Mondays. The most dreaded day of the week. A day when everyone seems to wake up on the wrong side of the bed. This is a day that seems to see a rise in bad outlooks and lethargic attitudes. When it comes to sales, attitude can go a long way, and it is important to combat any negative mind-set that heads your way. It can be a tricky process though (especially when you’re here in Wisconsin where it is snowing in the middle of April). Managers should be on the offensive when it comes to their employees. A great manager can see a problem coming from a mile away. When times are getting tough and morale seems to be low, get involved and confront the problem head-on.

     It is important that when you are confronting negative attitudes that you keep the issue in perspective and that you make your statements as positive as you possibly can. Typically, as soon as a person believes that they are being targeted, they will get on the defensive and shut down. Then, any point you are trying to make will become quickly disregarded; therefore, wasting any time spent trying to fix the problem. In order to start any confrontation out right, begin with a compliment and progress from there:

Example: If a person is continuously coming as rude to fellow employees

Manager, “Steve, you have such a good way of talking to the customers. They really seem to respond to you. However, there have been some problems with the way that you act around your fellow employees, and there is some sort of disconnect. I think if you really put the same amount of effort into your interactions with your co-workers as you do with your customers, this problem could be solved easily.”