A sales manager explains why workplace friendships undermine accountability. He argues that WIPs (work in progress reports) keep teams disciplined and productive, and shares how he enforced performance standards while managing a large group.
We have what's called WIPs, which is work in progress reports. And like, if someone comes to a WIPS meeting and they don't have an update for one of the WIPs, it just end the zoom. Goodbye. They go, oh, yep, all right, cool. Say less. I'm in. I'm ultimately a very nice. I'm like, I'm a nice guy, but, like, it doesn't do them any favors to be their friend. I need people who will do what they're supposed to do so we can keep the wheels moving. Because, like, I have 150 staff, they up and I have to fire 30 people like them, you know, so it's like I'd rather put a structure around them to where they just can't or like, it's very obvious if they do. We had guys on 250k a year salaries that were doing nothing, and then we brought the whips program and they got fired within three weeks. I just bought out my old business partner because, like, I wasn't doing as much. Found out whips. All right, you don't do that much. All right, here's your money back.
