When A Salesperson Is Better Than His Manager, Part One

Every day, across the world’s market economies, an epic battle is being waged, but not to earn business.

It’s an ego war between a company’s best salesperson and his manager.

But let’s change scenes, to put this into perspective.

You walk into a martial arts dojo, where the founder, now in his mature years, has made a rare cross-country appearance. The occasion is a test in which senior ranks will be promoted, including several brown belts, and one black belt.

This is the only black belt to be elevated during the last two years, and the dojo, in thirty-five years has only forged 20 members of this high rank.

So, at a crucial stage in the proceedings, the founder makes a speech, and he says in so many words, “I know most of you are wondering whether I’m any good at this art, so I propose a demonstration.”

He selects a brown belt and does two quick sequences of kicks and hand strikes on him, a very fluid and graceful display, belying the founder’s years. Then, he has his cohort walk across the room, turn away, close his eyes, and the founder sends an invisible force wave with his hand that visibly sways the body of the recipient.

Oohs and aahs course through the crowd. This display of mastery and seniority is impressive, certainly quelling any concerns that the founder can’t cut it, anymore.

The purpose of this demonstration is to perpetuate the founder’s hold over the dojo, to say, don’t bother challenging me. Pay attention to your own progress and work hard on the level at which you currently find yourself.

Let’s return to the sales scenario. The top salesperson disrespects the manager. He says to his peers, “They probably kicked him upstairs. If he was any good, he’d still be selling, where the money is!”

The manager can feel the growing disdain among his troops, and though he hasn’t found a smoking gun, he senses that his best seller is an assassin-in-waiting.

What should he do? Should he put on a master’s demonstration, like that which was done in the dojo?

In the next article in this series, we’ll explore the options, highlighting the pluses and minuses of each one.

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone® and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC's Annenberg School, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations in the United States and abroad. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.