After more than two decades of working with sales teams, I’ve learned something that goes against what many leaders believe: your best performers don’t want you to leave them alone.

The idea sounds respectful “They’re doing well, so I won’t interfere.” But in reality, the best people on your team don’t see accountability as interference; they see it as fuel. Just one thing never turn a sales accountability meeting into a sales prosecution. Keep it supportive, constructive, and focused on growth, not blame.

Top performers are wired differently. They’re competitive. They’re driven. They’re constantly measuring themselves against their own best performance. They don’t just want to win they want to keep winning, and they want to get better at it.

When you lower the bar or take a hands-off approach, they don’t feel free they feel unseen.

If you want to keep your best people engaged and loyal, you have to give them more than just good pay. You have to challenge them. Set the bar high. Give them stretch goals that force them to grow. Show them that you see their potential and that you expect them to aim higher.

Here’s what I’ve seen: when pressure is delivered with purpose, clarity, and support, it’s not a burden it’s a motivator. Your top people thrive on it. But when pressure is random, inconsistent, or feels like punishment, it’s just noise.

And there’s something else leaders often miss: nothing frustrates a top performer more than watching mediocrity get a free pass. When they see you tolerate low standards or avoid tough conversations, it doesn’t just affect the weaker players it demotivates your best ones.

Your A-players want to feel like they’re part of a team where excellence is the norm, not the exception. They want to play for something bigger than a paycheck.

So, don’t hold back.
• Make expectations crystal clear.
• Keep the scoreboard visible.
• Recognize excellence and reward it.
• Work with them to create growth plans that stretch and inspire.

Because the truth is, top performers don’t just want to be managed they want to be multiplied.

And if you get it right, they’ll repay you with loyalty, results, and leadership from the front.