“The Specialist” Sales and Management Training Blog

Hello everybody,

What a great show today! We had a lively debate and a lot of great topics. As usual if you missed or tuned in late for “The Specialist” Spotlight today it was a good one. Not often talked about in public but I assure you a BIG topic discussed in private was wide open today on the airwaves. Personal hygiene in sales and management.

Wow! What a topic. Basically, what was said was that it is everyone’s personal responsibility to eliminate any and all offensive odors when being at the workplace. Having said that “The Specialist” Radio Hour focused on how managers should address the problem.

First off I recommend that, so as not to spotlight anyone in particular, even though you may know the culprit in your weekly staff meeting, you can address the problem and let your staff know the importance of personal hygiene. Not only is it uncomfortable for your employees to work under these conditions but it will definitely cost you sales. If you are not successful in your weekly staff meeting, remember some of your employees may be in denial or worse yet may know there is a problem but may not know how to solve it.

As a manager your responsibility is to fix the problem! Your next step is to take the individual aside and assist them in rectifying this problem. It is NEVER to be discussed with the other employees if the individual approach is needed. You also do not want to do the ridiculous and leave mouthwash, deodorant, or other props on the unfortunate persons desk. To some people this may seem helpful, but it is clearly offensive (pardon the pun) and insensitive. As a manager your job is to solve problems and be as compassionate as possible. Usually once this situation is rectified it is not only a relief to you and your staff but to the guilty person as well.

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“The Specialist”