I was talking to a sales manager friend today regarding motivating salespeople. This topic could fill a book, but the key point we were discussing was how managers have to focus on motivations and rewards.
He told me of a company he used to work for that rewarded the sales team with a trip for the entire team. If they made their group goal, the sales reps along with their spouses got to go on an all-expenses-paid vacation together. All except the sales manager – he did not go with the team. He was not inclined to that group reward and felt he was too busy to attend with his team.
The net effect of this expensive reward was a palpable schism between the team and the manager. What a mistake.