Tuesday Tuneup- #39
The Hidden Poison in Sales Leadership
This week's edition of the Tuesday Tuneup is sponsored by:
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Happy Tuesday everyone!
I love mentoring, coaching and working with sales managers. It’s one of the aspects of my career that I am most proud of and that brings me the most enjoyment.
Maybe it’s me giving back in a way. You see, I’ve had many remarkable people that have helped me throughout the years and I feel it an obligation to help pass that knowledge along to others.
Being a sales manager is hard. You have to sell, you have to manage and sales people are all alpha personalities trying to sway your emotions.
This week contains some of the best advice I have ever gotten. In short, you, as a leader, must manage and control complaining.
Here’s why….
Complaining Is Contagious
Negativity spreads like wildfire. When you, the leader, validate complaints, you’re giving your team permission to stay stuck in a cycle of blame and victimhood. Instead of problem-solving, they start focusing on what they can’t control. Productivity nosedives, and suddenly you’ve got a team of sales reps who are excellent at finding excuses but terrible at closing deals.
Your role isn’t to join the pity party. It’s to be the voice of clarity and solutions. When challenges arise—and they always will—your response sets the tone. Do you want to model resilience and resourcefulness, or do you want to be another voice in the choir of defeat?
Venting Feels Good...Until It Doesn’t
Let’s be honest. Validating complaints feels good in the moment. It’s an instant bond-builder to say, “Yeah, corporate really screwed us with this one,” or “These leads are garbage!” But this short-term connection comes at a massive long-term cost.
Why? Because your team starts to see you as one of them rather than their leader. A great sales manager isn’t there to echo complaints but to inspire and guide. The second you let your guard down and start whining alongside them, you erode their respect. And without respect, good luck influencing behavior or driving results.
The Bigger Picture Is Yours to Keep
One of your main responsibilities as a sales manager is to keep your team focused on the big picture—the why behind the work. Complaining narrows that focus to immediate frustrations and blinds everyone to opportunities. You need to remind your team that challenges are part of the game and that overcoming them is what separates the good from the great.
When a team sees their manager staying calm, composed, and solutions-focused, it reinforces the belief that obstacles are surmountable. It builds confidence in the system, in themselves, and in you as their leader.
How to Avoid the Validation Trap
Acknowledge the Feeling Without Dwelling on It
“I hear you—it’s frustrating when a new system rolls out without clear instructions. Let’s focus on what we can do to adapt quickly.”
Pivot to Solutions
Instead of validating, ask: “What can we do to turn this around?” or “How do we maximize what we’ve got?”
Be a Problem-Solving Role Model
Show them how to channel frustration into actionable steps. Whether that’s role-playing responses to tough objections or digging into CRM data to find hidden opportunities, lead by example.
Lead or Be Led
Sales is tough. Complaining is easy. But leaders don’t take the easy path—they carve the way forward. The next time your team starts venting, resist the urge to pile on. Instead, rise above. Your team doesn’t need another complainer; they need a leader who can turn complaints into wins.
Are you ready to be that leader?
Until next week…. Happy Selling!