Why motivating a sales team is rarely straightforward.
This page explores what actually works when motivating a sales team, using real leadership examples to show why motivation is personal and how understanding individuals changes everything.
Keys to Team Motivation
- Motivation is personalUnderstand each individual
- Lead individualsNot groups
- Frame goalsAlign with what they care about
If you're not into football, you'll need to forgive the first part of this page talking about motivating sales teams. I think you'll understand the concept before moving into the next section.
I recently watched an interview on YouTube between Steven Bartlett from Diary of a CEO and football manager Jürgen Klopp.
Jürgen Klopp was a huge inspiration to me. Around the time he started seeing real success at Liverpool was when I began my own management journey. The way he motivated his team, how the fans connected with him, and how the media responded all felt right.
Understanding Individual Differences
- Different peopleNeed different things
- Career vs moneyVaries by person
- Accept differencesChanges everything
What he understood about motivation
In the interview, Stephen Bartlett asked Klopp about managing individuals within the team. Klopp spoke about the difference between James Milner and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
At the time, Milner was approaching the end of his career, while Trent was early in his, trying to break into the first team.
Klopp explained that treating those two people the same way made no sense at all.
How this mistake shows up in sales leadership
Many sales leaders assume that what motivated them will motivate everyone else.
If they were driven by career progression, they focus on promotions. If money motivated them, they assume it motivates everyone.
That assumption causes problems.
Why motivation is personal
Not everyone in sales chose the career deliberately. Many fell into it because they were good with people and wanted success.
Motivation differs based on background, ambition, and personal circumstances.
Even within the same country or city, people respond differently.
Why Motivation is Personal
- Background differsVaried career paths
- Ambition variesDifferent goals
- CircumstancesPersonal situations matter
What actually works when motivating a sales team
The first step is understanding what already motivates each individual.
One of the best ways to do this is by asking open questions and letting people answer honestly.
A real example from managing a sales team
When I took over a sales department, I asked each person what motivated them.
Jon
Experienced and capable
Hasan
Cared deeply about progression
Hayley
Focused on financial reward
George
Cared about how he was perceived
That isn't criticism. It's understanding.
Turning understanding into effective leadership
Once you understand what motivates someone, you can frame targets, KPIs, and expectations in a way that makes sense to them.
You're helping them succeed on their terms, not yours.
The two steps every sales leader should focus on
Understand what already motivates each individual.
Communicate goals in a way that aligns with what they care about.
Different people need different things. Accepting that changes everything.