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Dear Quota Team,
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Hey guys, love the newsletter. I’m a sales manager for a relatively small tech company. We have a free product for the developer community with a ton of users, but I’m one of the managers on the paid side, running a team of BDRs – young folks just starting their careers. 
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The reason I’m writing is because I have a problem. I have my own opinion on which direction I want to go in but wanted to get an outside perspective. A few months ago, one of my BDRs left to work for another (non-competing) company. He resigned professionally, put in his two weeks and stayed all the way through. But a few weeks later, another BDR, who was actually one of my best guys, left to go work for that same company. Obviously, he was either recruited through the other rep who left or he was the one who initiated the move – but that part isn’t super important to me. 
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The problem was how he resigned. He emailed me on a Wednesday morning and said he was putting in his notice effective immediately. He thanked me and was polite, but gave no notice, just up and quit. I sent a pretty strict reply, explaining that the way he was leaving was unprofessional, and he replied with a short apology. One of my other team members who is friends with him on Instagram saw that he went down to party in Miami that weekend, so I think that’s why he was trying to get out of work. 
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Here’s where it gets bizarre. A week ago, he emailed me asking if he could come back. I couldn’t believe it. He said that the new job wasn’t what he expected and that he made a mistake and that he knows he messed up but he really wants us to give him another shot. This would be an easy decision, except the guy is really good. Like, our best BDRs by far – he’s a natural. What should I do? If we take him back, aren’t we just rewarding bad behavior? What are your thoughts? 
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Indecisive in New York 
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Dear Indecisive, 
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Let’s not be too hard on your boomerang BDR. Who among us hasn’t impulsively quit their job to spend the weekend partying in Miami? Leaving a job without thinking it through is practically a rite of passage for young, energetic sales reps with their whole future ahead of them. 
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All kidding aside, we understand your concern. While it’s not unheard of for salespeople to come back after leaving for greener pastures, it’s pretty rare, especially if they quit in a way that indicates they had no intentions of returning, as your guy did. 
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So what to do? We think the answer is actually pretty simple. Ask yourself the following question: Can I work with this BDR without holding a grudge? We’re not talking about occasionally giving him shit for leaving, that’s perfectly okay (possibly a requirement?) We mean a real, personal grudge. Because if you can’t let it go, then you definitely shouldn’t bring him back. 
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But judging by some of the things you said about him, it sounds like you understand the value he brings to the table. He was your best BDR. He gets results. And in a sales environment, that’s worth a lot. He swallowed his pride, took responsibility, and apologized. If you can let it go (and we think you can), then it’s not a difficult decision at all. Bring him back!