Players versus Participators
Choosing to win on purpose in sales
Are you a player or just a participator in your career?
When I coached youth sports, both American football and soccer, I learned quickly that registering for a sport didn’t mean every child was dedicated to learning, developing, and succeeding in it.
Everybody hoped to win. The thrill of winning and being associated with a winning team is a fantastic feeling. But not everybody wanted to do what winning required.
That’s where I began to recognize two mindsets: players and participators.
What I learned on the field
Players were engaged from preparation to the final whistle of the season. They wanted to understand the game, improve their contribution, and help the team succeed.
They may not have loved practice, but they hated missing it.
Losing bothered them. Once the disappointment settled, they wanted to figure out what they could do better and how they could help others improve.
Participators were going through the motions. Some were only there because a parent or guardian had enrolled them. They weren’t invested in the team’s success. They were showing up because it was expected of them.
That behavior is expected in youth sports, where children are still figuring out what they like and dislike. It’s important to encourage them to try things and give themselves a fair opportunity to learn before deciding to quit. My responsibility as a coach was to help them develop, enjoy the experience, and discover what they could contribute.
One thing I love about youth sports is that they teach teamwork. Success is often a collective effort. You have to understand your role, do your part, and recognize that your actions affect the people playing alongside you.
I encouraged my teams to develop and have fun. Their experience mattered most to me. I also told them that every game was played with the intent to win.
I’ve since learned that some games are played without a winning objective. Still, the mission I gave our teams remains relevant:
Win on purpose.
Taking ownership of your career
In your professional career, there are no participation trophies awarded. Showing up is expected. What you do while you’re there matters.
Players sharpen their skills, accept coaching, and take responsibility for their contribution. They’re engaged and possess the will to win. They want to understand how to perform better and help their team succeed.
A participator wants the benefits of winning without consistently investing in what winning requires. They may complete the required activities while remaining disengaged and unenthused about the work.
These are mindsets, and a person’s mindset can change. Someone who was once deeply invested can become discouraged. Someone who has been going through the motions can decide to recommit.
The question is whether your preparation and actions reflect the career and results you say you want.
Sales requires a three way win
The sales game has a clear objective, but a successful outcome requires more than getting a signature or collecting a commission.
An effective salesperson must learn to create a win/win/win: the buyer wins, the seller wins, and the company supplying the product or service wins.
How the buyer wins
The buyer wins when they can achieve a meaningful goal at a feasible price. That means the solution addresses their actual needs, and they understand what they’re buying and what it will take to get the intended result.
Selling someone more than they need can increase the size of a deal while weakening its value to the customer. A player takes the time to understand the problem and recommend an appropriate solution.
How the seller wins
The seller wins when they help the right paying customer and earn fair compensation that supports their own goals.
Both Jerry and Joe, the salespeople in my “Jerry vs. Joe” concept, want to be paid for their efforts. Jerry, in particular, also wants to feel good about what he has offered the customer. He wants to know that the sale helped someone, rather than leaving them with far more than they needed.
That’s a reasonable expectation. Sellers should be able to earn a living and take pride in the value they create.
How the company wins
The company wins when the sale allows it to fulfill its commitments, support the customer, and remain profitable.
A business needs to make money to stay in business. Pricing that repeatedly leaves too little to cover delivery and service can eventually weaken the company’s ability to support current and future customers.
The customer’s long-term success depends, in part, on the supplier having the resources to keep its promises.
When only one party wins
If the buyer alone wins, they may receive a great deal today while the seller or supplier absorbs an unsustainable cost.
If the company alone wins, it may secure revenue while risking the customer relationship or treating the salesperson unfairly.
If the seller alone wins, they may collect a commission on a deal that leaves the customer with the wrong solution or the company with commitments it cannot reasonably fulfill.
The three-way win asks the seller to consider whether the deal makes sense for everyone involved. It also requires the company to provide products, pricing, and compensation practices that make that outcome possible.
