Assets Under Management: A Sales Leader's Job!

In 2002, Marie Guion-Johnson’s 41-year-old husband, Rob, died after going into cardiac arrest while swimming. That experience led Guion-Johnson to start the company Aum Cardiovascular and invent the CADence, a small device that doctors hold over a patient’s chest to detect blockages often missed by other tests. At the end of the article, the interviewer asked, “What does the company’s name mean?” Aum is an ancient Sanskrit symbol that refers to a low humming sound, the same sound heard from a diseased coronary artery. But when she’s asked by potential financial backers, she says it means “assets under management.” That got me thinking about sales managers and their assets—people.

As a sales VP or manager, your only asset is your people. You don’t own equipment, buildings, or other capital. You don’t really own the people either, but the company has placed its trust in you to manage the assets it has invested in. And, believe it or not, some of those “assets” have also placed their trust in you. So, how are you doing?

What “assets under management” means for sales leaders

If you were to look at your people as an investment portfolio, are you getting the ROI you expected or should expect based on the investment of time, money, and effort? As a total portfolio, you may be exceeding your objectives, but what about the individual assets? How are you doing with each of the team members you’ve recruited, hired, and onboarded? Unlike your personal investments, where you probably have an investment or money manager, you are the one managing this portfolio. Are you doing the things you should be doing to maximize the return?

5 Must-Dos to Maximize your Assets Under Management

1. Honest assessment of individual holdings: First, don’t treat them all the same. The bond isn’t supposed to perform like your growth fund or equity holding. But is it performing as expected? If not, why not?

2. Assess the “why not.” Looking only at the return, pipeline, or sales results isn’t enough. You have to get beyond the symptoms (not calling enough, not converting effort into opportunity, not closing) and uncover the root causes of underperformance.

3. Have the fierce conversation (not aggressive, not punitive) about current performance versus expectations. Use data and your recruiting file in this discussion: “This is what I’m getting” (show effort and results data) versus “This is what I thought I hired” (show the résumé, interview notes, and contract). Then ask, “Did I make a hiring mistake?”

4. Agree on the problem. Ask questions rather than telling them what you see as missing in their effort or execution. Just like in selling, if you get the person to recognize and verbalize the issues or challenges, they own them. When the discussion ends, ask, “Is this where you want to be?” (They’ll say no.) Then ask, “Are you sure?” (They’ll say yes.) Finally, “Does this mean you’re willing to do everything possible to succeed?” (They’ll say yes, assuming they pass the intelligence test.)

5. Develop a disciplined approach to get them back on track. Create a plan with specific times for activity, clear behaviors to inspect, details about joint work, and scheduled coaching meetings. All of this should help the person you believed would be a superstar get back on track for success. 

Catch Issues Early

Here’s the kicker: you must recognize and address these problems as early as possible. Do not be satisfied with making progress, trending in the right direction, or thinking they haven’t hit their stride yet. Don’t make excuses for lack of effort or execution. Identify the problems early, address them, take corrective action, or, as you would with an underperforming asset, sell.

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FAQ: Sales Team Performance Management

What is sales team performance management?
It is the ongoing process of setting expectations, inspecting effort and execution, coaching to behaviors, and measuring outcomes so the team delivers predictable results.

How often should I review individual performance?
Weekly for activity and pipeline movement, monthly for conversion ratios and skill focus, quarterly for role fit and long-term development.

What data should I inspect beyond closed deals?
Prospecting blocks completed, first meetings set and kept, second meetings advanced, proposal-to-close ratios, average deal size, cycle time, and calendar discipline.

How do I handle a persistently underperforming rep?
Use a time-bound improvement plan with clear metrics and support. If behavior and results do not change, reassign or exit quickly to protect the portfolio.

How is this different from micromanagement?
Micromanagement fixes tasks. Performance management clarifies outcomes, inspects leading indicators, and coaches skills while preserving autonomy and accountability.