Every manager has been here. That one rep you believe in but can’t seem to turn around. You’ve coached. You’ve reminded. You’ve warned. And you’re still struggling what to do next.
This story hits home for every leader who’s ever lost sleep over someone’s potential.
Here’s how one VP turned an underperformer into a ne million dollar comeback story in 30 days.
“Someone couldn’t sleep last night,” I thought to myself. It was 5:30 a.m. The email I was reading had been sitting in my inbox since 3:30 am. “Need Your Advice,” the subject read.
It was from Steven Hamilton, VP of Sales at Genesis Industrial Solutions, a major player in the industrial parts space, with average deals in the $500K–$800K range. The sales cycle was complex, often stretching beyond a year, and with new product lines scaling, Steve had his hands full, managing a team of 22 salespeople.
A new layer of management was coming soon, but for now, Steve was still on the front lines, managing it all.
Genesis had been growing fast and needed more salespeople. While a new manager was supposed to relieve Steve soon, he was still in the thick of it.
“I’m having some trouble with Brian Grazier, the salesperson I mentioned I hired a year ago. I thought he was turning things around, but he’s still struggling; and so am I. He’s become my greatest challenge.
What makes it so hard is that this guy has the heart of a lion and is truly committed. But I’m not sure that’s enough anymore. Just giving you a heads-up before our coaching session at 10.”
At 10 a.m. sharp, Steve called.
“I got your prep form,” I said. “Sounds like Brian’s the priority today.”
“Exactly. You remember me telling you about him?”
“I do. You hired him with high hopes, saw potential, but it feels like something’s shifted. And now you’re stuck between trying to save him or cutting him loose. Right?”
“Sure.”
“You said he looked great on paper, showed promise, but now he’s your biggest challenge. And you’re wondering if it’s time to coach him up or move him out. Did I capture that correctly?”
Steve sighed. “That’s it, Keith.”
“How have you made Brian aware of the seriousness here?”
“Yes, well, he says he’s committed. . He knows he’s off quota. We’ve talked about it. I’ve been asking for weekly sales reports and updates on key meetings, like one he had Monday.
But Monday came and went. No update. And I still haven’t seen those reports I asked from months ago.”
“How have you handled this so far?”
“I haven’t yet,” Steve said, reluctantly. “I can use the excuse of too much travel but I’m not.”
““Let’s pivot for a moment. What do the weekly benchmarks and performance indicators look like?”
“We don’t have them.”
How do you hold Brian, as well as your entire team, accountable?”
Long pause.
That pause said everything. Not because Steve didn’t care, but because he hadn’t built a system.
Not just a system to help Brian turnaround his performance but a communication strategy that would enroll Brian in wanting to do so and co-create a path to achieve it. After all, most people avoid confrontation. Managers aren’t immune.
Steve then shared his most recent conversation with Brian; how he’d asked for updates on a key meeting, didn’t get them, and hadn’t seen the reports he’d requested months ago.
“I brought him in. Asked about the meeting and he said it got pushed out. Then I asked about the reports. He apologized and said he’d get them to me this week.”
“And that’s how you held him accountable?” I asked.
“Pretty much,” he replied.
Steve shared how he had talked to Brian about improving his organizational skills, cleaning up his pipeline and forecast, and managing his time better. He also mentioned if he didn’t improve, he might be looking for a new job. This comment certainly didn’t make matters better.
Compound the fact that there was no structured follow-up. And no second meeting, because Steve got pulled into more travel.
“When did you speak to him again?”
“I haven’t yet. I’ll email him after our call.”
“Steve, what role are you playing here?”
He paused. “What do you mean?”
“You’ve had other underperformers. And what’s the one thing all your challenges have in common?”
“Me,” he admitted.
I continued, “You made a request. He didn’t deliver. You didn’t follow up. What message did that send?”
“That it’s not important to me. And if it’s not important to me, how could it be important to him?”
Exactly, I confirmed. “Managers unknowingly create the very problems they want to avoid.”
So we built a turnaround plan together. One Steve could execute, and one that put the responsibility squarely back in Brian’s hands whether he’s in the right position or he’s not.
Week One: Enrolling in the Turnaround Strategy
The next day, Steve met with Brian over a cup of coffee at the local bagel shop. Brian was nervous. Probably assumed the worst – probation or termination.
Steve began calmly. “Thanks for taking the time to connect. Brian, what I want for you is to achieve your goals.
When I hired you, I believed you’d be a star. You even won Rookie of the Month. But your recent performance hasn’t matched that potential, and I take responsibility for that as well. So, I want to support you in turning your performance around.”
Brian nodded silently, waiting for the axe to fall.
Steve continued, “I know this job is tough. I’ve been in your shoes. But I also had a manager who believed in me and supported me unconditionally, through the wins and the bumps. That’s what I want to be for you.”