Putting the player mindset into practice
A player prepares for customer conversations, works on their skills, and accepts coaching. They take responsibility for their part in the outcome and care about what happens after the sale.
They also contribute to the team. That might mean sharing an approach that worked, helping a new rep prepare, or raising a problem with a willingness to help solve it.
The distinction is about commitment and behavior. A player can have a difficult quarter. A participator can occasionally land a large deal.
Results matter, but you need more than a leaderboard to understand someone’s mindset.
A note to sales leaders
Sales leaders, who are your players and participators?
Your leaderboard shows results, but it might not tell the entire story about commitment. Your performance tiers can tell you where to look. They cannot, by themselves, tell you why a person is struggling or what will help them succeed.
Your bottom tier needs diagnosis
Your lower-performing reps may include new players learning the game, committed people still finding their way, and participators who have checked out.
Before deciding which is which, use SWAK: Skills, Will, Ability, and Knowledge.
Does the rep need help executing a skill? Has their motivation dropped? Are internal processes or tools limiting their ability to perform? Do they understand the product, the buyer, and the situation well enough?
A willing rep cannot always overcome a broken process. A rep who needs coaching should have a fair opportunity to improve.
Watch how people respond to clear expectations, useful support, and feedback. Do they apply what they learn? Do they follow through? Are they willing to take responsibility for their contribution?
Address persistent negativity, especially when someone finds a problem in every solution and discourages others from trying. At the same time, listen to legitimate concerns. Raising a real problem can be a sign that someone cares enough to help fix it.
If someone remains unwilling to engage after support and coaching, have an honest conversation about whether the role or career is a good fit.
Your middle tier needs connection
Your middle tier may include players pushing toward the top and participators who have lost their excitement for the game. Some know how to bring in business, but they’re no longer as invested in the work.
Connect with them. Find out what has changed and what they want to achieve.
They may need a clearer development path, a new challenge, recognition, or help removing an obstacle. They may also need to reconnect with the purpose behind their work.
You’ll learn more by having that conversation than by assuming they’re comfortable being average.
Your top tier needs attention too
Your top-performing reps are typically players. But pay close attention to the systems, processes, product failures, and other obstacles that may be discouraging them.
A rep who prepares well, earns the customer’s trust, and then repeatedly sees promises go unfulfilled can lose their enthusiasm. So can someone who consistently raises an obstacle and sees no effort to address it.
If a top player gets discouraged, they may adopt a participator’s mindset until they leave the company. Their knowledge and experience may allow them to keep producing for a while, even as their commitment fades.
Stay connected to them. Find out what is making the work harder and take responsibility for the problems you can influence. Strong performance should never be a reason to assume someone no longer needs support.
Recognize the players who help others improve
Your top tier may include consistently strong performers and exceptional superstars. Not every superstar wants to lead, and not every top seller can effectively coach or facilitate learning for others.
Look beyond the numbers. Can they explain what they do? Do they have patience for someone still learning? Do they enjoy helping another person succeed?
I’ve been a high achiever who loves helping others perform. Part of how I measure my own success is through the success of the people I help.
If you have someone like that on your team, they are gold. Give them opportunities to contribute, recognize that contribution, and support their development.
A word for youth coaches and volunteers
To everyone volunteering time for a youth sports team, thank you.
Whether you’re there for your child, another family member, or simply because you care, your contributions have real societal impact. You have an opportunity to teach young people how to cooperate, handle disappointment, and take responsibility for their part in a shared goal.
If you have the opportunity to coach, I highly recommend it. It’s fulfilling, and the lessons can reach well beyond the field.
Make your decision
Being a player doesn’t mean winning every time. It means being committed to learning, contributing, and improving so that winning is possible.
In sales, that commitment includes protecting the three-way win. Help the buyer achieve their goal, earn fair compensation for your contribution, and help your company remain able to serve its customers.
Are you playing to win, or just participating?
Once you make that decision, let your preparation and actions show it.
Win on purpose.