Sales managers love dashboards, reports, and KPIs—but are they measuring the numbers that actually improve performance?

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In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs uses an unexpected comparison to the NFL to explain why some statistics predict success while others simply record history. Looking at championship football teams, Kelly identifies the key performance indicators coaches prioritize and shows how those same concepts apply to sales leadership.

You'll learn why managing lagging indicators and activity metrics often produces disappointing results, and why a structured sales plan creates a much stronger foundation for consistent growth. Kelly also explains how common sales "turnovers" cost organizations deals every day, why advancing qualified opportunities through the sales process is similar to converting third downs, and how improving your "red zone efficiency" can dramatically increase win rates.

The conversation also explores one of the biggest mistakes sales organizations make inside their CRM systems: bloated pipelines filled with opportunities that have little chance of closing. Kelly shares practical guidance on identifying high-value opportunities, eliminating wasted effort, and helping salespeople spend more time pursuing business that meaningfully impacts revenue.

Whether you're a sales VP, sales manager, or business owner responsible for coaching a team, this episode provides a fresh framework for evaluating performance, developing better coaching habits, and focusing your organization on the metrics that truly influence results.

If you've ever wondered which sales numbers deserve your attention—and which ones are distracting your team—this episode offers a practical perspective you can put to work immediately.

Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.

Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.

Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.

Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson