At the age of 29, I had co-founded and scaled my company, Elevate Inc., to 2,000 employees. It was an incredible journey, but I won’t sugarcoat it — it was chaotic and overwhelming. The thing that saved me from burning out? One key leadership framework I discovered through trial and (a lot of) error.
This framework has been a game-changer for me, and it’s the same one I’ve taught to sales leaders all over the world for the past decade. Why is it so effective? Because it provides a roadmap for navigating the four consistent stages every team goes through.
Whether you’re building a sales team or leading an established one, understanding these stages will help you retain your talent, increase productivity, and create a high-performing culture.
Forming: The honeymoon phase when everything is fresh and exciting.
Storming: The inevitable conflict phase where doubts and frustrations surface.
Norming: The stage where things start to click, but complacency can creep in.
Performing: The dream stage where the team fires on all cylinders.
When you know how to navigate these stages, you can anticipate challenges, lead with confidence, and inspire your sales team to hit their highest potential.
Why Retention Is Key to Sales Leadership Success
It’s one thing to build a team, but keeping your top performers is where most leaders struggle. The secret? Mastering this framework. When you guide your team through these stages with clarity and purpose, they’ll be far more likely to stay, grow, and contribute to long-term success.
Retention doesn’t happen by accident—it’s a direct result of intentional leadership.
What’s Next? Breaking Down Each Stage
In the next four blog posts, I’ll break down each stage, show you how to identify which one you’re in, and provide actionable strategies to lead your team to sustained success. Understanding this framework can make the difference between building a team that crumbles under pressure and one that becomes a dynasty of high performance. Let’s dive in.
