It seems we come across this issue frequently so it merits some attention. The scenario is this – a company hires a strong salesperson and they fail within a short amount of time. The first question that is usually raised is why did we hire this person? Obviously, they were not the right fit, they weren’t talented, they were disingenuous in the interview, etc.
But is this really the case? It could be, but there is one crucial piece of the equation that goes unexamined . . . management. This is a touchy subject with a company because you have to confront their perception. Most managers believe they are doing a better than average job. Yet, if a strong salesperson fails in a short amount of time (or even long amount of time), the sales manager has to be brought into the post mortem inspection.
Obviously, no two scenarios are the same. Most companies have far more invested into their sales manager than a new salesperson. But if a pattern emerges and the constant is the sales manager, the topic has to be broached.