14 Phrases A Sales Manager Should Never Use

 
We train hundreds of sales managers and leaders on our Sales Management Training programme every year. When we ask them how they motivate their sales teams, we often here similar stories of how they build up morale and get their teams thinking about growing and advancing in their sales prowess.

But we sometimes ask them what they would NEVER say and what would be the implications if they did.

It gets them thinking, and a quick poll has come up with some of the things that they would shy away from.

See if you have ever caught yourself saying any of these phrases, or anything like them:

“That’s Not My Problem”

You might not think it is but saying so abdicates any responsibility you may think you have and kills off any respect your team may have for you.

It also makes the other person feel like a victim and that’s never good for morale.

“We’ve Always Done It That Way”

You may have done, but things may have changed in the last year or ten.

You’re basically saying that everything is OK the way it is, and change is just something that happens to everyone else.

“You’re Wrong”

That may be the case, but it doesn’t mean the person has to have their nose rubbed in it.

You destroy people’s ability to decide for themselves and their self-worth and self-esteem goes through the floor.

“You Should Have”

Yes, but they didn’t, did they?

Telling someone what they should have done in the past doesn’t mean anything, because there’s nothing, they can do about it now.

You can ’should’ all over them, but it won’t make one iota of difference in the future.

“I Know You Did Your Best, But”

This tells them that no matter what they try, nothing will be good enough.

They’ve tried their best and not been successful.

What does that tell them about their competence, and how does it impact their confidence?

“I Haven’t Had Time”

You’re basically saying that what was important to someone else wasn’t important to you.

You’ve blown all credibility with the other person and made out that your tasks are more important than there’s.

Even if you haven’t had time, it doesn’t help if you use it as an excuse.