I know you’re capable. And I want you to succeed here. Is that what you want?”
Brian finally exhaled. “Yes. I do. But I’m also unsure of what to do differently. I feel stuck.”
Steve began to enroll Brian in a new turnaround strategy. “I believe your heart is in the right place, Brian. We just need to realign what you’re doing, how you’re doing it with your sales quota, and the personal benefits you’ll receive.
That’s why what I want for you is to achieve the success you want and ensure I’m giving you the support you need. However, what’s more important is your commitment to your success.
Let’s set some four-week goals and results to achieve, and work on a plan to turn around your performance.
At the end of four weeks, we will discuss what we find, so you can then determine what is best for you. Whether staying in this role or finding a role that’s more aligned with your ideal career, I support your decision 100%. So, is this something you’re willing to commit to?”
Brain reacted, “Wait, is this an HR policy? This sounds like a Performance Improvement Plan. It smells like a PIP. And it looks like a PIP. Is this a PIP?”
Steve re-affirmed to ensure his intentions were clear, “What I don’t want for you is to feel overwhelmed or worried about being placed on a compliance performance plan. That’s one of the objectives here, to avoid that.”
Relived, Brian agreed.
Together, they built a plan. They outlined eight specific sales activities, from calls and meetings to refining his process. Most importantly, Steve had Brian design most of it himself for greater ownership.
They scheduled weekly coaching sessions. Even mid-week check-ins. The turnaround was underway.
Week Two: Stumbling Start
Brian showed up late. Steve didn’t react; he just listened.
He could see that Brian’s energy was low. He then reluctantly admitted, “I didn’t complete the tasks. Follow-ups, a few. Cold calls? None. I’ve lost my rhythm. And my confidence.”
Steve listened. I am committed, but I’m struggling. The cold calls; I’m dreading them.”
Steve observed this wasn’t a skill issue but a mindset issue. No, “Just do it.” No “Toughen up and practice your script.” Instead, Steve shared a personal story.
It was about falling out of a fitness and healthy eating routine while caring for his sick son. The longer the gap, the harder the restart. But once he returned to routine, the confidence came back.
“When my son was born with a medical condition, I dropped the gym and golf. Later, when I had time again, I didn’t go back right away. Not because I didn’t want to but because I doubted I could get back into it. Complacency breeds doubt. But once I got back in, momentum took over; just like in management, and just like in sales.”
Brian nodded.
They got back to work.
“What’s causing the cold call resistance?” Steve asked.
“Well, before I start prospecting, my thoughts start to paralyze me and my actions.”
Brian was focusing on himself. On being rejected. On looking good. He saw cold calling as a push to get meetings, not to serve or qualify.
Together, they reframed it
Then came the real insight. Brian was avoiding calls because he was making it all about himself, his fear of rejection, of not looking good, instead of focusing on the prospect and their needs.
Worse, he was pushing too hard for the appointment. Steve coached him to shift his intention: qualify first. Assess the fit first. Appointment second.
That clicked. “I’ve been wasting time with the wrong people,” Brian realized. “This changes everything.”
They challenged assumptions and created a new approach and definition of prospecting.
The goal of a cold call isn’t the next meeting or next step in your sales process. The goal is to assess if there’s a fit worth pursuing.
That shift lit Brian up.
They then created a list of qualifying questions and retooled his call template and messaging.
They built qualifying questions together. At the end of the session, Steve suggested brief daily check-ins to stay on track.
Brian agreed and was surprisingly grateful in a way he hadn’t expected to feel.
“No manager has ever offered that.”
They scheduled five-minute calls for every morning.
As Brian left, that meeting, Steve saw it clearly. That the man walking out of his office was not the one who walked in.
Week Three: The Breakthrough
Brian showed up early, energized.
“I made 50 calls a day,” he said. “And booked four meetings.”
Steve grinned. “That’s huge! Congratulations! How’d you do it?”
“The qualifying questions? Total game-changer. I’m no longer wasting time. And I’m not afraid to call.”
“That’s fantastic!” Steve responded with celebratory support. “So, what’s one area you want to focus on during our time today that would continue to propel you forward to achieve your commitments?”
Brian admitted, “I’m struggling with follow-up. It’s awkward. I don’t want to bug people. But I also don’t want to disappear.”
Steve didn’t prescribe. He coached.
“What’s your follow-up process?” he asked.
Brian didn’t have one. No message structure. No set call pattern. And worst of all, he was guessing when to call back.
Steve challenged that.
“Imagine being your own prospect. You’re busy. You get a follow-up call like the ones you’re making now. How would you respond?”
“Ouch,” Brian said. “I’d probably hang up.”
