ter hearing the success of his more senior colleagues, he grows small in his chair. He is next to report.

As the attention turns to him, he opens his activity reports with his sweaty hands. He tells his boss that although he had many meetings the previous week, he has no sales to report. Bracing for their disappointment, he waits for the interrogation and coaching s

His heart beats faster as he hears the hurried steps of the others in the office. While he sits at his computer, everyone else rushes to prepare for the weekly sales meeting with the boss.

He wonders how he can possibly explain his mediocre sales performance from the week prior. It’s already been three months since he started this job. Although he has been frantically trying to show he fits in with the team, he has nothing to show for it. Now, he has no idea what to do or what to expect.

His fingers tap nervously on the keyboard, as if they will magically type out the answer he has been searching for. From the clock on his monitor, he knows he has only five minutes left. His eyes focus on those numbers, as he watches his time closing in.

Suddenly, the monitor goes black from his screen saver and he catches the reflection of two wide, startled eyes. He knows he can’t face the lions looking as scared as he really is. In a blink, he gathers his call sheets and activity reports and heads for the conference room.

He tries to appear nonchalant as he walks down the hall in a slow, deliberate style. His forced sense of confidence is crushed the moment he reaches the door. The full room makes him feel like he is entering the Coliseum; he is the lonely peasant sent in to face the lions. His nerves flicker as he stumbles to find an inconspicuous seat.

The meeting begins as the boss goes one-by-one around the room to review the results from last week. After hearing the success of his more senior colleagues, he grows small in his chair. He is next to report.

As the attention turns to him, he opens his activity reports with his sweaty hands. He tells his boss that although he had many meetings the previous week, he has no sales to report. Bracing for their disappointment, he waits for the interrogation and coaching s

ly trying to show he fits in with the team, he has nothing to show for it. Now, he has no idea what to do or what to expect.

His fingers tap nervously on the keyboard, as if they will magically type out the answer he has been searching for. From the clock on his monitor, he knows he has only five minutes left. His eyes focus on those numbers, as he watches his time closing in.

Suddenly, the monitor goes black from his screen saver and he catches the reflection of two wide, startled eyes. He knows he can’t face the lions looking as scared as he really is. In a blink, he gathers his call sheets and activity reports and heads for the conference room.

He tries to appear nonchalant as he walks down the hall in a slow, deliberate style. His forced sense of confidence is crushed the moment he reaches the door. The full room makes him feel like he is entering the Coliseum; he is the lonely peasant sent in to face the lions. His nerves flicker as he stumbles to find an inconspicuous seat.

The meeting begins as the boss goes one-by-one around the room to review the results from last week. After hearing the success of his more senior colleagues, he grows small in his chair. He is next to report.

As the attention turns to him, he opens his activity reports with his sweaty hands. He tells his boss that although he had many meetings the previous week, he has no sales to report. Bracing for their disappointment, he waits for the interrogation and coaching s

closing in.

Suddenly, the monitor goes black from his screen saver and he catches the reflection of two wide, startled eyes. He knows he can’t face the lions looking as scared as he really is. In a blink, he gathers his call sheets and activity reports and heads for the conference room.

He tries to appear nonchalant as he walks down the hall in a slow, deliberate style. His forced sense of confidence is crushed the moment he reaches the door. The full room makes him feel like he is entering the Coliseum; he is the lonely peasant sent in to face the lions. His nerves flicker as he stumbles to find an inconspicuous seat.

The meeting begins as the boss goes one-by-one around the room to review the results from last week. After hearing the success of his more senior colleagues, he grows small in his chair. He is next to report.

As the attention turns to him, he opens his activity reports with his sweaty hands. He tells his boss that although he had many meetings the previous week, he has no sales to report. Bracing for their disappointment, he waits for the interrogation and coaching s

te style. His forced sense of confidence is crushed the moment he reaches the door. The full room makes him feel like he is entering the Coliseum; he is the lonely peasant sent in to face the lions. His nerves flicker as he stumbles to find an inconspicuous seat.

The meeting begins as the boss goes one-by-one around the room to review the results from last week. After hearing the success of his more senior colleagues, he grows small in his chair. He is next to report.

As the attention turns to him, he opens his activity reports with his sweaty hands. He tells his boss that although he had many meetings the previous week, he has no sales to report. Bracing for their disappointment, he waits for the interrogation and coaching s

ter hearing the success of his more senior colleagues, he grows small in his chair. He is next to report.

As the attention turns to him, he opens his activity reports with his sweaty hands. He tells his boss that although he had many meetings the previous week, he has no sales to report. Bracing for their disappointment, he waits for the interrogation and coaching session that is sure to come.

Surprisingly, the entire room breaks into supportive positive chatter. “Great job on seeing so many prospects,” the woman to his right says. “Keep up the good work!” his boss calls from the head of the table. The focus of the meeting remains positive as the person to his left takes his turn to report.

Our rookie is shocked, yet relieved, at the positive feedback he received despite having no sales to report. Without questions or hesitation, everyone simply applauded his efforts. They offered positive reassurance that he is doing the right things.

His colleagues hope that he’ll learn that doing the right steps can often be more important in becoming a great salesperson than actually making sales. They realize it will take time for him to discover his style of selling, and they need to support those who are in the difficult position of being new to a job.

In sales, we often forget the pressures our new employees put on themselves. Managing these pressures while learning new products and adapting to the personalities and procedures of a new company can stymie growth and extend the learning curve required for sales success.

Your new employees are an investment – one of the most important investments you make in your business. You must pick a winner and invest for the long term. Resist the temptation to “cut your losses” if things don’t work out in the beginning.

Provide your investments with the tools and support i