The Illusion of Sales Accountability
Ever been told by your employer, “You’re just not making the sales because you’re not working hard enough”? Yet, no matter how many hours you put in, the numbers never seem to add up. This isn’t your fault—it’s the result of a toxic sales culture that thrives on gaslighting and exploiting its employees.
Salespeople are often led to believe that their failure to hit numbers is due to their own shortcomings. However, behind the scenes, they may be dealing with recycled leads—contacts who have already been bombarded by calls from dozens of other salespeople, including the very same company. Despite these stacked odds, when performance isn’t met, the blame shifts squarely to the individual.
The Hidden Truth Behind Recycled Calls
In the sales industry, recycled calls are a common practice. Leads that don’t convert or seem uninterested are placed back into the system, sometimes hundreds of times, for different agents to try and sell to them. What the company doesn’t reveal is that these prospects are likely burned out from constant outreach, leaving them immune to your pitch, no matter how perfect it is.
This is gaslighting at its finest. You’re made to believe you’re the problem, even though the issue lies with the quality of the leads themselves.
Gaslighting and Its Impact on Sales Professionals
Gaslighting in the sales environment creates an atmosphere where you doubt your own abilities, despite doing everything right. You’re often told:
- “You’re not trying hard enough.”
- “You’re losing the sale because you’re not closing properly.”
- “You need to work longer hours and improve your technique.”
But the reality is that the system is rigged against you. When you’re forced to call recycled leads who have already been contacted by hundreds of agents, it’s a recipe for frustration. But because you’re measured purely by the number of conversions, it leads to constant write-ups, warnings, and threats of job loss.
Real-Life Examples of Gaslighting in Sales
- The Recycled Lead: Jessica worked at a call center for a financial company. She made hundreds of calls daily, only to be told her numbers weren’t good enough. What she didn’t know was that the leads she was calling were recycled—contacts who had been contacted by the same company over and over again. She felt like a failure when prospects didn’t respond to her calls, yet no one told her the truth: the customers were fed up with being called constantly.
- The Unfair Write-Up: Chris was a top-performing sales agent at a tech company. One month, his numbers tanked despite his usual hard work. He was called into the office and reprimanded for costing the company money. When Chris inquired about the quality of his leads, the management dismissed his concerns, claiming that the failure was his. What they didn’t tell him was that the leads he was given had been recycled multiple times across several sales teams.
How It Affects You
This cycle of gaslighting doesn’t just harm your career—it damages your mental health. You begin to question your abilities, lose confidence, and dread the thought of picking up the phone. But all the while, you’re simply being set up to fail by a broken system.
Your morale takes a hit, your passion for the job fades, and eventually, the stress leads to burnout. Meanwhile, the company is raking in profits, exploiting your efforts without giving you the tools to succeed.
The Threats of Job Insecurity
As if the constant pressure to perform isn’t enough, salespeople are often threatened with termination when they don’t meet their quotas, even though they’re being set up for failure with unqualified leads. Threatening job loss can also serve as a form of control, pushing agents to work harder for longer hours, even when the odds are stacked against them.
Salespeople, especially those working on commission or with performance targets, are faced with the constant fear of being fired. This only adds to the toxic cycle and often leads to even worse mental health outcomes, including anxiety and depression.
How to Protect Yourself
- Recognize the Pattern: If you’re working with recycled leads or a broken system, it’s essential to recognize that the issue isn’t with you, it’s with the system itself.
- Keep Track of Your Numbers: Document every lead, every call, and every interaction. When you’re called into an office for poor performance, you’ll have concrete evidence to show that the issue isn’t your work ethic, but the leads you’re being given.
- Set Boundaries: Don’t let the constant pressure to perform take a toll on your health. Work hard, but know when to step back and take care of yourself.
- Speak Up: If you feel like you’re being unfairly treated, it may be time to raise your concerns. Talk to your manager about the quality of the leads and request more support.
A Short Story: The Realization of Sarah
Sarah was new to the world of sales. She worked tirelessly at a telecommunications company, dialing hundreds of numbers every day. Despite her best efforts, her sales numbers never seemed to match the expectations set by her manager.
One day, after receiving a write-up for failing to make enough sales, Sarah decided to speak up. She asked for a meeting with her supervisor to discuss the issue. To her surprise, the supervisor admitted that the leads she was calling were recycled—customers who had already been called by dozens of other agents.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me?” Sarah asked, feeling a sense of relief mixed with anger.
“Because it’s not our problem,” the supervisor replied dismissively. “You just need to make the sale.”
Despite being threatened with termination if her numbers didn’t improve, Sarah realized that the real issue wasn’t her ability to sell—it was the unfair system. She began to document her calls and realized that she wasn’t alone in this cycle of gaslighting. Her fellow agents were facing the same challenge. Together, they started pushing back, asking for new, qualified leads.
It didn’t happen overnight, but Sarah soon found a new company where she was treated fairly—and her sales numbers soared, proving what she had always known: the problem was never with her.
Conclusion: Don’t Let the System Gaslight You
Being in sales can be tough, but it’s even harder when you’re gaslit and manipulated into thinking you’re the one failing. If you find yourself stuck in a cycle of recycled leads and constant write-ups, it’s time to recognize the problem is bigger than you. Stand up for yourself, document your progress, and don’t let companies use you as a scapegoat for their broken systems.
Remember, you deserve more than just being a pawn in a game designed for you to lose.
