How to manage underperforming reps
Underperformance has several causes that look identical on a dashboard but need opposite responses. Diagnosis comes first.
Skill gaps get coaching, motivation problems get a different conversation, and genuine misfit needs a decision. Confusing them wastes everyone's time.
Short answer
Manage an underperforming rep by first diagnosing the cause: is it a skill gap (coachable), a will or motivation problem (addressable), or a fundamental fit issue (usually not fixable)? Coach and support the fixable causes with a clear plan and timeline, and act decisively and humanely when the role is genuinely not a fit. Diagnose before you judge.
Step by step
Diagnose skill, will, or fit
Determine the root cause. A rep who works hard but lacks a skill needs coaching; one with the skill but no drive needs a motivation conversation; a fundamental misfit may need a different role.
Coach the fixable causes
For skill gaps, build a focused coaching plan. For motivation, understand what changed, whether it is personal, comp, territory, or belief in the product.
Set a clear plan and timeline
Agree on specific improvement targets and a realistic timeline with regular check-ins. Ambiguity helps no one; the rep deserves to know where they stand.
Act decisively if it is not working
If the plan runs its course without improvement and the fit is genuinely wrong, act humanely but decisively. Prolonging a bad fit hurts the rep, the team, and the number.
Common mistakes
Treating all underperformance as a coaching problem, when some is a motivation or fit problem coaching cannot solve.
Avoiding the hard decision, letting a genuine misfit linger, which demoralizes the team and is unfair to the rep.
How Ardovo runs this
Ardovo turns this from a slide no one opens into how the work actually happens. The stages, exit criteria, and plays live in the deal object, and Rook flags any deal that skips a step, drafts the next artifact, and keeps the data honest, so underperformance is diagnosed before it is judged gets followed instead of forgotten.
Frequently asked questions
How do I manage an underperforming sales rep?
Diagnose the cause first: a skill gap is coachable, a will or motivation problem is addressable through a different conversation, and a fundamental fit issue usually is not fixable. Coach and support the fixable causes with a clear plan and timeline, and act decisively and humanely when the role is genuinely wrong.
What are the causes of sales underperformance?
Broadly three: skill gaps, where the rep lacks a capability and needs coaching; will or motivation problems, where something has drained their drive; and fit issues, where the role or product is fundamentally wrong for them. They look the same on a dashboard but need opposite responses, so diagnosis is essential.
When should I let an underperforming rep go?
When you have diagnosed the cause, given focused coaching and support with a clear plan and timeline, and the fit is genuinely wrong with no improvement. Acting humanely but decisively at that point is fairer than letting a bad fit linger, which hurts the rep, demoralizes the team, and drags the number.