“We’re far from target. I want a touchpoint every day at 8:30, your forecast, what you’ve closed, why we’re not getting there and your plan.”
I’ve lived this. I suspect many of you have too.
The first thing that happens? The manager loses credibility almost instantly.
Not because people don’t want to hit the numbers, they do, but because this kind of response signals one thing clearly: panic.
Not leadership, not management, not swift response.
Then the pipeline starts filling up with ‘noise’ (or ‘smoke’ if you prefer).
Every conversation with a prospect becomes a deal in the CRM, with a close date, not because it’s real, but because someone needs to show figures and progress.
Clients get pushed to move faster than they’re ready to.
This translates into unnecessary pressure towards clients, proposing last minute discounts, showing desperation more than long-term business relationships.
And everyone ends up busy, just not on the right things. Busy, not effective.
Daily meetings when your sales cycles run well beyond 6 months?
Revised forecasts several times per week when what your team actually needs is more time building real relationships with clients and prospects?
Who ever thought this can help energize a team and deliver results?
It doesn’t add up. And it never will.
Because if your sales engine is broken, pressure won’t fix it.
You can’t make up for unhealthy fundamentals by turning up the heat.
I’ve seen it backfire almost systematically, and usually sooner than you think.
To any sales leader reading this: your real job is to build a healthy sales engine and leave the environment (team, practice, business) in better shape than when you arrived.
That’s it.
Not to chase KPIs, not to pressure-test every deal, not to fill every slot with a meeting.
Mentoring your people will always get you further than pressuring them.
And your CRM will always be better at crunching numbers than any daily standup ever will.
Build healthy fundamentals. Trust the people. The numbers will follow.
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