Do you work with anyone you just don't understand?

Do you or have you ever worked with someone that directly supports you that you just can't figure out?

Obviously the names are changed to protect the innocent, but here is my dilemna.

I work with a guy, we will call him Stan.

I used to do Stan's job before i moved into Sales.

Stan is in an Operations position, responsible for deliverying and supporting the jobs that I sell.

Stan is a pessimist.

I am an Optomist.

Stan goes out of his way to point out where everyone elses shortcomings are, but thinks he has none.

Stan is very difficult to talk to.


There is the background, here is what happened today that has me beside myself.

So without getting into the boring details of our business, I am expected to sell $2.5 Million in 2010. Today I announced to the business that I closed a $500k job for the remainder of 2010. This win will allow us to penetrate further a large potential customer of ours and successfully removed our biggest competitor from the picture.

Our business is down considerably from 2008 and 2009 was a very difficult year for the business. 99.9% of those around me are very excited for the win, including my boss.

Stan is not and has already began to talk about how he can't deliver it and it is going to be a nightmare.

This win single handedly gets my 20% of the way towards my goal for 2010 and will bring much more business my direction. Not only is this a win for me, but also for the company and ultimately will solidify business for Stan and his employees throughout the immediate future. Stan doesn't see it this way.

Stan thinks I am just making more trouble for him. Actually I am making more work for him, and that is the point right?

So today we ended with him, instead of congratulating me and saying lets get busy, he just stormed off saying how it won't work and it is going to be a big failure.

So I bit my tongue and asked him to set aside some time for me tomorrow so we can hash this out. So now I have to spend more time selling this project, but this time to my own company....

I know this is a very boring story, but it has me all kinds of fugged up right now. I can't believe that anyone in this economy wouldnt welcome a large job from a great customer.

What gives?

 

Not really, but I do work with a ton of people who don't get me.

 

I work with a number of 'Stans'.

Stan can go walk into oncoming traffic.

Keep doing the right thing, and don't let Stan's negativity bring you down to his level - because that's what he's trying to do.

 

Stan better figure out how to do it (if you sold something that was doable). Not your job to motivate Stan. Either he steps up or you step on him.

 

Sounds like Stan's boss needs to have a come to Jesus talk with him!! He has his head up his ass and can't see the big picture. I'm sure your company could find someone else with a better attitude.

 

Is this Stan?

Yeah I hear ya, we are talking about 3 years of the same shit. When will it end?

Like I said I used to do his job as well as every other one in our office at one time or another. I fully understand our capabilities and how to do this and every other project I sell. I dont sell what I wouldn't deliver. It is my name on the line. Looks like I may have to start calling him "Step Stan".

 

I worked with Eloy (real name) for like 5 years. We were great friends in and out of work. Spousal dinners and such. We worked together well but, his English was horrible. Even after 5 years there was a lot of "huh's?" from me.

He knew, though, to repeat himself, on occasion, by the look I gave him. The weird thing was everyone always seemed to understand him. They never asked him to repeat or anything.

 

I never understood an old guy (in analytical chemistry) that I worked with. Even hated him and how anal and territorial he was. He retired a year ago and I took over all his metallurgical responsibilities. Now, I have no time to talk to anyone (like him) and lock up all my equipment and materials (like him) in order to provide good reproducible results. I think I understand, now. The "kids" hate me.

 

Did you obligate Stan to make the customer 100% happy before any payment is made. Perhaps Stan is tired of busting his ass to make your customer happy only to find out that stipulations in the contract allow the customer to extort the company for as long as they wish before rendering payment.

I am Stan and our sales guys always sell something doable if you ask them. I have one that used to part of my job. He routinely sells things that are difficult to deliver on time and make the customer happy. He routinely sells features that are still in development and are 6 month down the Road map. In sales guy land it's always doable through the rose colored commision glasses.

I'm not saying your wrong but maybe Stan isn't wrong either.

 

Happy to be working.:up:

 

Sounds like Stan is a no-man. Are there other sales people that feel the same way? We have a couple of Stans around here and when they get out line, they shape up or ship out. This is where your head management will either do their job or sink the ship.

 

That is why I never said Stan is wrong and I am right. I simply said I dont understand him. We can agree to disagree, but we both have jobs to do. I am doing mine.

Your statement of him being tired of busting his ass to make MY customer happy I have issue with. Stan and I work for the same company, they shoudl be our customers, they put food on both of our tables. Without happy customers a business will not survive.

 

Yes Stan doesn't know how to say yes. 2 of us Salesmen in Cincy agree. The bad part is we are the only two. I don't dislike him as a person, but damn he is tough to work with.

 

Do you know, for sure, if Stan likes you? No. You're not there to make friends. You there to do your job better than anyone else and make a living. Get rid of Stan.

 

Dont care.

 

Yep...you sound just like our sales guys. Of course I ruin there day when I hand them a build out sheet of one of the customers video headends and tell them to have that 400 channels of video playing in their customers homes by then end of the day. That's of course when the deer in the head lights look appears on their face and I have to make them say once again out loud..."I can not do that."

Then I get the fun of replying...then how do you know what's doable when you sell it? Some time spent planning with Stan on your approch to making the customer happy may go a long way towards making Stan easier to work with.

 

That's the spirit!

 

Have your guys ever taken the whatever you said that you cant do and proved you wrong? Time after time? What then?

 

This is the way I see it. Stan isn't mission oriented. It is always always mission first. He thinks little of you or your company and cares less what kind of future he has. On the other hand you are excited about your job. I can tell from reading your post. You care about your job and your future. If at all possible try not to deal with him. He will never be happy. I think it is time for Stan to move on. In my job we have tons of Stans. Still the job/mission must, at all costs be completed and without haste. I feel bad for Stan.

 

No....If they could I'd eat some humble pie and perhaps be more accomodating.