Every inside sales team has its wild things. You know the ones I mean: the salesperson struggling loudly, the rock star with a big opportunity who needs “five minutes” that turns into thirty, the customer escalation, the forecast that suddenly goes sideways, or the messages marked URGENT.
People, problems, and fires that ROAR for attention.
And you’re the leader, so of course you respond. That’s part of the job. The problem starts when the wild things become most of the job.
Because while you’re busy responding to everything that roars, there’s another group on your team doing something much less effective at getting your leadership attention.
They’re being quiet.
They’re working, selling, and doing enough that you aren’t worried about them. They’re probably not at the top of the leaderboard, but they aren’t at the bottom either. Welcome to the middle of the bell curve.
In Mastering Inside Sales Leadership, I call this the Bell Curve Manifesto. Roughly 68% of your salespeople sit between -1 and +1 on that curve. Some struggle to hit goal consistently. On the other side are the salespeople who make quota more often than not. They’re competent and capable. They have flashes of drive and potential.
Which makes them very easy to ignore.
They don’t have a performance plan demanding weekly meetings. There isn’t a giant deal that requires your involvement. No crisis. No drama.
They’re fine.
Meanwhile, the wild things keep roaring.
That’s the leadership trap inside the Bell Curve Manifesto: noise attracts attention, but is that where the potential is?
Think about one of those capable, quieter salespeople on your team. What might happen if you spent 30 minutes helping them sharpen one skill? Perhaps there’s a Don’t Know How keeping them from becoming more consistent. Maybe they need a challenge they haven’t been given yet. Or perhaps they simply need to know you see more potential in them than their current results show.
That salesperson may never ROAR for your attention, which means you have to intentionally notice them.
I’m not suggesting you ignore the wild things. Fires still need to be put out. Struggling salespeople need leadership. Your top performers need to be challenged and supported. All of that comes with the job.
Just don’t confuse where the noise is with where the growth is.
This week, when something ROARS for your attention, handle it. Then, before the next wild thing comes charging through your day, look toward the quieter part of your bell curve.
You might be surprised by what’s waiting there.