The Culture of Low Expectation: Why your sales training isn’t working.

You were that top performer once.

You know what's possible in your industry. You've closed the deals, hit the numbers, and earned the commissions that changed your life. That's probably why you started this business in the first place—because you knew you could build something bigger.

So let me ask you something:

How big is the gap?

The gap between what's possible in your industry and what your average performer is actually making. Better yet—what's the gap between what YOU made as a top performer and what your current "top performer" is bringing in?

If you're honest with yourself, the gap is probably massive. And it's costing you seven figures annually.

The Problem: A Culture of Low Expectation

Here's what I've been seeing—and fixing—in organizations just like yours:

A culture of low expectation.

Your top salesperson is making $40k, maybe $60k in commissions. You celebrate them because they're outperforming everyone else on the team. But deep down, you know the truth: based on industry norms and standards, they should be pacing $150k, $250k, or more.

You know it's possible because YOU did it.

But somewhere along the way, "good enough" became the standard. Average performance became acceptable. And now, your entire team is operating far below their potential—not because they can't do better, but because they've never seen what "better" actually looks like.

Why This Happens

So how does a culture of low expectation take root?

It starts innocently enough:

1. You celebrate weak top performers

Your "best" salesperson is pulling in more than everyone else, so you reward them. But they're only winning by comparison—not by any real standard of excellence. They're comfortable at $50k when they should be chasing $250k. And because you're celebrating them, everyone else thinks $50k is the ceiling.

2. There's no forerunner

A forerunner is someone who creates a highway of performance possibility. They're the person making $250k+ in commissions—the one whose lifestyle, freedom, and success make everyone else ask, "What are they doing that I'm not?"

Without a forerunner, your team has never witnessed inspirational, life-changing, problem-solving performance. They've never seen commission checks that make someone never want to leave sales again. So they settle.

3. Management lowers expectations

When you've seen average performance for so long, you start to believe the excuses. "The market has changed." "Good salespeople are hard to find." "People just don't want to work anymore."

So instead of raising the bar, you hire more people to perform at the same mediocre level. Your company becomes a revolving door. And the culture of low expectation deepens.

The Real Cost

Let's do the math.

If your top performer is making $50k in commissions and your commission structure is 10-20%, they're generating roughly $250k-$500k in revenue.

But if they SHOULD be making $250k in commissions, that means they should be generating $1.25M-$2.5M in revenue.

That's a $1M-$2M gap. Per person.

Now multiply that across your team.

This isn't just a performance issue. It's a seven-figure leak in your business. And every month it continues, you're leaving massive revenue on the table.

Why Sales Training Won't Fix This

Here's the hard truth:

There is NO amount of sales training that will address a culture of low expectation.

You can teach them scripts, objection handling, closing techniques—it doesn't matter. Because no matter what they know, if they don't expect to thrive, their execution will be lackluster.

This is a developmental issue, not a knowledge issue.

Your team doesn't need more information. They need:

Higher confidence

A sense of purpose

Elevated personal standards

In other words, you've got to get them dreaming again—and provide them with a highway to make those dreams a reality.

The Solution: The Forerunner Framework

So how do you break the culture of low expectation?

You don't overhaul the entire team at once. You focus on creating forerunners.

Here's the process:

Step 1: Acknowledge the culture of low expectation

You can't fix what you won't name. Admit that your team—and maybe even your management—has accepted mediocrity as the standard.

Step 2: Identify 1-4 high-commitment people

Look for team members who have:

High commitment (they're showing up, they want to be there)

A student mentality (they're willing to listen and learn)

Untapped potential (they're not hitting their ceiling yet)

Step 3: Pour everything into their development

This is where the real work happens:

Find out what they want. What would make it worth it for them? A new house? Financial freedom? Time with their family? Attach their sales performance to those dreams.

Show them how to use your company, commissions, and incentives as a vehicle to get there.

Identify the holes in their performance. Where are they not meeting KPIs? What's one simple change they can make to get closer to peak performance?

Help them build a new strategy and meet with them regularly about implementation.

Continuously develop them until they break through.

Step 4: Let the forerunner effect take over

When one person starts pacing $150k, $200k, $250k+ in commissions, everything changes. The rest of your team sees what's possible. Standards rise. Execution sharpens. Average performers start asking, "What are they doing that I'm not?"

A great team only needs 1-2 Kobe's, LeBron's, or Messi's for the entire team to rise.

And here's the best part: it only takes 4-12 weeks to create them.

The Investment

I know what you're thinking: "I don't have time to pour into 1-4 people like that."

Here's the reality:

You will have to sacrifice the time and the development. But you will see the change in them—and ultimately, in your entire team.

And if you don't have the bandwidth or the expertise to do it yourself? That's exactly what we do.

We've helped organizations just like yours create forerunners and see 400% increases in sales team performance in as little as 4-12 weeks. We don't just develop your people—we optimize every system to support your high-performing team so the results stick.

The Bigger Purpose

So here's my question:

How big is the gap?

You know what's possible in your industry. You've done it yourself. So what's the gap between that and what your team is actually producing?

If the gap is massive, you don't have a training problem. You have a culture of low expectation. And it's costing you seven figures annually.

The good news? It's fixable. You just need to stop celebrating mediocrity and start building forerunners.

But Here's What I Really Want You to Know:

I know this will cost you time—time you likely don't have. I've been on both sides of the table. I've been the overwhelmed business owner drowning in operations, and I've been the one helping leaders reclaim their freedom.

That's exactly why I built my company the way I did.

Because here's the bigger purpose: A high-performing sales team isn't just about the numbers. It's about creating a company that's enjoyable to run and work for.

When you're working with a team that's passionate, motivated, and chasing $250k+ in commissions, everything changes:

• You WANT to get up and get to work every day.

• You're eager to pour into them and gain more skills to lead them better.

• You're not just managing—you're building something that matters.

And for your team? They're not just clocking in. They're chasing dreams. They're seeing their lives transform. They're part of something bigger than a paycheck.

That's legacy-changing. For you, for them, for your business.

When a company is both fun to run AND work for, everything shifts. Retention skyrockets. Culture thrives. Revenue explodes. And you finally get the freedom you started this business for in the first place.

You Don't Have to Do This Alone

Here's the reality: You will have to invest the time and development to create forerunners. But you don't have to figure it out alone.

This is exactly what we do. We've helped organizations just like yours create high-performing, passionate sales teams and see 400% increases in performance in as little as 4-12 weeks.

We don't just develop your people—we optimize every system to support your high-performing team so the results stick. And we do it in a way that makes your business enjoyable to run again.

Because at the end of the day, this isn't just about closing the revenue gap. It's about building a company you're proud of. A team that inspires you. A legacy that lasts.

Don't leave millions on the table. And don't spend another year running a business that drains you.

Address the culture of low expectation. Build your forerunners. Reclaim the joy.

Let's build your highway.

Ready to create a high-performing team that makes you excited to lead again? Let's talk. Schedule a free consultation to see how we can help you close the gap, unlock seven-figure growth, and build a business you're proud of.