How to Address Negative Attitudes With Sales Personnel

Workplaces containing employees with favorable attitudes achieve a significantly superior sales performance, according to 2010 research titled "Can A Workplace Have An Attitude Problem? Workplace Effects on Employee Attitudes and Organizational Performance." The study also found that negativity can infect the workplace, with newer employees adjusting to the overall attitude and developing negative behaviors themselves. Consequently, to maintain successful sales performance, managers must identify and manage negative attitudes among sales personnel.

Instructions

1. Lead by example. You cannot expect others to react with enthusiasm and positivity if you constantly see the negative in each situation. As a manager, it is even more important to minimize negative thinking and behaviors; otherwise you train employees to point out the negative aspects of projects when they bring items to your attention.

2. Recognize and identify negative thinking and behaviors in the workplace. If a particular employee is responsible for numerous examples of negativity, talk with the employee directly.

3. Ask the employee to meet with you in a private location. Explain your concerns, focusing on the specific behaviors exhibited rather than using the term "negative attitude," which can be too vague for employees to understand what changes are needed. Cite actual examples, such as if the employee rolled her eyes in a meeting, criticized colleagues' ideas without contributing anything to the discussion herself or was short, sullen and failed to smile when helping a customer.

4. Emphasize the consequences the negative attitude could have in the sales environment. For example, negative behaviors are likely to be off-putting to customers, reducing repeat business and decreasing overall sales. Constantly focusing on the negative also impacts the overall morale of the workplace.

5. Ask the employee to self-identify ways to reverse negativity and end negative behaviors. Ask if it will help the employee if you point out negative behavior as it occurs, whether publicly or privately. Try to obtain the employee's understanding, acceptance of the issue and willingness to change.

6. Document your conversations with the employee and any continued negativity. If the behavior persists, discipline the employee for repeated occurrences of unprofessional behavior and failure to follow directives.

Tips & Warnings

• If the behavior does not change, you may eventually need to terminate the employee, so treat all employees consistently, do not allow negativity from anyone, and document carefully to minimize your liability.

• It is difficult to change employee's personal habits and behavioral attributes. Effecting significant change will take time and sustained effort.

References

• "The Wall Street Journal"; When Negativity Infects Your Office; Sue Shellenbarger; January 2011
• Sales Gravy: It's All About Attitude But It's Not What You're Thinking; Tim Rohrer
• State of Wisconsin Enterprise Management Development Academy; Managing Negative Attitudes; Steven Graham, et al.; 2010
• Columbia Business School; Can A Workplace Have An Attitude Problem? Workplace Effects on Employee Attitudes and Organizational Performance; Ann Bartel, et al.; December 2010