Imagine you have a team of 17 salespeople. All of them have five to twelve years of experience. And only one of them is really productive, he makes 70% of the profit.
This is the story of one of my clients, a business owner, who came to me with a request to teach others to sell the way that Nikolai Petrovich does. According to the client, all the other employees, except Nikolai Petrovich, work with droopy eyes, gray, dull, un-initiative, go to work only to wipe their trousers.
There were very familiar notes in this request. I asked for permission to attend the weekly sales meeting, where they set plans for the next week and discussed their successes and their failures.
– Would you be willing to work with me? – asked the owner after the meeting.
– Let me save you money. All you have to do is to create a distribution system so that Nikolai Petrovich will receive income only if all team members earn an amount close to his salary.
– Nikolai Petrovich is unlikely to agree.
– In that case, he would have to be fired.
– How to fire him? He’s the hen that lays the golden eggs!
And then, based on the facts that I collected during two hours, I showed how Nikolai Petrovich, using his charisma, his leadership, his power, which no one gave him, and subtly manipulating, did everything possible to prevent these people from earning more than they earn.
Let me explain with a metaphor. Have you ever been in a spruce forest with centuries-old fir trees? The first thing that strikes you is that nothing else grows in that forest. But if a few spruces are cut down, other vegetation quickly appears in the resulting clearing and begins to grow lushly, reaching for the sun.
The same thing happens to a number of unique professionals, specialists in the company.
For example: a leading IT specialist leaves the team. The owner is shocked. But as soon as he is fired, young colleagues suddenly start solving problems they had not taken on before. There are new creative ideas, co-creation, dynamics, the business starts to develop and moves to a new level.
That is why it is very important, when running a business, to realize that big goals are achieved as a team.
And to create such conditions within the company so that bright and enterprising people continue to be bright and enterprising, but all those who are ready to develop, who are ready to find their brightness and show initiative, have opportunities for this.
Do high-performing employees truly deserve recognition and bonuses?
Consider a scenario where you manage a team of 17 salespeople, each with five to twelve years of experience. Surprisingly, only one of them drives 70% of the total profit.
This is a situation I encountered with a client who owns a business. He approached me seeking advice on how to replicate the success of Nikolai Petrovich, the standout performer among his team. According to the client, the remaining employees appear disengaged, lack initiative, and seem to go through the motions at work merely.
Recognizing the urgency, I requested permission to attend their weekly sales meeting where plans for the upcoming week were discussed, along with successes and failures.
“Would you be interested in collaborating with me?” the owner inquired after the meeting.
“Let me propose a cost-effective solution. Implement a compensation structure where Nikolai Petrovich’s earnings are tied to the team’s collective performance, ensuring everyone reaches a level close to his salary.”
“Unlikely that Nikolai Petrovich will agree,” the owner replied.
“In that case, termination might be necessary.”
“But how could we let him go? He’s our top performer!”
During the subsequent two hours, I presented evidence showing how Nikolai Petrovich, leveraging his charisma and unofficial authority, subtly hindered his colleagues from maximizing their earnings potential.
Allow me to illustrate with a metaphor. Picture a dense spruce forest with towering, centuries-old fir trees. Notice how little else grows beneath them. Yet, when a few spruces are cleared, new vegetation quickly emerges in the cleared space, flourishing under sunlight.
Similarly, within organizations, the departure of unique talents can initially shock business owners. However, once removed, younger colleagues often step up, bringing fresh ideas and energy to the table, and driving the business forward.
This highlights a crucial lesson in business management: achieving significant goals hinges on team collaboration. Creating an environment where bright minds thrive, and those willing to innovate and take initiative are empowered, is essential for sustained growth and success.
