5 Signs You Have a Motivation Problem

1. People call in sick more frequently.

2. Attendance at sales meetings and company functions drops significantly.

3. Mistakes increase.

4. Sales fall.

5. Gossips and water-cooler complainers go into full swing.

Morale Boosters When Your Top Performer Leaves

When your star salesperson jumps ship, use these tips to keep the rest of your sales associates motivated and selling. 

• Step in the void and become the surrogate office leader and role model. Even if you’re not a selling broker, it will help associates feel that the office has an anchor they can turn to.

• Meet one-on-one with each associate and do a “pulse check.” Find out how the associate’s production is holding up, and what issues and concerns they have. Reassure them that you care and that you are already looking for that next top performer for the office. —Steve Brown, Crye-Leike, Memphis, Tenn.

• Present the departure as an opportunity for the remaining associates to step up and become the top performer. Instead of everyone else feeling like an also-ran, you’ll have every salesperson in the office vying for the spot.

• Offer training on prospecting and personal marketing. Salespeople will be more receptive when they see the opportunity created by the sales leader’s departure. —Mike Ferry, The Mike Ferry Organization, Irvine, Calif.

Motivators for Support Staff

It isn’t only salespeople whose performance can enhance your bottom line. Here are some surefire ways to keep spirits and productivity up among employees.

• Invite support staff, including part-timers to staff events.

• Show support staff how their work contributed to the brokerage’s goals.

• Communicate and coach, just as you do with salespeople.

• Encourage initiative and innovation.

• Teach employees what others do.

• Help them build a career path.

• Make work fun.

Portions adapted from “How to Motivate Part-time Employees,” Bob Nelson, Nelson Motivation, San Diego

 Team-Based Motivation >