Sales Team Motivation by Accountability – A Sales Manager’s Guide to Holding Salespeople Accountable

Sales Team Motivation by Accountability - A Sales Manager's Guide to Holding Salespeople Accountable

I got a phone call from a Sales Director who informed me the Sales managers do not have the ability to make the sales team accountable. He stated: “My Sales Managers are too soft with their salespeople 95percent of the time, and they are too harsh on them for 5 percent often.” He continued to explain that in the process of holding the salespeople to account, sales managers “soft pitch” the discussion.

They aren’t clear about details about the salesperson’s actions or even the truth of the consequences they could face. However, When the Manager lets the poor performance linger for too long, they allow their emotions to grow until they explode before losing control of the salesperson. Both scenarios are not practical.

Fear can be a vicious method of squeezing even the most well-intentioned Sales Managers. While many might not want for it to be known, the fear of being disregarded and being questioned in secret by their sales staff is something to avoid at any cost.

How can a Sales Manager effectively monitor salespeople’s performance? Here are five tips you can try to help to have difficult conversations that are focused on accountability.

Clearly Define Expectations

It is difficult to be held accountable for someone’s actions until they are aware of and comprehend the expectations that are judged. Define expectations means that the salesperson is aware of what it takes to succeed or fail. If they know what’s required of them, you can simply refer to the expectations as the norm when they don’t meet them. This is how you take emotions from the situation and are able to stick to the facts. This helps to avoid the fear of “attacking” anyone. Instead, it assesses the performance of an individual against a pre-set standard.

Be focused on the issue

You might be afraid of appearing rough or overbearing. Here’s a simple tip to be gentle with the person but be determined about the subject. Do not become involved in a heated situation or feeling that you have to justify your decision. Keep your focus on the problem that you are facing – not meeting your quota and/or lack of prospecting effort and pipelines that are not well-qualified inadequate follow-up, etc. Do not be afraid of what they may say – concentrate on the activities they are doing and ways to aid them in redirecting their efforts towards more efficient methods.

Connect your behavior with outcomes

Sometimes, salespeople may not realize that they’re performing unproductive tasks. Help the salesperson understand the “effect” of their choices. Positive behaviors lead to positive results, while poor actions can lead to negative consequences. Salespeople must have a sales coach to help them open their eyes to the effect their actions have on their performance, as well as the entire team. For instance, if they fail to consistently determine the right buyers, aid them in understanding the reason they have poor closing ratios as well as ineffective sales calls.

Be aware of your personal needs.

As a Sales manager, you have to keep your mind off the desire to be loved. Keep your mind and body “mentally conscious.” It’s essential to have a dialogue with yourself that helps you stay focused on being honest while also controlling your emotions. Do not let negative thoughts occupy your mind, and diminish the responsibility you have to keep the performance of your sales team. Keep in mind that you are the one who controls your mind, not the reverse.

Perform Your Job

In the end, it’s your to make sure you meet your sales quantity. If your salespeople have trouble fulfilling their individual quotas, It’s all your fault. It could be that the reason was lousy hiring or training that was not effective, as well as poor management. The blame lies at your door. If you inherit a poor performer, you need to use your power for a solution by advancing them or to end the relationship. Whatever you decide to do, it’s your responsibility.

Salespersons must be held accountable for their actions. This is the reality that is part of Sales Management. Ideally, you’d want them to handle it on their own… discharging the burden of this responsibility. In an ideal world, that is a possibility. But that’s not the reality. The key to success is having skilled salespeople who have good products and services to market. Furthermore, managing them and leading them effectively can be a benefit. How you work that tough conversation is your decision. We hope that you will see you’re able to do it and earn more respect if you do it correctly.