The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

In this episode, we’re talking about what really causes sales performance to decline and what leaders can do to help their reps bounce back with clarity and confidence. 

Stephanie Downs, SVP/Senior Consultant at The Center for Sales Strategy, joins Matt to help break it all down. She expands on key ideas from her article in the 2025 Talent Magazine, where she shares a framework for diagnosing underperformance and reigniting momentum through strength-based leadership. 

Stephanie delivers powerful takeaways, such as: 

• Why, too often, feedback from sales managers is too vague 
• How to distinguish between a skills gap and a motivation issue 
• And, finally, why you should focus on a rep’s strengths (even when results seem to be lagging)

The cultivation of open communication and a robust feedback culture is pivotal for sustained growth and success. Like many tactics for organizational growth, it sounds simple, but it is not always easy.

Let’s explore some actionable strategies aimed at empowering managers to actively seek and embrace feedback within their teams.

The good news: most of the sellers surveyed for the 5th Annual Media Sales Report knew what their sales talents were and how to put them to use.

The bad news: 11% reported that they had NEVER received feedback on their sales talents.

Think about it. Those 11% are at an automatic disadvantage. When projects come up, they may not know if those projects suit their talents. When reaching out to clients, they may not be aware of how to showcase their strengths. And when possible promotions are offered, they may not know if this would be a smart career move based on their talents.