(By James Bahm) Any sales manager will tell you everyone on staff should have integrity in all facets of the job: maintain rate integrity, never overpromise, set proper expectations, and present an honest solution that is all about the client’s best interest.
For an AE that may also mean admitting you brought on a client who isn’t a good fit; or you pursued a client who wasted your time with senseless requests followed by excuses that lead you nowhere – if you’ve been in media sales for more than a few months, there’s a chance you can share stories of these examples.
But integrity starts at the top.
Some managers I’ve worked with adhere to that type of integrity; however, there are more than a few who lack it. Sadly, there are dishonest managers in every company: ones who tout benefits that no longer exist or a particular job description that conveniently leaves out the most unpleasant details, expectations, and tasks.
Managers, please consider a headline from last May in The Hill that said: “Only 21% of US Employees Trust the Leadership at Work.” That’s especially sad when you find out a lack of employee engagement costs the global economy over $8 trillion per year!
Let’s look at a few reasons why some AEs don’t make it past year one:
- The work culture doesn’t promote collaboration.
- You don’t hire the right people.
- You don’t have the proper expectations. OR…
- Mutual agreement is absent on any and/or all expectations.
- You don’t make them feel welcome.
- They don’t believe/trust you.
Managers, you are responsible for each of these. If you are experiencing high turnover, employees’ reasons for leaving are likely tied to the list above – whether they say it or not.
Wouldn’t it be great if all the bad managers outed themselves in the job interview? “By the way, we have a lot of cliques here, I micromanage every little detail, and I enjoy making life miserable for everyone; oh, and if I don’t like you, I’ll make your life a living hell. I’ve caused 8 of the last 9 new hires to quit within a month. One more and I get a new coffee mug! Any questions?”
As I’ve grown as a professional (and raised a very precocious daughter), I began to value the temporary sting of brutal honesty. (“Daddy, you burned the fries again. The smoke detector isn’t a timer!”) There was a time when I left a position and told them the reason I was leaving after only a few weeks was because of another manager. I braced for the blowback that never came. The manager I spoke with shook their head, apologized, and intimated that I was not the first who’d left for that reason.
Regardless of your current title, here’s my question to you: do you have the integrity to admit that you are in the right job, yet you chose to work for the wrong company?
If you’re in a bad situation, leave. If the environment created by management discourages you or causes anxiety when you pull in the parking lot, gather your things and go. No position is worth your health and well-being.
In an interview for a new position, if asked why you left your last job, tell them:
“I have the integrity to admit when I chose the wrong company. That company and its culture did not align with my values, and I didn’t see the need to be in an environment that fostered lying and aggression. While I could elaborate on that, I prefer to leave it behind me so I can move forward.”
Your value never diminishes due to someone else’s inability to see your worth.
Bottom Line: if your office has a revolving door, have the integrity to be the one to stop the spinning.
James Bahm has more than 30 years of experience in broadcasting, sales and marketing, and recruiting and hiring. He is the author of Don’t Yuck My Yum – a Professional Development and Sales & Marketing book. Reach him via email. Read James’ Radio Ink archives here.
