In a previous blog, I talked about when is the right time for you to, unfortunately, let someone in your sales team go. I spoke about a number of things to look out for that, if you see happening with a member of your sales team, it might be time to let them go.
In this blog, I am going to share with you how to go about making that tough decision in a way that protects you and that also is nice and as kind as you can be to the person that you’re letting go.
IS IT THE RIGHT TIME?
The first thing you have to do is make sure that it is the right time to do this. Give yourself 10 – 15 minutes to just get your thoughts together and really clarify in your mind that this is the decision you want to take.
I was once told that it’s really important to hire slow and fire fast. What that means is that you’ve got to make sure that you bring the right people into your business and if things aren’t working out, let them go in the right way.
There are lots of implications for the business and for you to consider. That doesn’t mean you have to ignore making tough decisions.
Write down the pros and cons of what it’s taking to let that person go. What impact it will have on you and what you can do to ensure that going forward you can avoid this mistake happening again? The key thing is that doing nothing is not an option. Doing nothing won’t get you to where you want to go as a company, you have to make brave decisions in the right way.
FIRE WITH EMPATHY
No one should really enjoy giving bad news to someone else especially when you’re telling them that they’re going to lose their job and their livelihood; or that their family could be affected by letting them go.
It is one of the most horrible things I’ve ever had to do as a business owner. Even now, when I have to make those tough decisions, I still hate it because I’m always thinking about what’s the impact of that conversation.
One of the things I encourage you to do is to really treat that other person like a human being. Make sure that you start to put yourself in their shoes. Think a little bit about how they’re going to feel if you really treat them as if they’re dirt then don’t be surprised that you get a negative reaction.
These things are always difficult and especially if it’s news that the person hadn’t expected or hadn’t wanted then it will be a shock for them to deal with. Put yourself in their shoes and remember to fire with empathy.
TAKE PROFESSIONAL ADVICE
What I mean by this is that if you have a human resource or organisational development consultant that works with you, then talk to them about what you’re doing.
I’ve seen businesses make so many decisions related to people, that it comes to bite them on the backside afterward! It also hurts them financially and emotionally later down the line.
When those issues happen, it will drain your time as a business owner having to solve them. It could potentially be avoided if you simply discuss what you’re looking to do with a HR professional and at least get their advice on what could be the worst-case scenario.
It’s worth spending a bit of time and maybe money upfront to avoid lots of pain and challenges. I’ve seen it happen, don’t let it be you and your business!
WRITE DOWN THE IMPLICATIONS
- What will it say to other team members in your organisation, or other salespeople that are working with you?
- What’s your communication going to be to those people to explain what happened and how can you ensure that they then don’t start feeling worried about their roles?
- What is the implication on the business?
I see it a lot where people come in and take over from someone and say “oh, so and so doesn’t work here anymore.” If that prospect has built up a good rapport with them then it could potentially affect your chance of winning the business. Work out a response and have an honest conversation that will stand you in the best chance of keeping the deal alive.
STICK TO THE SCRIPT
If you’ve taken the right advice from a HR professional then they will give you a script and an outline in which to use at the meeting and conversation with the person. You may even need to arrange a date and a time for the meeting to take place so that the other person has a chance to bring someone with them to the meeting.
There are a number of factors depending that you have to ensure you put in place to make sure that the process is followed, to do it in a way that protects you and your company. Stick to the plan they have given you!
SOMETIMES PEOPLE TAKE IT PERSONALLY
Sometimes there isn’t a fit there and sometimes just not a right match for the company. It’s not a personal decision that you’re having to make – you don’t personally want them to be unhappy, but from a business growth perspective, you have to make this decision.
When we talk to people about it being a business thing rather than personal, they can sometimes be more receptive to it. It’s vital that we can show them the actual reason you’re making this business decision. Don’t be afraid to outline the business reasons why you’re having to do what you’re doing and then take the action needed to get it over and done with so you and them can move on.
TAKE A LOOK IN THE MIRROR
Take a look in the mirror and ask yourself the questions:
- “Why did this person not work out?”
- “What could I have done differently?”
- “Could I have supported them more?”
It’s critical that we are able to look at what we could have done differently. When things go wrong, it’s not necessarily just the fault of the person that we brought in, maybe we are at fault as well, by setting the wrong expectations or hiring someone that just didn’t give us a gut feel or something wasn’t right.
Make sure you look in the mirror and work out what went wrong, so you can learn from this for the future hire you bring onboard.
I hope this blog has been helpful and given you some key ideas on what to do if you find yourself in this situation.
I have hired and recruited lots of salespeople in my time for my businesses and clients. If you want to talk about a problem you might be having with a current salesperson or you want to hire but you’re not sure how to start, then feel free to email me at james@thesbsa.com or connect with me on our social media platforms.
