Manage Agreements, Not People

As a sales leader, you're walking a tightrope every day, driving consistent results while giving your team the space they need to thrive. This tension sits at the heart of sales leadership, and getting it wrong can cost you both performance and talent. 

That’s why effective coaching and accountability are so important. 

When sales leaders micromanage, they create resistance and resentment. When expectations are fuzzy, performance inevitably suffers. The most successful sales organizations have discovered a better approach.

The solution? Stop managing people and start managing agreements.

Agreements transform the leadership dynamic by creating mutual, measurable commitments that you and your reps develop together. Rather than imposing top-down control, you're establishing a foundation for collaborative accountability that professionals respect and respond to.

Read this guide to learn more about: 

• Why traditional people management approaches often backfire with sales teams
• How to set clear, outcome-driven agreements
• A step-by-step process for tracking and coaching around commitments
• Proven methods to diagnose and address breakdowns when agreements aren't met

Let's explore how agreement-based leadership can transform your sales organization.

Why Managing People Doesn’t Work

Let's face it: most of us didn't get into sales leadership because we enjoy looking over people's shoulders. Yet, many of us find ourselves trapped in exactly that role.

The traditional playbook tells us success comes from keeping a close eye on our teams through constant check-ins and a steady stream of feedback. But here's what really happens: the tighter you grip the reins, the faster ownership slips away from your team.

If you've been in sales leadership for any length of time, you've probably seen these two familiar traps:

1. Micromanagement – When you're constantly monitoring your team's every move, you're sending a clear message: "I don't trust you." 

Soon enough, your reps stop taking initiative and wait for instructions instead. Their motivation takes a nosedive, and when results inevitably suffer, the temptation is to monitor them even more closely, creating a downward spiral that's hard to escape.

2. Vague Expectations – How many times have you heard (or said) phrases like "work harder" or "be more proactive"?

These vague directions leave your team guessing at what really matters. Without clear targets, your reps will either spin their wheels on busywork or focus on whatever metrics are easiest to hit, rarely what drives actual business results.

The fundamental issue? We're focusing on behaviors (make 50 calls, send 100 emails) when we should be focusing on outcomes. This behavior-first approach leaves everyone frustrated. Managers wonder why their team isn't delivering, while reps feel micromanaged but unclear on what success actually looks like.

The Shift: Replace the draining dynamics of command-and-control with the energizing clarity of mutual commitment; structured agreements tied to measurable goals.

What It Means to Manage Agreements

The alternative begins with a shift in language and, more importantly, in mindset.

Think about your best professional relationships. Chances are they weren't built on one person telling the other what to do, they were partnerships based on mutual respect and clear expectations.

That's the heart of agreement-based leadership: shifting from giving orders to creating partnerships.

An agreement is not a mandate handed down from above. It’s a co-created commitment, a pact between leader and team member that defines success in clear, measurable terms. It’s a shared commitment between a rep and a manager that defines:

• Specific outcomes (not activities)
• Clear timelines (weekly/quarterly)
• Ownership (the rep drives progress)

Imagine a sales rep who, rather than being told to “focus on the Midwest accounts,” collaborates with their manager to define a goal: 

"By the end of Q3, I will identify and meet with three key decision-makers in our Tier 1 accounts, with the goal of uncovering at least one expansion opportunity per meeting.”

See the difference? The vague direction leaves your rep wondering what "focus more" actually means and when they've done enough. The agreement provides clarity, purpose, and most importantly, a foundation for meaningful coaching conversations.

When you manage agreements rather than people, you transform the relationship from parent-child to adult-adult. Your reps stop looking to you for constant direction and start taking ownership of their commitments.

Three Types of Sales Agreements

Not all commitments are created equal. The most powerful agreements share three defining characteristics:

1. Specificity: They avoid vague aspirations in favor of concrete outcomes. "Schedule five discovery calls" is infinitely more actionable than "Build your pipeline."

2. Mutuality: They are shaped through dialogue, not commands. The rep has a voice in defining the terms, ensuring buy-in.

