Are Your Team's Numbers and Purpose Stuck in Different Lanes?

Let's be honest – hitting targets is great, but we've all had those moments when the team just seems to be going through the motions. I've been there too. As sales leaders, we're constantly balancing the pressure for results with the need to keep our teams engaged and motivated beyond just commission checks.

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Why This Actually Matters

I was speaking with a sales director at a SaaS company last month who put it perfectly: "When my reps understand the why behind their quotas, they fight harder for deals they might have otherwise abandoned."This isn't just a feel-good theory. Teams that connect their daily activities to a larger purpose consistently outperform those focused solely on numbers. I've seen it firsthand, and research backs it up.

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Finding Your Team's Real Purpose

Your purpose doesn't need to be saving the world (though if it is, awesome!). It might be:The genuine difference your product makes for customers (like the HR software that gives people back hours of their week) What can they now do with the extra time?Your team's authentic approach (maybe you're the straight-shooters in an industry full of hype) Your uniqueness is the differentiator.The growth journey you offer your people (like the manager who built a reputation for developing future VPs)What matters is that it rings true when you say it out loud. You embody it.

Making It Work in Real Life

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Tell Better Stories About Numbers

Next time you announce targets, try this approach: "We're aiming for $1.8M this quarter. That means helping about 200 marketing teams stop wasting budget on ineffective campaigns. That's the real impact." To take it a level deeper, tie the impact back to your individual rep’s goals and purpose. What does this mean for them personally? Let’s not paint everyone with the same brush.

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Spotlight the Right Wins

Of course, celebrate the big deals that hit the board. But equally recognize when someone goes the extra mile for customer success – investing time to ensure clients get maximum value, even when there's no immediate upsell opportunity. These activities invite us to do the small things that sometimes go unnoticed. However, when we stack them over time they amount to big things that create an experience second to none.

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Hire for the Right Stuff

Technical skills matter, but I've never regretted hiring someone who is deeply connected with our purpose  –  even if they needed some coaching on sales techniques. I've definitely regretted the reverse. People hire for hard skills and fire for soft skills, sad reality.

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Check In Differently

Try asking in your next one-on-one: "What deal this month made you feel most connected to why we do this?" The answers might surprise you. This primes our team to approach deals from a human-centric lens. We are selling to people, let’s not forget this.

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Keeping It Real When Times Get Tough

Let's address the elephant in the room – purpose can feel like a luxury when you're behind on targets. But that's exactly when we need it most.Earlier in my career, I  missed forecasts two quarters in a row. The teams that bounced back fastest weren't the ones we micromanaged with daily metrics reviews. They were the ones who remained connected to why their work mattered. Yes, they were motivated by money, most sales reps are, but they had intrinsic motivation, like an internal motor that constantly hummed. They knew why they chose the path they did and were on a mission and a quest to serve.

Your Move

This week, grab coffee with a couple of your top performers and simply ask: "Beyond the money, why do you think what we do matters?" Use their answers to shape how you talk about goals moving forward.

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