TFT: Learning Fast from a Sales Hire Gone Wrong
How to Handle a Misstep and Move Forward
Every small business owner has faced it at one point or another: you make a sales hire, but it’s just not working out. It’s discouraging. You start to think, why waste time trying to find someone else when I can just do it myself? But you know you can’t grow your company without expanding your team. As tough as it is, you have to learn from this mistake, adjust, and move on.
As Mark Zuckerberg once said, “Move fast and break things.” Maybe not the perfect role model for every situation, but his point still stands: agility is key.
Step 1: How do You Learn From This?
Before you move on, it’s crucial to understand why this hire didn’t work out. What went wrong? Ask yourself the following questions:
Was it a lack of skill or experience?
Were they too experienced and unable to adapt to your company’s needs?
Was there a cultural mismatch?
Did they lack belief in your company’s mission and values?
Were they only motivated by commission and not the broader company vision?
Analyzing these aspects will not only help you with future hires but will also guide you in refining your hiring process. This experience becomes valuable feedback for the next round of interviews. Each hire, even the wrong one, provides valuable lessons.
Step 2: How do You Move Fast?
While it’s essential to give people a chance to succeed, you can’t afford to invest too much time when things clearly aren’t working. You need to support the company’s growth, which means moving fast.
Once you’ve identified the problem, implement a concrete improvement plan. Set clear, measurable expectations, and check in regularly. If the person isn’t meeting sales goals, initiating customer meetings, or executing their role effectively, put them on an improvement track with realistic goals. However, if there’s no progress, it’s time to cut your losses and move on.
This may sound harsh, but you need people who are as committed to your business’s growth as you are. The longer you drag it out, the more time you waste—not only for yourself but for the rest of the team.
Step 3: Take Action and Adjust
It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind and overlook what’s happening with your sales team. That’s why it’s crucial to regularly review their progress—and that includes your own involvement in setting expectations.
Here’s what to do this week:
Review the last week’s sales activities: Did they meet targets? Were there enough customer interactions?
545Consider what adjustments need to be made: Are the goals clear and realistic? How well is the team following through?
An honest review will set you up for better results with your next hire—and ensure the current team knows what success looks like.
Action Plan
Take 30 minutes this week to evaluate your sales team’s performance. Identify one thing that needs improvement—whether it’s setting clearer expectations or implementing better training—and start there.
Recommended Reading:
“Why Some Sales Hires Fail and What You Can Do About It”
“How to Build a Resilient Sales Team”
“Sales Management: Strategies for Successful Hiring”
“Move Fast and Learn from Mistakes: Leadership Lessons for Small Businesses”