Shift the perception of accountability from a negative consequence for poor results to a positive process of analyzing what's working (to do more of it) and what's not (to stop doing it). This framing encourages buy-in and growth.
Instead of focusing solely on quotas, hold reps accountable for controllable inputs and behaviors, like the number of sales calls. This approach provides clear data for coaching and pinpoints the root cause of performance issues, rather than just judging the outcome.
When a rep is underperforming, first determine if the root cause is a lack of skill (they are doing the work but poorly) or a lack of discipline (they are not doing the work at all). You can coach a skill issue, but a discipline issue cannot be fixed and likely requires termination.
Accountability isn't just for underperformers. By helping top reps analyze and understand the specific actions driving their success, you can help them systematize their process and scale their performance, rather than letting them merely coast on hitting their existing quota.
A sales leader's primary accountability is to understand the 'why' behind team results. If you cannot specifically articulate why each underperformer struggles and why each top performer succeeds, you are failing to hold yourself accountable as a leader.
Failing to remove underperforming sales reps, particularly those with discipline issues, sends a negative signal to your top performers. It makes them question your leadership competency and your ability to build a high-performing team, which may cause them to leave.