Caution: Stupid is free and wildly abundant!

Ok, I said it. We all know it’s true but usually refuse to address it. I’m talking about people in sales and marketing that are terminally unskilled and completely unaware. It is usually these people that are the loudest and advocate the most aggressively for their position. For the rest of us, this presents a unique challenge. On one hand, addressing it only leads to a louder and more aggressive idiot. On the other hand, compromising can directly hurt the overall effectiveness of a project. Whether we work directly with these people or contract to a company that employs them, there is no easy answer. These people typically look at a finished product and want to change minor details solely for the purpose of having an “impact”. They spout off in sales meetings about the most inane details and everyone rolls their eyes. A name probably just popped into your mind because we all deal with these people. They have no idea how to write good copy, but want to make changes to yours. They have no idea how to develop a coordinated plan of attack in the sales game, but will almost always disagree with yours. They are clueless as to how to recruit sales talent, but will always find fault with new sales reps. I call them the terminally unskilled because that is exactly what they are.

Have you ever wondered why you have to have a meeting to prepare for a meeting? It’s to coddle the terminally unskilled. Ever wonder why good companies that are positioned well, struggle? It’s because the terminally unskilled are running the show.  The reason that is possible is because nobody has ever challenged them and revealed their obvious shortcomings. The loudest one in the room often goes unchallenged. That does not make for good policy but it is true none the less. These people have been at the core of sales failure since the beginning of time and rooting them out should be your first priority.

It may seem to be easier said than done but the solution has been right in front of you this whole time. Call a duck a duck and do it often. I know that not everyone handles confrontation well but nothing worth doing is easy. Stop attending the redundant meetings and do not compromise on your principals. Coddling these people empowers them and that leads to abject failure in sales initiatives. The impact on the mind set of your sales staff when forced to deal with these people is categorically negative. Management often struggles to rein these people in and therefore affirms their place within the organization. I am not suggesting that you “have a talk” with them. I am saying that not getting rid of them is negatively impacting your business. Conversely, getting rid of them will lift a huge burden off of your staffs’ shoulders.

If none of this makes any sense to you, I would remind you of that saying about the poker table, “If you look around the table and don’t see the sucker, you’re it”!