How to Lead Sales Performance Conversations

Most sales VPs I talk to are frustrated. Their teams hit numbers sporadically. Deals slip. Reps plateau. They feel like they're babysitting adults instead of leading high performers. (Is this you?) Here's what I learned scaling teams to multiple 9 figures while hitting President's Club every single year: → High performance isn't about talent. It's about systems. The same 3 pillar system I used as a frontline leader (and now teach to sales VPs at 8 and 9-figure companies) can transform your team from reactive to proactive. PILLAR 1: Systematic Weekly 1-on-1s Not check ins. Performance drivers. 🔹Have THEM verbalize their numbers 🔹Review specific action items from last week 🔹Set crystal clear next actions (so specific a 2nd grader could understand) 🔹Use a pre-meeting form to drive self-awareness PILLAR 2: Weekly Scoreboards Visibility drives behavior. Period. 🔹Stack rank by your most important KPI 🔹Send every Monday morning 🔹Everyone sees where they stand 🔹Celebrate top performers publicly PILLAR 3: Strategic Call Shadowing This is where transformation happens. 🔹Plan monthly in advance 🔹Require agenda with minimum 3 calls 🔹Coach in real-time, not a week later 🔹Start with what they did well, then max 3 improvements If your AE can't prepare a solid half day for their sales leader, what are they doing when you're not watching? The result of this system: → Reps know exactly where they stand and what to do next → Problems surface early, not at quarter-end → Your team CRAVES feedback because they know it drives results → You hit bigger numbers without needing heroics every quarter Bottom line: Stop managing by hope. Start leading with systems. Your team (and your numbers) will thank you. — Ready to systemize your sales leadership? Book a call to see how we can implement this in your organization: https://lnkd.in/ghh8VCaf

This is what I'd teach someone if they asked how to give their team member feedback and I had 10 minutes to unpack how to go about it: # 1 Come from a place of genuine love: a true care and concern for the long-term development and growth. Has to be real. Has to be 'them' focused. Has to be the MGI (Most generous interpretation) of what's happening. # 2 Truth w/o love destroys. Love w/o truth deceives. Truth and love develops. The aim is to share the truth while leaning into the relationship. Be clear and be kind. These are not mutually exclusive # 3 Clearly define the things you've observed. You're not questioning intent. You are sharing the impact. Have clear examples you can unpack and a clear why (ie, how this impacts them or the business or the team) # 4 Script the critical moves. Define what success looks like in a way that can't be misunderstood. Discuss how you'd know they are winning in this area. Use your senses: What would you see? hear? feel? And know to be true if this area of growth changed for the better. # 5 Involve them in the plan. People who weigh in, buy in. This is a two-way conversation where their involvement directly connects to the change you want to see in their life and work. # 6 Establish a timeline to check in and assess progress. It might be two weeks, or it might be four weeks. It might be every 2 weeks. The goal is to come back and discuss progress. It's direction not perfection. # 7 Encourage and highlight all signs of progress post conversation. Positively affirm any growth you're seeing. You wanna accelerate what you want to replicate. Never neglect this step. This is not foolproof. It's the micro version of a skill that takes years to learn. Getting this right can radically alter the trajectory of your team members' lives and careers. Please don't shy away from it. Lead. Lead them well. They want it. Need it. And some, not all, will thank you for it later. Speaking direct from experience. You can do this. And it matters. #KeepImpacting

You might not want performance conversations to be personal, but trust me, they are very personal to your employees. Their livelihood is at stake. Their capability is in question. The consequences are incredibly high. My job is to stay calm and bring structure to it. Otherwise, it can become a tangled mess. Ideally, I’ve set clear expectations upfront. And they’ve been getting feedback from me at a regular clip. But sometimes, we must step back and ask, “Where are we?” Here's how I structure those conversations: 📌 My first question: "Do they see it?" Do they appreciate what’s needed to meet or beat expectations? Do they understand how and why they’re coming up short? If "No," you need to get them there. How? Asking them to self-assess can give me useful intel. You can also finesse this by getting others to provide feedback. Different words can often break through. If they do see it... 📌 "Do they want to fix it?" If the answer is "No," the path becomes painfully obvious. You can’t have people in the role that don’t want to meet it. And people willingly leaving their role is easiest. How? Finesse it by previewing the severance or exit package. Identify roles they might thrive in. Chances are they're frustrated, too. Or if they’re a great fit in the wrong role, you can discuss a trial elsewhere in the org. Finally, if they see it and want to fix it... 📌 “Do they know how?” If not, this is a great place to coach. Use questions to guide them in the direction you need. If they write the map, they tend to follow it. If they know how and are not improving, there are two possibilities: -> They’re not making the change. -> They’re making it, and it’s not helping. In either case, the fair choice for your team and for them is likely an exit. These conversations are always challenging. But they're nearly impossible when we don't have a plan. You can have conversations, or you can lead them. In moments of high emotion, clear is kind. If you found this post helpful: - Please repost ♻️ to help other leaders - Follow Dave Kline 🔔 for more posts like it - Subscribe to my MGMT Playbook 📕 (in bio) Join 30K leaders and get access to 75 practical playbooks + working templates for every challenging management moment.