• Has the salesperson acquired the knowledge and learned the

necessary skills to perform the job?

• Are the salesperson’s knowledge and skills reinforced by coach-

ing, appraisals, and personal development plans?

Selection and Job Assignment

• Have the salesperson’s knowledge and skills been assessed using

a variety of tools and instruments?

• Do the salesperson’s skills fit the profile of the ideal candidate?
• Does the salesperson seem to enjoy the work?
• Are the salesperson’s customers/territory appropriate for his or

her level of skills and experience?

• If necessary, are you following the appropriate process for reas-

signment or exit?

Engagement

• Does the salesperson feel a strong affiliation with you, the team,

the company, and its culture?

• Does the salesperson feel his or her job is important to the mis-

sion of the company?

• Does the salesperson feel it is easy to communicate with you?
• Do you and the salesperson both understand the resources that

are available to assist in difficult situations?

Quickly running through these questions will provide a way

to proceed with almost any salesperson’s performance challenge.
Once the relevant performance drivers have been identified, it is
easy to review the performance tactics for those sections (from the
36 listed above) and select those that are most applicable to the
situation.

When looking at sales performance, it is essential to consider

all six drivers rather than just the first or easiest to act on. It is easy
for managers to fall into the habit of automatically relying on a
particular key driver, such as “Learning and Development”—one
that may produce results but is not necessarily the best, least
expensive, or most sustainable. In fact, managers commonly

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Manage