the power of positive thinking (changes, part 3)

It's amazing how much our attitude can affect our lives, isn't it?

At the end of last September, the manager at my job decided to hire a third employee, a decision that made me and my co-worker Jason look at each other dubiously. We both felt there wasn't enough customer traffic to support three of us, especially since the company also expected the manager to sell as well (even though it did nothing to increase his commission). The manager told us he expected our store would soon be doing over 30k in monthly sales and wanted to be ready for that. To this date we haven't come close to that number, but I remember him looking me in the eye and promising me that I would make my numbers.

Well long story short, I didn't.
After having two great sales months and big commission checks, my sales were cut more than half, and I didn't make my minimum sales amount ($5,000 in sales per month) to get a quarterly raise either. And to make it even worse, the new guy he hired turned out to be a cocky 23 year old kid that boasted that he was going to be the top sales guy from now on and did anything to make a sale, including unethical selling, taking "ups" (turns with customers) out of order, and trying to steal sales from Jason and me.

I started October with the self fulfilling prophecy that I wouldn't make my numbers and by the end of the month it came true. I missed my sales quota by $500 that month and again in November by $50, while the manager did several thousand in sales himself. I considered quitting many times; I was so miserable and fed up.

And while I blamed it all on the new guy, I realize now it wasn't all him, but myself using him and his actions as an excuse. I wasn't standing up for myself, but just letting my expectations win out, and then saying "see, just what I thought would happen, is happening". Jason kept telling me I needed to snap out of it, as did Terry, but I continued to wallow. I tried going in each day with a positive attitude, but deep down I still didn't believe it, and as soon as something went wrong, my "see I told you, screwed again" came right back.

I was increasingly tired of coming home every day with a black cloud over me, complaining to Terry how shitty my day had been. Finally one day about halfway through December something in me snapped. The manager was complaining (again) about how he wasn't making enough sales and that he was going to start selling more, and I just blurted out “maybe you should make sure we’re making our numbers before you start selling”. And he finally got it, in fact now when the district manager comes by; he says his job is to make sure his employees are making their numbers.

I also started riding the new guy’s ass, calling him on all his questionable sales techniques, and holding him accountable for his actions. I went back into my old manager mode (I was in drug store management for 11 ½ years) and treated him like an employee. After pointing out some of his sales techniques, he was called on the carpet by the store manager and district manager. When he would take one of my ups, I’d make him pay it back, with a sale if necessary. When I saw him trying to take one of Jason’s sales, I stopped him cold, which also earned him another reprimand from the manager.

And starting this month, I went in with the new attitude that this cocky punk ass kid wasn’t any better at sales than I was, in fact I was the better salesman. And my goal this month was single fold: every day we worked together I would outsell him. He needed to be taken down a notch (actually Jason and I both made this our goal). And guess what? It worked, in fact he ended up third in sales for January.

What I found amusing was how the kid changed his tune as the month progressed.
The first week or so in he said:
Hey, you’re having a great month so far, keeping up with me even, but you’re not going to beat me.
Oh, how come? I said.
He replied: Because I have a competitive nature that won’t let me come in second, and so you won’t get ahead of me.
I didn’t say anything in response to that, except Hmmm, but in my head I called bullshit.

By the third week, he was telling everyone he just wants to make his $5000 and anything else is gravy.

Jason and I just smile when we hear that...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Disclaimer: I want people to know he’s not that bad a kid, just young,full of himself, and needs a shot of integrity. In fact since he’s been put in his place, he’s become easier to live with. We don't have anything in common (he’s into hunting and a huge sports fan), but we find common ground where we can. I try to get along with everyone, but I will admit when he leaves later this year (he’s finishing up a degree in drafting and looking for jobs already); I’ll gladly hold the door for him as he heads out. But it might close just a little too quick and hit him in the ass…

Edit: I wrote this a week ago, but waited to post it till now to give the results of the month.
But another example of his attitude came out in a couple comments he made this last week. He told me he might not stay on till August if he can't make enough money to justify working here, and that making only $10 an hour isn't worth it to him (we actually make around $15 an hour or more, depending on commissions). And he added that he can't wait to start his drafting career where he'll make some real money, instead of wasting his time at our company.
Speaks volumes, doesn't it?