Top Performing sales people can have a tough time with their success.
There are few people in an organization that understand them and what they do to be successful.
Most people don’t see and don’t know all the work that goes into the deals and the winning ways that they have created.
They also have a hard time putting how they are feeling into words, because too often they are then perceived as being whiners or high maintenance.
Top Performers make it look easy!
They appear to have all the answers and know what to do at any given time.
What people don’t realize is that a lot of that is based on making decisions on instinct and working with and listening to their clients, their own people and others in the industry they play in.
Top performing sales people are good listeners and have a special knack for putting the right people in the right room at the right time to have the right conversation.
They have fears and anxiety over their business; how will I repeat what I did last year? Why is there so much pressure on me to over-perform when half of my colleagues are not even at quota and not performing at an acceptable level? Why is it that my comp plan has been changed and I have to perform to an even higher level just to earn the same as I did last year?
Why is it that once everyone knows how much money I make, that I am now expected to pay for meals and drinks and be okay with the fact that my financial situation is rarely kept private? Why is it that every client activity I do is the focus of water cooler conversations and debate?
While in most cases I really don’t care – it gets to be a bit like water torture and that drip, drip, drip, drip!
Great Sales leaders learn early that it is not just enough to expect their top performers to perform. They need to spend time with them, support them, remove some of those annoying obstacles from being in the way and make sure they have what they need to be successful each month, quarter and year!
Too often leadership ignores their top performers and just expects them to over achieve because that is what they are supposed to do. Top performers are no different than the rest of your team, and so need to be treated with the same level of respect and treatment as any other sales rep.
Top Performers don’t get “Thanked” often enough.
Many times leadership and others feel that because top performers make big money, get trips and incentives, eat out and travel all year and that is all the thanks they need.
The reality is that a simple and heart felt “Thank You” and a pat on the back or handshake can go farther than most other incentives ever will.
Remember Top Performers leave an organization because of leadership – not because of money!!
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