Last week I posted on a democratically-run company and the challenges they face. Today I came across a business article from our local Pioneer Press titled Lawson’s clash of cultures. The article speaks to locally-based Lawson Software and their acquisition of a Swedish company. There are distinct differences in business approach between the US and Europe: The problem hasn’t been the technology. It’s been cultural, especially getting Swedish employees accustomed to a new way of doing their jobs, Debes said. “It’s the Nordic region, so you’re talking about a socialist culture where, even though there are no formal unions, the employees act like they’re unionized,” he said. They expect management… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Can vs. Can’t Approach
One client of ours told me a sales hiring story that led them to us. The sales manager followed the conventional hiring process – post an ad, sort the resumes, interview the candidates from the “yes” resume pile. He chose a salesperson with a glowing resume who absolutely won him over in the interview. He knew he had made a mistake a couple months into her employment. It turns out that this salesperson could not handle making calls in the presence of other people. What I mean is that her phone-intensive position was located in a cube farm with her peers all around her. She was incredibly uncomfortable talking to… Read More
Continue ReadingSales Traits Series – Leading Others
This week’s trait focuses on an important sales manager trait. The aptitude to lead others works in concert with many other traits and motivations, but the natural ability to lead can be identified and measured through our assessments. Leading OthersThe ability to organize and motivate salespeople to get things accomplished where everyone feels a sense of order and direction. Effective leadership depends on a fine mixture of capacities that must match the environment in which the sales manager is asked to perform. Regardless of that mixture, every leader must be able to gain the trust of others and be able to solve problems among/for the group. A sales manager with strength… Read More
Continue ReadingSales Traits Series – Attention To Detail
Ah, this week we look at a trait that tends to be foreign to many salespeople. But that need is changing as the market factors become more complex. If your sale typically includes a complex, detailed offering, this trait is definitely one to measure in all candidates. Attention To Detail This is the ability to notice and dedicate mental resources towards details. This trait includes recognizing the component parts of a procedure or object and verifying the correctness or error in an individual part or procedure. A salesperson with strength in this trait will likely be thorough in the execution of their job responsibilities. They will define each job function… Read More
Continue ReadingA Shot At Perfectionism
Since I work with perfectionists and am not one myself, I was drawn to Penelope Trunk’s latest article – Breaking the Perfection Habit. Let’s just jump into it: Here are the reasons I can’t stand perfectionists: €¢ Perfectionists procrastinate because they’re scared of not being perfect. €¢ Perfectionists are hypercritical to the point that they can’t support people around them. €¢ Perfectionists can’t finish a project because they can always think of a way to improve it. €¢ Perfectionists are phony, because no one’s perfect and they can’t handle showing that in themselves. Well, that is direct, isn’t it? I harass one of our perfectionists for always making a left… Read More
Continue ReadingAn Objective Step For Hiring
We are strong proponents of using assessments for hiring – it is the backbone of our system. Yet, many people still have some hesitancy in completing the assessments. CareerJournal.com offers up Why Wasn’t I Interviewed After Taking Personality Quiz? which is a Q&A article about whether or not to complete the assessments. This mindset is almost unbelievable to me. From the article: Answer: Being asked to take a pre-employment personality test often puts candidates between a rock and a hard place. If you refuse, you won’t move further along in the hiring process. If you agree and take the test, you may be screened out without further contact with the… Read More
Continue ReadingSales Traits Series – Empathetic Outlook
This week we look at a critical sales trait that involves the salesperson’s ability to read the other person. Obviously, this ability has a tremendous impact on success. One key note – there is a fine line between too much empathy and not enough. This key factor is an aptitude we measure in all salespeople. Empathetic Outlook This is the ability to perceive and understand the feelings and attitudes of others – to place oneself €œin-the-shoes€ of another and to be able to view a situation from their perspective. It involves being conscious of how one€™s actions will impact others. A salesperson with strength in this trait will be able… Read More
Continue ReadingSales Skills Always Trump Style
There is a myth regarding strong salespeople that they have to be outgoing. I contributed a short piece to an article earlier this year in regards to this exact error. And then I read this quick blurb for Selling Power’s Identifying the Skills You Want in a Candidate: Sure salespeople need to be outgoing and driven €“ those are a given, but what about qualities that people need to have to fit in your particular position? No, that is not a given and not a truth. Writing in such generalities is not accurate because selling style is not as important as sales skills. Style is simply a matter of how… Read More
Continue ReadingSales Traits Series – Concrete Organization
Complex sales require complex skills and traits to be successful. This week we look at a somewhat abstract capacity that pays tremendous dividends in long, complex sales cycles. Concrete Organization This capacity deals primarily with the salesperson€™s ability to properly allocate resources to accomplish a goal or plan. It includes the ability to understand the immediate, concrete needs of a situation and to establish an effective action plan for meeting those needs. These resources are not limited to only physical components. This capacity takes into account a person€™s ability to evaluate and utilize both human and physical resources. A salesperson with strength in this trait will be able to systematically… Read More
Continue ReadingSales Traits Series – Meeting Standards
Salespeople are the face of your company to the prospect world. The salesperson’s output (emails, proposals, information) also represents your company in the market. Have you ever managed a salesperson who simply didn’t focus on the quality of his or her output? Or how about the salesperson who places a perfectionist’s expectation on a simple item? They drag out a simple item to exacting levels – even to the point of missing the opportunity. This week we break down that trait. Meeting Standards The ability to see and understand the standard requirements established for a job and having the commitment to meet them. This is an internal motivation which combines… Read More
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