Episode #66: In Sales Don't Soldier On Sick

We are experiencing the highest outbreak of influenza in Japan this year. The winter daytime temperatures have dropped well below zero in Tokyo which is pretty unusual. We still have a lot of snow lying around from last week, which was the largest snowfall since 2014. Everyday, staff are reporting in sick with colds, the flu, headaches etc. What happens to your sales output during these physically demanding times? Growing up in Australia we were all taught to “soldier on” when we got sick. Maybe this was a leftover mentality from Victorian England or maybe it was a product of the pioneer society, but being ill was something you pushed through.

The reality though is that we are all working in a much more complex business environment today and just “soldiering on” won’t cut it. Watching illnesses being passed from staff member to staff member, really reinforces the sense of the fragility of teams. The last thing we want is for the whole team to get taken down because of the overwhelming sense of loyalty and work ethic of one sick individual. Japan has its own version of soldier on and that is called gaman or perseverance. This means turning up to the office wearing a mask, but still working when you are sick.

The problem of infecting others is still there, mask or otherwise. There is also the question of the damage to the health of the individual. Something which could be dealt with in a few days, now stretches into weeks, because the initial recovery period wasn’t long enough. There is also the question of the quality of how well you can work when you feel miserable. It is a bit like Japanese staff working longer than necessary hours, at minimum productivity levels, to demonstrate their devotion. In both cases everyone is much better to go home.

Japan has a strong sense of not letting the team down, so turning up sick is the proof of commitment to the cause. The idea that someone in a sales job could go and call on clients while sick is completely out the window. The client won’t appreciate one of our team turning up to wipe out their team. This is felt to be selfish, inconsiderate and basically pretty dumb.

So if you are sick that means you are restricted to working in the office. Why do that, when we have so much excellent technology allowing us to work remotely today. Better to stay nice and warm at home and work there if you feel you must. If there are some really urgent matters then handle them from home.

But must you work when you are ill anyway? Well some simple things can be dealt with by email while at home. Meetings already arranged will have to be reset and the client notified. Follow-up items won’t be followed up as promised because the time has slipped out and that has to be informed to the client. The sales numbers are going to take a hit. This might happen immediately or it may show up in a few months time, depending on the business you are in. What do we do about it?

The idea that we can push our people through their ill health to create the quota numbers is a crazy idea. Not an idea though that doesn’t occur to owners and sales leaders who have responsibility for the production of results like cash flow. We need to consider how short-term and crazy that actual thought is. In this environment, your people are everything. Their well being is everything. Transactional thinking around squeezing out the results, no matter what, is an organization destroyer.

The sense of being valued by the organisation is the key driver for engagement with staff. When everything is humming along smoothly, there is no stress test of the company’s actual, as opposed to stated values and the boss’s real commitment to the team.

Staff are taking careful note. There are more jobs out there, than salespeople in this market. When you pressure your people to keep pushing for targets, you will drive them out the door. They realise they are expendable in your eyes and they will leave. They are thinking “show me the love”.

Instead of expecting everyone to harden up, encourage your people to rest. One of Dale Carnegie’s stress management principles is to rest before you become tired and this is a very sound idea. Staff illnesses will eventually disappear and you are left with how they felt about how they were treated by you, when they needed your support. Keep those with major flus away from contact with everyone. Give them sufficient time to recover, because these modern malaises really take it out of you. Lead from the front. Stay home yourself when you get sick and model the type of behaviour you want in your staff.

Forget the revenue numbers in the short term. A highly engaged team will catch things up, as much as it is possible. The ability to keep the team together is more important than one or two month’s revenue results. Be generous with your people and they will understand your true intention is to care for them. Only when you show that, will they be motivated to show they care for you and the organisation.

Engaged employees are self-motivated. The self-motivated are inspired. Inspired staff grow your business but are you inspiring them? We teach leaders and organisations how to inspire their people. Want to know how we do that? Contact me at greg.story@dalecarnegie.com

If you enjoy these articles, then head over to www.japan.dalecarnegie.com and check out our "Free Stuff" offerings - whitepapers, guidebooks, training videos, podcasts, blogs. Take a look at our Japanese and English seminars, workshops, course information and schedules.

About The Author

Dr. Greg Story: President, Dale Carnegie Training Japan

In the course of his career Dr. Greg Story has moved from the academic world, to consulting, investments, trade representation, international diplomacy, retail banking and people development. Growing up in Brisbane, Australia he never imagined he would have a Ph.D. in Japanese decision-making and become a 30 year veteran of Japan.

A committed lifelong learner, through his published articles in the American, British and European Chamber journals, his videos and podcasts “THE Leadership Japan Series”, "THE Sales Japan series", THE Presentations Japan Series", he is a thought leader in the four critical areas for business people: leadership, communication, sales and presentations. Dr. Story is a popular keynote speaker, executive coach and trainer.

Since 1971, he has been a disciple of traditional Shitoryu Karate and is currently a 6th Dan. Bunbu Ryodo (文武両道-both pen & sword) is his mantra and he applies martial art philosophies and strategies to business.