3. Measurability: Progress is binary. Either the commitment was fulfilled, or it wasn’t, which eliminates those uncomfortable, subjective performance discussions that neither of you enjoys.

These agreements naturally fall into three categories, each addressing a critical dimension of sales success:

This balanced approach ensures your team executes day-to-day while continuously growing their capabilities—a combination that's often missing in sales organizations fixated only on this month's numbers.

Step-by-Step: How to Set Effective Agreements

1. Start with Rep-Driven Goal Setting

Instead of dictating targets, use thoughtful questions that guide your reps to set their own goals:

When reps establish their own targets (with your guidance), they're infinitely more committed to reaching them. 

2. Align on Measurable Outcomes

Vague goals like "talk to more clients" set everyone up for frustration. Instead, craft agreements with unmistakable clarity:

3. Document & Review

The agreement isn't real until it's written down. Whether you use your CRM, a shared Google Sheet, or another tool, make sure agreements are:

• Visible to both of you
• Updated regularly
• The first thing you review in every 1:1

4. Tailor by Experience Level

Your veterans and rookies need different types of agreements:

Senior Reps: Focus primarily on quarterly and monthly outcomes, letting them determine the path.

Junior Reps: Break goals into weekly or even daily actions until good habits form.

Turning Agreements into a Coaching Rhythm

Transform your 1:1s from status updates to powerful coaching sessions by structuring them around three simple questions:

• "What progress have you made toward your agreements?"
• "Where are you finding obstacles or getting stuck?"
• "What support do you need from me to move forward?"

Here's what this looks like in practice:

Pro Tip: Frame every conversation as collaborative problem-solving, not an interrogation. Your tone matters as much as your words. 

Diagnosing Breakdowns: Why Agreements Fail (And How to Fix Them)

The true test of any agreement is in the way it is reinforced. Even the best-crafted agreements will sometimes falter. The natural managerial impulse is often frustration, disappointment, followed by a rush to "fix" the rep.

However, the leader’s role must shift from enforcer to facilitator. When reps miss targets, diagnose the root cause, which typically falls into one of these categories:

Knowledge Gaps

What it sounds like: "I wasn't sure where to start" or "I didn't know how to approach that account."

Your solution:

• Provide specific tools (targeted prospect lists, proven email templates)
• Connect them with resources (marketing materials, competitive intelligence)
• Facilitate peer learning with team members who excel in that area

Belief Gaps

What it sounds like: "Cold calling doesn't work anymore" or "That customer will never expand."

Your solution:

• Challenge assumptions with specific evidence ("Our top performers book 3 meetings per week from cold calls")
• Suggest small experiments ("What if we try just 5 calls to this specific industry?")
• Share success stories that counter the limiting belief

Execution or "Sales DNA" Issues

What it sounds like: "I ran out of time" (which often masks discomfort or fear)

Your solution:

• Dig deeper to uncover the real blocker ("I notice you tend to push prospecting to the end of the day. What makes those calls challenging?")
• Create safe practice environments through role-play
• Build confidence through small wins and gradual exposure

Why This Approach Works

This shift to agreement-based leadership transforms your sales culture from surveillance to true accountability. For the manager, it provides something invaluable: leverage. 

Expectations become explicit and owned by your reps, making coaching conversations more objective and productive.

For your team, the benefit is even greater: genuine autonomy. 

The truth is, talented salespeople don't resist high standards; they resist being treated like children. Agreements honor their expertise while providing the framework they need to succeed.

Next Steps

The shift from managing people to managing agreements may seem subtle, but the impact on performance, morale, and professional growth can be transformative.

Start by examining the expectations you've set with your team this quarter:

• Are they specific, measurable, and co-created?
• Or are they loose assumptions that leave room for confusion and frustration?

By focusing on agreements rather than activities, you'll build a culture where your reps drive results while you coach breakthroughs. 

For more on how to improve your coaching culture and accountability, check out our master blueprint for sales managers and leaders. This guide outlines every step you need to build a top-performing sales team and a coaching culture that supports that growth.