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Automotive Sales Management Training Articles

Turning Around Negative Attitudes

By: Mike Whitty

At one time or another, dealership sales departments develop an over-abundance of "negative attitudes". Sometimes they can be linked to a decline in sales, poor management motivation, or personal problems, but sometimes they evolve over time with no apparent triggering event. You can tell if your sales department is getting negative by increased complaining, a focus on reasons why sales can't be made, and what seems to be a lack of hope that sales will get better. And, it's contagious. Negativism can affect even the most positive employees.

In order for the Sales Manager to cure this situation, try the following:

Model Positive Behavior
It is obvious that if management is walking negative and talking in a negative way, the salespeople will follow. Don't do it. More than that, take a positive approach with your staff by showing confidence in their abilities. Expect a lot, support the staff, hold them accountable, confront them and be clear and honest. Set standards for your own work and relations with your employees, and work towards meeting them to set an example of positive behavior.

Acknowledge the Negativity
You can't ignore negativity and expect it to go away. If you do not acknowledge it, then your salespeople will feel that you are out of touch, and will not be confident in your abilities. Acknowledge the frustration and negative feelings, and do not try to convince the person or people that they shouldn't feel that way. However, when acknowledging employees' negative feelings, try asking for suggestions regarding what to do about them.

Look For and Identify the Positives in All Situations
Sometimes we forget to find positives. Look for small victories, and talk about them. Turning a negative sales department into a positive one is a result of thousands of little actions.

Give Positive Recognition Often
Pretty straight-forward. Provide positive recognition as soon as you find out about good performance wherever it may be. Do not couple positive strokes with suggestions for improvement. Separate them. Combining them devalues the recognition for many people.

Refrain from Collusion on Negativity
It is easy to get caught in the general complaining and griping, particularly in informal discussions. When faced with negative conversations, consider changing the subject, comment on the negative content ("Let's talk about something more pleasant"), or ask what can be done about the situation (move from a negative to a positive slant).

In Conclusion
It is not uncommon for sales departments to go through periods of negativity. Managers play important roles in determining if that negativity will increase, or whether it will diminish quickly. Above all,

To find out more about Mike Whitty and Salesperson, Inc., visit www.mikewhitty.com and www.slpinc.net.