How to Motivate Your Team When the Results Aren’t There Yet
How to Motivate Your Team When the Results Aren’t There Yet
Struggling to keep your team motivated when the numbers aren't showing up? Learn how celebrating small wins and focusing on process can build long-term momentum.
One of those two meetings focuses entirely on sales. We’ve been consistently growing each year since the pandemic, but we still haven’t returned to the level of our best years. That can be frustrating, especially because we are working so hard to get there.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how to keep the team motivated day in and day out. Some days it feels like we’re pushing a boulder uphill and making real progress, only to find it back at the bottom the next morning.
What I’ve come to believe is that, as the leader, my job is to focus on celebrating the process. I remind the team that the results we want in the future depend entirely on the habits and effort we put in today.
So we celebrate those habits. We celebrate the small wins.
When a team member thoroughly qualifies a new lead and takes the time to really understand the opportunity, that’s a win.
When a prospect we’ve been trying to connect with for over a year finally responds, that’s a win.
When an Apple Spice fan refers us to a colleague for help with an upcoming event, that’s a win too.
When we showed up to a tasting in DC after being in a car accident on the way, and the competing caterer didn’t show up at all, that was another win.
These small wins don’t always translate into sales that week. But they do translate into momentum toward our goal. You can’t run a marathon without taking the first step—and then the second, and the third. That’s how progress is built.
We may not be able to control outcomes every time, but we can control how we show up and how we work together. That mindset has created trust within our sales team. They know I believe in the process, and they know we are here to support each other as we take on this challenge together.
Of course, seeing real progress matters too. I make sure the team is truly building new habits and creating processes that will pay off over the long term. Despite the economic slowdown in the DMV, especially with mass government layoffs, we feel like we are building strong momentum for 2025.
Some of the initiatives we began in 2024 have started to bear fruit. Each time we fell short of a quarterly sales goal, we had honest discussions about what to stop, what to start, and what to continue doing. This cycle of action and reflection helped us fine-tune our strategies multiple times.
Smoky white bean stew over creamy polenta, finished with roasted sweet potato, Korean pickled radish, a sour cream drizzle, and fresh lime. A bold fusion bowl that hits every note.
This warm, nourishing bowl features smoked tuna, creamy white beans in their own broth, wilted spinach, roasted sweet potatoes, and tangy pickles—all tied together with lemon vinaigrette. A cozy, flavor-packed meal using pantry staples.
Made with Bullet