BY Kathy Crosett
How many sales reps have left their jobs because they were unhappy with their bosses? Our Voice of the Sales Rep survey puts the number for sales reps at 47%. A recent Harris Poll report points out that up to 70% of employees report having had a toxic boss at some point. What are the toxic boss signs to look for?
How do workers define toxicity?
In the Harris Poll, workers say “a toxic boss [is] someone who exhibits harmful workplace behaviors.” Those behaviors range from treating some team members better than others to micromanaging to being verbally abusive.
While the Harris Poll included employees in all professions, our Voice of the Sales Rep survey focused specifically on the sales profession.
Where are sales managers falling short?
Reps wish their managers didn’t gossip or enable gossip (17%). They also don’t appreciate bosses who unfairly assign leads (16%) or take credit for other people’s work/ideas (14%).
Reps have other concerns too. 35% are looking for a kinder and friendlier work environment. In most cases, it’s the sales manager who should set the tone for the workplace.
Communication poses another problem for reps. Only 58% of reps have a crystal-clear idea about what their manager expects and how they are being measured.
How do team members cope with a toxic manager?
These shortcomings are all cause for concern. When reps believe they see toxic boss signs, their satisfaction and job performance quickly decline. Employees will leave.
But not every employee can quickly leave a toxic manager. The stress will lead many employees to seek therapy, which is an increased cost to the organization.
Team member resentment can impact the rest of the team. If they believe they’ve lost out on a bonus or promotion because a toxic manager didn’t treat them fairly, they’ll slow down their work output. They might also gossip about what’s happening.
Why does toxicity happen?
Harris Poll analysts say workers believe that multiple factors lead to toxic managers. They point to economic pressures and a lack of manager training.
When toxic boss signs emerge, leaders may need to consider another possibility — a hiring mistake was made.
Toxicity in the workplace doesn’t only appear as the result of a hiring mistake. It can develop when the wrong people become managers. Individuals who shine in contributor roles, such as a top rainmaker, often don’t transition well to a management position.
All too often, employees believe that the only path to a more successful career and leadership position is to become a manager. When organizational leaders study who to promote to an open sales manager position, they need objective data.
They might be tempted to focus on which team member has brought in the biggest sales. Bigger sellers deserve recognition, but they don’t always make great managers.
When leaders use a sales skills assessment like TeamTraitTM, they have access to data that reveals the managerial and leadership potential of candidates.
With this tool, managers can assess a candidate’s ability to serve as a sales manager. TeamTrait’s Four Fits tool considers job fit in addition to customer, manager and company fit.
The tool also scores candidates on the risks of showing toxic boss signs in the workplace. Their behavior could range from “Jungle Fighter” to “Taskmaster” to “Exploiter.” In each case, their unacceptable workplace behavior will drive away good employees.
Understanding these behavioral tendencies as you contemplate who to move into the sales manager position can make a critical difference for your organization. Don’t take a chance when hiring or promoting a sales manager. Use a platform like TeamTrait to screen for toxic boss signs.
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