Here's something that will transform how you manage your sales team: every sales team goes through the same predictable stages of development.
Yes, even that underperforming territory team. Even your top quota-crushers. Understanding these stages is like having a playbook for sales leadership.
Engagement Message
Have you noticed your sales team dynamics shifting during different quarters?
These four stages are called Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing. Psychologist Bruce Tuckman discovered this pattern after studying hundreds of teams.
Your approach as a sales manager must evolve at each stage. What drives results in one stage can kill performance in another.
Engagement Message
Ever wonder why your sales coaching sometimes falls flat?
Forming is the onboarding phase. New reps are eager to please, asking lots of questions, and following your lead religiously. Everyone's focused on learning the pitch and CRM.
It feels productive, but don't be fooled - they're not yet selling as a team. They're just individuals following scripts.
Engagement Message
Does your team still need your approval for every client conversation?
Storming is when territory tensions emerge. Reps start competing aggressively, questioning your lead distribution, and pushing back on quotas. It can feel like managing egos rather than sales.
Many sales managers retreat to spreadsheets and micromanagement. Fatal error - this conflict builds stronger competitors.
Engagement Message
Has your collaborative team suddenly become territorial and difficult?
Norming emerges when reps work through their competitive tensions. They develop shared prospecting strategies, refer leads to each other, and celebrate team wins together.
You'll notice them sharing best practices in Slack and covering each other's client calls without being asked.
