The Dual Nature of Sales Motivation: Success and Struggle

Managing people is a fascinating challenge. When it comes to motivating someone who's already successful, the job is relatively easy. "Do more of the same" often becomes the mantra, and it usually works. Success breeds confidence, and positivity creates momentum that leads to even greater results.

However, motivating someone on a downward trend is far more complex, especially when they were previously successful. Jean Jaurès, the French politician, once said something I encounter daily: "When people can’t change things, they change the words."

As an upline manager, I often see this phenomenon in sales, where individuals facing challenges begin to rationalize their performance with bias to protect their self-image. For example, a salesperson who once led the leaderboard may convince themselves that declining results are due to market conditions, competition, or even the product offering, not their own performance. They may say things like, "The market just isn’t buying right now," or, "Our product doesn’t stand out like it used to."

This shift in language reflects a deeper problem. Either it's a distortion of reality or a lack of objectivity. When people start reframing their circumstances to avoid confronting their own shortcomings, they make it difficult to find a solution. The real issue—whether it's a lack of effort, outdated tactics, or failure to adapt—remains hidden behind excuses. I've seen cases where a salesperson spends more time justifying their poor results than actually taking action to improve them. (I’m sure it sounds familiar to some of you ??)

One example might be someone who continues using the same sales pitch for months, blaming a slow market when they should be adjusting their approach. In this situation, breaking through the distortion requires a combination of tough love and targeted coaching, helping them recognize their role in the outcomes while equipping them with fresh strategies and perspectives.

A common trap many in sales fall into is treating the world as a static, unchanging picture. They often analyze the situation once (and only once), applying tried-and-true methods like Porter’s Five Forces, SWOT, PESTEL, and others, and then execute their strategy. And it usually works. But does that mean the same behavior will lead to the same results over time? Usually not...

Sales isn't that simple. It's not a one-time effort. Success in sales requires continual action, a constant willingness to push beyond your comfort zone, engage with new people, expand your network, and, above all, make better use of the resources around you to create network effects and greater business flows. Managing is about instilling change as a mindset—making change part of corporate culture—and thus influencing the behavior of your best resources to keep them performing at the top.

Selling is tough, and managing seasoned salespeople is no easier. Why should it be? After all, sales is one of the most interesting but also one of the most demanding professions. It requires immense resilience and the ability to navigate perpetual change.

I thrive on this process! What are your thoughts?