Then Brian shared, “I’m not getting permission to follow up. I don’t know if they even want to hear from me. I’m working off my agenda, not theirs.”
They built and documented a new follow-up system:
- Time blocks for different call types.
- Voicemail, emails, social media templates, and live talk tracks with compelling reasons.
- Permission-based next steps that align with what the prospect wants.
- Prospect timelines and preferences.
Before ending, Steve asked, “What’s your takeaway from today’s session?”
“That I need a process. I was an athlete. I should’ve known better. But I never carried it into my career until now.”
“What’s your commitment for next week?”
“25 follow-up calls. And I’ll stretch myself, book two more meetings.”
Steve smiled. Not for the results but for who Brian was becoming.
Week Four: The Celebration
Their final meeting wasn’t in an office. It was at the Elk Room, Brian’s favorite spot.
“It’s not even my birthday!” Brian joked.
Steve smiled. “This is a working lunch. And a celebration. Because you did it.”
Brian had closed over half a million dollars in new business in two weeks. His calendar was full. His energy and confidence was off the charts.
Steve handed him a plaque. Most Valuable Player, Q1.
“Maybe it should say Turnaround Champion of the Year,” he said. “Congratulations! You earned this.”
Then Steve added, “Let’s keep going. I’d like to continue our coaching. How does biweekly coaching sessions sound?”
Brian didn’t hesitate. “I’m in.”
Steve reflected. “Brian, thank you. You reminded me that nothing I do is more important than making time for my team, especially those who want to grow. You gave me the opportunity to coach. And that’s a gift.”
That was their last turnaround meeting. From then on, it was about rising, not recovering.
And Brian? He never forgot Steve.
Because when someone sees who you can be, and walks with you until you become it, that’s more than a manager.
That’s a leader. That’s a coach.
It’s managers who are the real difference-makers. The culture creators. The potential drivers. When they choose to show up as coaches, not rescuers or critics, they become partners in someone else’s attainment for greatness.
The Six Core Objectives of the 30-Day Strategy
- Instead of repositioning the performance improvement plan (engrained negativity), introduce the new turnaround strategy as a positive solution for them.
2. The objective is to collect evidence of change in activity, quality, attitude, self-awareness, and results. This gives you certainty rather than being seduced by their potential (“I know they can do it if they try!”).
3. The person self-selects in or out. They are always at choice to engage or disengage at any time. It’s ultimately their decision to honor the commitments they’ve made. That’s why they’re either firing or hiring themselves.
4. You’ve succeeded in taking an unconditional stand for your people, modeling and reinforcing the positive environment and trusting culture you want among your team. Remember, everyone is always watching you. This is how you create your legacy.
5. There will be people who you may enroll in this process and respond with, “If you’re telling me we’re first going to go through this turnaround strategy and then, go through the HR compliant policy for underperformers? If that’s the case, I’m going to bow out now.” In other instances, the person may check out at any time during this process. Consider that a win for you, the company and the employee. Now, both of you have made a choice that this isn’t the position for them, enabling you to find the right fit, and for them to find the right career path.
6. Finally, this program must be positioned as an organic, four-week intensive coaching program. Do not EVER institutionalize this strategy or make it part of any HR compliant policy. This strategy is meant to mirror the natural, daily coaching that’s always happening, but with a more consistent, scheduled cadence.
Never use this against the coachee, unless this is agreed upon up front that if performance drops, or the person does not achieve committed objectives, this will become an HR issue. Leave this option entirely up to them. Otherwise, you may as well just call it a PIP, rather than a coaching strategy to avoid a PIP.
Why Unconditional Care Is the Dominant Leadership Strategy
Sales teams are under pressure like never before.
- Less than half of reps are projected to hit quota this year.
- Voluntary turnover can cost up to 200 % of annual salary per rep.
- Gallup still reports 70 % of employees are disengaged.
Leaders can’t afford to let potential slip—or to manage by hope. The 30-Day Turnaround Strategy isn’t a one-off rescue. It’s a repeatable way to keep performance high, morale strong, and culture healthy.
The Manager’s Gut Check
This story isn’t just about Brian. It’s about Steve, and every leader. Managers create or tolerate the conditions they complain about.
And what you ignore you endorse.
When you delay hard conversations, you tell the team accountability is optional.
Invite your people into a structured, supportive turnaround. And watch what happens when commitment meets coaching.
Because when you show up as a coach, not a critic, or someone who motivates by fear, you don’t just save one rep. You build a team where accountability, care and connection is the norm and greatness is expected and what people want.
Start with one conversation. One turnaround. One choice to coach instead of leaning on HR compliance policies.
That’s how you protect performance, people, culture, and your own leadership legacy.
The post How This Manager Transformed an Underperformer Into a Sales Champion in 30 Days first appeared on Keith Rosen.