Sink or Swim? It's a Terrible Idea!

A competitor of mine had a brutal “sink or swim” attitude about their new hires, feeling that only strong employees would last the first 90 days. I recruited a lot of top talent from that company, one of whom ended up earning a best manager of the year award. Why was this manager and the others I recruited so successful? Because I was fortunate to have previously worked for a manager who knew it was necessary to give employees everything they needed to be successful. He said “What kind of a parent would throw their kid into a pool to teach them how to swim, then walk away saying ‘good luck’? No, you hold onto them until they’re ready to swim on their own.”

Do you have a team member who’s struggling with Protection Plans? Do you know what it is they’re having a hard time with, or have you ‘walked away from the pool while they’re struggling to stay afloat?’ And this isn’t advice just for managers: as members of a team we all have an obligation to help someone who’s sinking! Pay attention to your underperforming teammate this week and reach out to help them. If they don’t offer the Protection Plan, tell them how you remember to do so. If they give up after one objection, show them how you make sure your customers have an informed choice. If they’re afraid of feeling pushy, show them how you respect the customer when offering protection.

It’s time to stop watching other people sink! This week, share your personal best practices with everyone on your team. Observe how they offer Protection Plans. A team is only successful when everyone on the team is successful! Work together to…Make It Happen!