Ranking & rating sales teams is outdated. Here’s why.
“How on earth am I going to do this for another year?”
It’s a question I used to ask myself every New Year’s Day. My sales numbers resetting to zero the moment the clock ticked past midnight.
For years, those around me wondered where my drive came from. Back then I did too. I had no idea of my intrinsic motivators. Instead, I’d allowed myself to become swept up in reactionary customer & corporate demands.
I thought it was motivation enough to:
Make my customers happy
Beat a competitor out of a sale
Win awards & rank above peers
Smash sales targets set by the organisation
My naivety at the time, led me to believe this was healthy motivation. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Upon reflection & after copious amounts of neuroscience research, I now realise I was disempowering myself. The common thread between each of these quasi-motivators - they each impacted my sense of self-control.
Today, my level of self-awareness & self-compassion is vastly different. I’m acutely aware of my intrinsic drivers & how to intentionally use these to drive my motivation.
Equally, on the days my motivation is low, I now realise the importance of showing myself some compassion. To take a leave pass for the day, create some mind space & know in all likelihood, clarity as to the reason behind my lack of motivation will reveal itself soon.
Rotter’s theory of self determination acknowledges, that while external environmental realities impact us all, the choices of how we respond to those realities, is up to us. (1) A greater sense of self control leading to improved health outcomes - a healthier lifestyle & a healthier physical & mental well-being. (2)
My curiosity & passion for this important work well-being topic has led me to ask the following questions:
How do we practically apply this in the real world?
How do we educate sales professionals to understand their intrinsic motivators?
How do we educate leaders to motivate their sales teams in “healthy ways”?
How do we design KPIs for teams which align with this new way of motivating teams?
How do we convince risk averse organisations to abandon antiquated motivation techniques such as ranking & rating employees & adopt strategies better aligned with well-being?
Over the next month, I’m going to answer these questions in a series of articles.
Each based on a client success story, developed over the past three years, where we’ve proven out you can buck the trend, deliver sensational compounded growth & not only preserve, but enhance an employee’s well-being.
Tune into your inbox on Friday mornings to follow the journey!
Peta
Sales Coach, Consultant, Founder of Momentum Mindset online program for sales professionals
Author of My Beautiful Mess - living through burnout & rediscovering me
Mental Health Speaker for Beyond Blue
(1) Deci, E., Ryan, R., (2000) The “What” and “Why” of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior. Psychology Inquiry. Vol 11. No 4.
(2) Botha, F., Dahmann, S. (2024) Locus of Control, Self Control & Health Outcomes. Population Health. March: 25: 101566.