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Smart Questions: How to Help An Underachiever

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Smart Questions: How to Help An Underachiever

If your sales guy thinks he's supposed to sell to existing clients but you want him to bring in new business, you've done a poor job explaining your expectations, says Amy DelPo, co-author of Dealing With Problem Employees. Replace vague management jargon like "self-starter" in job descriptions with specific goals, such as landing five new customers a quarter. That will make it easier for people to understand their roles.

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