80 during this process, sales managers can learn how each unique individual they hire works and establish the type of communi- cation and habits necessary for a productive relationship. Do You Have an Accurate Picture of Each Person’s Strengths and Weaknesses? Starting with onboarding, but especially as they move forward in their career with your company, top salespeople value and in fact need the insights, guidance, and opportuni- ties presented to them by their managers. While recruitment and selection require you to rely heavily on data, developing your team also requires direct involvement. It has a significant impact on performance, and it allows you to identify potential issues or opportunities for improvement long before they become problematic. "It is extremely important for a manager to understand your strengths and weaknesses in order for them to understand how to best coach you. For me, my manager spent considerable time with me discussing my motivators, my strengths and my hang-ups in a way that allows him to understand how to best mentor me and encourage me how to grow in my strengths and overcome my weaknesses." More than that, it also gives you the op- portunity to optimize the way your team’s talents are utilized. Often, our respondents had desires to grow beyond just selling so they could use all of their areas of strength and more greatly impact their team. "I appreciate what my manager sees in me. I have been delegated several responsibilities. One is leading our company brainstorming sessions. I believe this gives me an opportunity to actualize my discussed goal while still performing my primary responsibilities. It has given me the chance to show leadership and team-building." What Role Do Their Personal Goals Play in Their Success? Inasmuch as problems at home shouldn’t come to the office and those at the office shouldn’t head home, the idea that the per- sonal and the professional should be entire- ly separate is a faulty one. After all, most people don’t choose a job or career solely based on whether they like the position. In our article on selection, we emphasized the importance of income potential. The most frequent comment voiced by this top performer group was the desire to increase their earnings to better support themselves or their family.