Salespeople and athletes share some valuable similarities—you are both performers with your own stage. Today, we focus on the importance of being deeply connected to your work to maximize self-driven effort and commitment.
When we enhance your internal connection, we increase the chance of wonderful results: higher closing rates, improved client retention, and faster recovery from setbacks.
LEADERS – Let’s live by the laws of autonomy and create an environment where individuals purposefully take responsibility for their development, leading to long-term results for both the team and the organisation. Beauty. Today – Autonomy-driven reflective practice.
In this series, we’re bridging the gap between autonomy theory, its application in sport, and how it transfers to the sales industry. Part A explored the theory of autonomy-supportive environments and dispelled common misconceptions. Part B shares my experiences at Glasgow Warriors, where we intentionally explored a culture of self-reflection using autonomy as a tool for performance improvement.
Questionable physiques from the Physical Performance Team at Glasgow Warriors (circa 2018)
Creating a culture of self-reflection at Glasgow Warriors
The Mirror, an element of the Spark Intent Performer Framework, represents a leadership-led initiative to promote self-reflection as a habit, skill, and fundamental aspect of a High-Performance Culture.
Reflection is a little like Star Wars’ ‘The Force’. The Light side use The Force to explore perspective, help others, and create opportunities for growth. The Dark side exploits The Force for control, discipline, and enforcement of hierarchical agenda. I urge leaders to see the Light and develop high-quality self-reflection as a tool for autonomous growth.
Self-reflection, after all, is feedback from within. When Performers are encouraged to self-reflect and develop their own insights, they find a stronger connection between behaviour, feedback and the likelihood of positive, sustained change.
The greatest teacher, self-reflection is. 🙂
1. Question more, state less
We agreed to always start a feedback opportunity with a series of high-quality questions. Players became familiar with the concept and started to naturally formulate reflective thinking not only in preparation for well-delivered questions, but in the absence of direct judgement. An example of our methods was the development of the QLS framework for dealing with below-standard player behaviours.
The QLS method – it’s not perfect, but I’ll always be proud of how and why the group developed this concept.
2. Steer to the future
Reflection is a powerful tool, but without a forward focus, it can lead to unproductive rumination. We deliberately shaped our coaching conversations towards a brighter future. We minimised dwelling on past mistakes, and used reflection as a springboard for improvement.
(If you find yourself giving feedback with a big focus on the “you did this wrong, you did that” – check yourself. Check your ego. Check your intent.)
Our discussions were full of intent for next steps, i.e. how to learn from today and get after the next. In this way, we made reflection dynamic and forward-facing, which promoted a sense of progress and purpose. We put the future in the hands of our players, thus promoting autonomy.
3. Individualise
Self-reflection isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Experienced, self-aware players embraced autonomy in their reflection, but younger or less accountable players needed more structured, coach-led feedback. The goal was always to nurture each individual’s ability to reflect independently, but at a pace and level of support that suited their development stage.
For the less experienced, we used more direct coaching to help them understand how reflection could serve their growth, gradually shifting towards a player-led model as their confidence and accountability grew.
Our behaviours as coaches created a special environment where the players perceived higher levels of trust. We ensured our technical-expertise and experience still came through as questions and self-reflections typically led to discussions, where the player willingly invites the coach’s opinion. The process took time, but the value was incredible.
The Spark Intent Performer Framework is designed to help business leaders, such as Sales Legends, to improve performance through improved leadership and accountability. “The Mirror” is just one of our skill development pathways.
The Mirror for Sales
Sales teams, like athletes, operate under constant pressure. Let’s learn how to effectively integrate self-reflection into the sales environment. Leaders ARE the powerful catalyst for increasing personal accountability and maximising results – but through facilitation – not control.
However, for a culture of reflection to succeed, it requires structure and accountability.
Start with questions
Let’s prioritise initiating Leader-to-Salesperson conversations with asking questions over giving direct feedback. Rather than offering feedback packed with directives, sales leaders can guide reflection by asking intelligent, open-ended questions:
“What felt right during that client conversation?”
“What could have improved the deal outcome?”
“How did you feel when the deal was completed?”
These questions empower salespeople to take ownership of their growth. They enable individuals to evaluate their actions critically, internalise the learning, and identify what they would do differently next time. Reflection in this sense becomes a driver of autonomy, where solutions are self-discovered rather than prescribed.
Shift the focus
Reflection must always move towards action, or it risks falling into the trap of rumination. In sales, this forward-focused reflection is key:
“What adjustments will you make for your next pitch?”
“How can today’s learning impact your next sales call?”
By keeping the focus on future performance, salespeople can turn lessons into actionable strategies. This ensures that reflection leads to real improvements in conversion rates, client retention, and overall sales effectiveness.
Tailor the approach
Just as we did with athletes, sales leaders should recognise that not everyone is ready for full autonomy in their reflection. High performers may only need occasional nudges to guide their thinking, while newer or less experienced team members might require more structured feedback initially. Over time, though, leaders should aim to shift this responsibility toward the individual:
“What strategies worked well, and what could be improved?”
“What are the specific areas where I can support you in making changes?”
This tailored approach ensures that each team member feels supported in their growth while gradually gaining autonomy.
The Mirror for Sales
Conclusion: The path ahead
Self-reflection, when done right, can transform both individual performance and team dynamics. By creating structured environments that support autonomy, sales leaders can help their teams take ownership of their growth, leading to sustained improvements in performance, engagement, and results.
Part C will explore Goal Mastery, another key component of autonomy in both sport and sales. I’ll discuss how setting and achieving goals enhances personal productivity and team alignment, offering practical steps you can apply to your sales environment. In Part D, we’ll delve into My Performance, focusing on how deeper understanding of one’s purpose in work leads to greater job satisfaction and role alignment.
Together, these principles form the foundation of a high-performance, autonomy-driven sales team culture.