorious Answer

0

Account Executive

If your sales manager expects you to work on Saturday, they quite literally no life outside work. You'd kill it in any other industry. Do yourself a favor and gtfo of there.

Justatitle

Big Shot

0

Account Executive

get out of there ASAP. your manager is unrealistic and it does not sound like they will magically become realistic.

slaydie

Big Shot

0

Account Executive

This makes me sad for you. I don't have any good advice other than challenge her but that could end up in a sticky situation for you. Probably best to leave

CRAG112

Valued Contributor

0

Account Executive

You have to say exactly what you said, verbatim, and nothing else, every time.

That number is not realistic. No one else has ever achieved it. There is no data to support this. Working extra days to achieve what no data can support is not realistic.

Then...put your phone on mute as she rambles on about the type of sales person do you want to be and blah, blah, blah. Make sure to not respond after a long pause and she has to ask if you are still on the phone.

And then, say the exact same thing, verbatim, again.

Varro36

0

AE

I get all the guys saying leave but you could just stick it out as she will be gone soon. I’m sure the 2nd line can see her forecast is retarded.

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