When pursuing MLM opportunities, business owners need to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their team. According to Forbes, MLM gives sales professionals the chance to work at their own pace for the greater good of their company, but can these teams work in unison? With the Final Four all set to tip-off this week, company owners can look at how basketball coaches who still have a chance to win the NCAA Men’s Tournament are motivating their players to reach their ultimate goal: A national championship. Below are some practices outlined by Fox Business that owners at MLM companies can use to get their sales teams to reach their highest levels of success.

Get all employees engaged
Some coaches have the special skill of getting their team on the… same page by creating an “us against the world” mindset and getting everyone to buy in. As a nine seed, the Selection Committee didn’t have much faith in Wichita State University, but their coach, Gregg Marshall, has gotten all team members to believe they play a key role in the group’s success. This is exactly what sales managers at businesses that use MLM must do. Getting each person on the sales team to believe they are a key cog in the company will encourage them to strive to achieve higher sales numbers.

Talk about ways to improve
Throughout the NCAA Tournament, it is easy for players to see themselves on ESPN and highlight reels and begin to think about how good they are. However, while some teams are relishing their success, others are in the gym and film room looking for ways to get better, just like Coach John Beilein and his players at the University of Michigan. Sales managers need to think this way, and never become complacent with numbers their team brings in. Meeting with each sales professional and talking about ways they could improve their strategies could lead to more success in the future.

Don’t deviate from the main goal
Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim and his team are used be being one of the top 10 programs in the country, but this year was a little different. Despite starting off strong, Syracuse limped to the finish line at the end of the Big East regular season and conference tournament. However, they still earned a four seed in the NCAA tournament, giving new meaning to their main goal: To win a national championship. This is a great lesson for sales professionals who have no reached their projected numbers. By continuing to forge on, they will soon be able to meet the goals set out by the company.

Stay strong in the face of adversity
In the Elite Eight matchup with Duke University, Louisville Guard Kevin Ware suffered a gruesome injury that left team members physically ill, crying and in shock. But Ware didn’t want his teammates to give up on their quest for a championship. Despite having a compound leg fracture, Ware muttered, “Win the game,” over and over to his coaches and teammates as he left the court. That was all the motivation the team needed, and they were able to overcome Duke. While sales managers hopefully cannot relate to horrific injuries on the job, the lesson they can learn is there are going to be things that affect the business, and it is up to them to overcome adverse situations.