What Salespeople Need from Leaders—at Each Stage of Their Careers

Sales organizations have traditionally focused on three key dimensions when personalizing their talent management approach: competencies (what skills and knowledge people have), motivation (what drives them), and results (what they achieve).

While these frameworks provide valuable insights, they often miss a critical fourth dimension: career stage.

Salespeople have different needs, challenges, and growth opportunities at various points in their professional journey. Managers should personalize their coaching for each employee’s unique situation. A high performer with 10 years of experience requires different development and motivational approaches than a successful salesperson who is three years into the job.

Effective talent management acknowledges this natural progression. Early-career salespeople need foundational skills and confidence-building, while mid-career professionals thrive when presented with new challenges and rewards. Senior salespeople often require opportunities for renewal and revitalization to prevent stagnation.

Matching Approach to Career Stage

Through decades of working with thousands of sales leaders across industries and throughout the world, we’ve identified some proven, tailored strategies for developing, motivating, and retaining salespeople at every stage of their career. The figure will help you determine where a salesperson is on their growth curve—and what risks there might be if the wrong talent management tactics are used. These approaches**,** which are illustrated through examples from companies that we have worked with and researched, empower every team member to achieve sustained peak performance.

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Exploring: First year on the job.

Coach these team members to build their confidence and competence. Tap into their feelings of excitement, insecurity, and eagerness to learn and succeed. Focus mostly on skills and behaviors (the “how”) and less on results.

A global technology company found that new hires who made a sale within their first 90 days were more likely to stay and succeed, it refocused early training on fast-moving, simpler products and provided rookies with some easy-to-close deals—boosting early wins and accelerating momentum.

Rising: 2-3 years on the job and growing successfully.

Coaching and supporting these salespeople continues to be important, as is keeping them motivated as the initial excitement of the job abates and realities of the working world set in. Provide training opportunities to help them develop advanced selling skills and strategic thinking. Increase their exposure to larger accounts to build competence and confidence.

Recognition in front of their peers—for example spotlighting their achievements or inviting them to share ideas at a sales meeting—can reinforce their progress and boost motivation. One company we worked with features salespeople at this career stage in a “rising star” column of its internal newsletter.

No traction: 2-3 years on the job and not taking off.

It’s important to understand why these team members are struggling. Analyze performance metrics, observe their sales calls, and conduct one-on-one coaching to identify specific skill gaps or mindset challenges. If the issue stems from a poor fit, lack of effort, or resistance to coaching, have an honest conversation about their long-term prospects. When no viable solution exits, support their transition into a role in which they can succeed, either inside or outside the company.

If there are many such people, managers may need to sharpen their hiring skills. Companies have achieved considerable reductions in the number of “no traction” salespeople by adapting hiring processes. A computer technology company significantly reduced hiring mistakes by adding a day of job shadowing to its recruiting process, allowing candidates to better understand the role before accepting a job. An industrial distributor cut sales force turnover in half when it began using a psychological test to screen candidates, and an automotive dealership reduced “no traction” turnover by conducting more thorough candidate background checks.

Successful: 3-5 years on the job with consistent success.

These professionals may feel underappreciated, making them prime targets for competitors and recruiters. Recognition and autonomy are key factors in motivating and retaining these employees. Financial rewards, visibility with executive leadership, reduced micromanagement and greater flexibility can help with retention.

Another option is to start involving these team members in sales strategy development as a way of acknowledging their expertise and building loyalty. A global technology company we worked with puts successful salespeople on speaker panels for sharing best practices with peers.

Personalized retention plans that address specific motivations can help retain these confident professionals who are at peak marketability. Losing talent at this stage means sacrificing substantial investment and valuable expertise, and jeopardizing the relationships they have cultivated with customers.

Sustained success: 6+ years on the job and continuing to grow_._

Providing autonomy remains important, however, it’s also critical to spend time with these veterans to recognize their contributions and watch for signs of potential plateauing or disengagement. Create new challenges to prevent complacency from taking root.

A medical device company keeps salespeople in this career stage challenged by inviting them to participate on a company advisory board that meets twice a year, giving them visibility and influence with senior sales and functional leaders.

Additionally, involving these seasoned professionals in mentoring roles not only benefits newer salespeople but also reinforces the mentor’s expertise and fosters a sense of purpose.

Plateaued: 6+ years on the job and performance has stagnated.

The best approach for these performers depends on their time with the company. If a tenured salesperson adopts a poor attitude, resists change, and feels “I have earned it,” try to reenergize and challenge them by assigning new responsibilities.

An insurance company observed that many salespeople plateaued at 12 to 15 years, content with the income they earned on effortless repeat business. The company reengaged these veterans by encouraging them to introduce new products to existing clients and providing ample recognition of their successes, which proved more effective than financial incentives.

Plateauing can also occur when experienced hires who are new to the company fail to take off. If this is the case, an effective strategy is to help them learn the culture, build an internal support network, and feel a sense of belonging.

Plateauing can be contagious, especially when it starts with long-time team members. Quick action is essential to prevent a poor attitude from permeating the entire sales culture.

Disengaged: 6+ years on the job and performance is declining.

If the downward trend continues despite attempts to turn the situation around, it could be time to part ways with these employees. Act quickly and help the person exit respectfully.

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By adding career stage to your talent management framework, you create a more personalized, realistic approach that meets salespeople where they are in their journey—resulting in better engagement, retention, and long-term performance across your entire sales organization.