When a sales team fails to meet goals, what should management initially assess?

When a sales team fails to meet goals, the initial focus should be on assessing the validity of the performance standards. This means examining whether the goals set for the team are realistic and attainable based on the resources, market conditions, and other relevant factors. If the performance standards are not aligned with the current business environment or do not accurately reflect the team's capabilities, the team's failure to meet these goals may be less about the team's performance and more about the standards themselves being flawed.

By evaluating the validity of the performance standards first, management can determine if the expectations are appropriate or if they need to be adjusted. This insight forms the foundation for addressing performance issues and can lead to more targeted solutions, such as enhancing training, improving morale, or reassessing compensation. Ensuring that the performance standards are sound is critical to effectively lifting team performance going forward.