Your boss can have a big impact on the morale of your sales team. Having a good boss can make going to work fun, enjoyable, engaging, and rewarding. A bad sales manager can have the exact opposite effect. They can make your job more difficult, but you still need to work with them.

There are many reasons a sales manager can be tough to work with. You have the micromanagers, the ones who play favourites, and those who provide little to no help at all. Knowing how to handle them can make working with a bad sales manager more manageable.

Our sales recruiters have put together constructive ways to handle bad sales managers:

1. Try to see their perspective

The reason your sales manager is bad may not be what you think it is. Therefore, it’s important to always try to see things from their perspective. Understand the pressures and motivations behind the way they act. People in management positions are usually up against pressures reps may not be aware of. The better you understand their perspective, the more you may understand how to work with them.

2. Be a top sales rep and maximize your results

If you make yourself a top team player, you may be able to show your boss you can be trusted. When people do their job, regularly meet sales targets, and become an invaluable part of the sales team, many sales managers will loosen up somewhat.

3. Speak with them about how you work together

Here is a crazy idea. Talk with your sales manager about your working relationship. Make sure to always provide them with the information they want about your daily activities and performance. Talk with them about how you can be a better sales rep and what you can do to gain some autonomy. Sometimes a good conversation can greatly improve your relationship with your boss.

4. Don’t play the victim – take action

It can be easy to play the victim when you have a bad boss. Rather than being a victim, make an honest attempt to improve the situation. If you can’t, then it may be time to start looking for new opportunities internally or externally.

More Great Recruiter Insights About Sales Managers

Learn more about the role of sales managers by reading these blog posts by our expert sales recruiters:

4 Challenges for Sales Managers and How to Overcome Them

5 Things Sales Managers Wish They Knew Before Taking the Job

6 Tips to Be a Successful Sales Manager

SalesForce Search is a sales recruiting company which specializes in the recruitment and placement of sales professionals. We recruit salespeople in every sector of the economy including, software, manufacturing, financial services and medical devices. Find the right salesperson for your organization, start your search here.