Why Needs Come Before Performance#

Everyone has basic needs that must be met before they can perform at their best. One of the sales manager’s jobs is to structure the work so those needs are satisfied — leaving the salesperson psychologically and emotionally free to focus on results.

A deficiency at any level of needs can drag performance down, sap enthusiasm, or even cause a salesperson to quit or be fired.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs#

Psychologist Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy is the foundational model. Each level must be satisfied to a certain degree before the next becomes salient.

1. Survival#

The most powerful instinct. If physical survival is threatened, all else falls away. In modern workplaces this is largely guaranteed.

2. Safety and Security#

Once survival is assured, people seek safety in three forms:

• Physical security — food, shelter, clothing, transportation.
• Emotional security — being liked, accepted, and trusted by the people around them.
• Financial security — enough money that fear of poverty does not crowd out other thinking.

This is why financial security — earning enough to maintain a chosen lifestyle — is essential for salespeople to perform at their best. Money is not the only motivator, but until basic financial security is met, nothing else gets traction.

3. Belongingness#

People need to feel known and accepted by those around them. When colleagues like and accept each other and work in harmony, morale rises and performance follows.

Brian Tracy considers himself “largely responsible for maintaining harmony and peace” in his own company. He removes negativity quickly. Knowing the boss will not allow them to be subjected to negativity makes everyone happier and more productive.

4. Self-Esteem#

People need to feel valuable, important, and respected. Everything you do as a sales manager to build self-esteem also builds self-confidence — which leads directly to greater sales activity and results.

5. Self-Actualization#

The peak of the hierarchy: the feeling of fulfilling your potential, rising to greater heights, earning the respect and recognition of those around you. People who pursue self-actualization are the happiest, most creative, and highest-performing on your team.

The Three Workplace Needs: Dependence, Independence, Interdependence#

Beyond Maslow, three workplace-specific needs each demand attention.

Dependence — Being Part of Something Bigger#

Salespeople need to feel part of an entity larger than themselves — a company, a mission. The more time you spend telling people what is going on and including them in decisions, the more they feel the company is theirs rather than something separate from them.

Former US Secretary of Labor Robert Reich said he can read a company’s psychological climate by how people refer to it. In top companies people use the words “my,” “we,” and “our”: “This is my company. Our goals are to achieve these results. We work together to accomplish them.”

Independence — Being Recognized as an Individual#

People also need to stand out and be recognized as individuals — not just as anonymous team members. This is why individual recognition, rewards, and reinforcement are critical to drawing out high performance.

Interdependence — Being a Vital Member of the Team#

The highest workplace need: the feeling that you belong to a team pursuing important goals, where your contribution matters and is respected.

Each person needs all three to different degrees. A deficiency in any one of them — or in any Maslow level — can quietly drain a salesperson’s performance.

Productive Sales Meetings: Hitting All Three at Once#

The single most powerful tool for satisfying all three workplace needs simultaneously is the sales meeting.

A 30-minute meeting at 8:00 a.m. each morning, well-run, accomplishes this:

• The manager calls on each person to speak and contribute.
• Company news, daily/weekly/monthly goals are shared.
• Teaching, training, encouragement happen.
• Specific individuals are recognized for accomplishments.

Begin every sales meeting by singling out specific individuals for praise and recognition.

At the end of 30 minutes, dependence (belonging), independence (recognition), and interdependence (team identity) have all been served — and people walk out and produce wonderful results.

Action Exercises#

1. List specific things you could do or say to make your salespeople feel happier, more secure, and more committed to the company. Pick one and implement it tomorrow.
2. Open your next sales meeting by calling out specific individuals for specific accomplishments — by name, in front of the team.