{"id":3122,"date":"2016-04-22T10:52:00","date_gmt":"2016-04-22T15:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/?p=3122"},"modified":"2019-05-17T09:42:00","modified_gmt":"2019-05-17T14:42:00","slug":"the-most-dangerous-sales-weakness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/2016\/04\/the-most-dangerous-sales-weakness\/","title":{"rendered":"The Most Dangerous Sales Weakness"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"boldgrid-section\">\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md-12 col-xs-12 col-sm-12\">\n<p>Sales is a difficult role, I would argue the most difficult role, in any company.&nbsp; The skill set and mind set required to be successful is rare in the general population.&nbsp; Yet, strong salespeople are out there and hopefully on your team.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">However, most teams that we assess have a salesperson (or more) who is not performing up to expectations.&nbsp; This salesperson seems to have the tools, but something is holding him or her back.&nbsp; The concern I always have, in this situation, is that they possess the most dangerous sales weakness.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/2006\/09\/sales-aptitudes-series-handling-rejection\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Fear of rejection.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>For sales, this is the big one.&nbsp; This weakness can single-handedly neutralize any strengths the salesperson possesses.&nbsp; The powerful issues with this weakness is that it can stop the salesperson before they even start.&nbsp; Their fear of getting a \u201cno\u201d will paralyze them in difficult situations.<\/p>\n<p>The key is simple, yet utterly difficult to overcome.&nbsp; The salesperson must learn to separate their value from their performance.&nbsp; Imagine an actor playing a role in a movie, the actor\u2019s portraying someone else (i.e. a performance).&nbsp; Sales requires a similar mindset \u2013 it is a performance that does not tie directly to their value.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">I know, we want genuine salespeople, not fakes.&nbsp; The separation of role vs. identity can be achieved while still maintaining an authenticity to the sales role.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">The best advice I can provide \u2013 assess for this ability before you hire them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><strong><a class=\"btn btn-pill btn-color-5 btn-glow\" style=\"color: #ffffff;\" href=\"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/assessing\/\">Learn About Assessing<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sales is a difficult role, I would argue the most difficult role, in any company.&nbsp; The skill set and mind set required to be successful is rare in the general population.&nbsp; Yet, strong salespeople are out there and hopefully on your team. However, most teams that we assess have a salesperson (or more) who is not performing up to expectations.&nbsp; This salesperson seems to have the tools, but something is holding him or her back.&nbsp; The concern I always have, in this situation, is that they possess the most dangerous sales weakness. Fear of rejection. For sales, this is the big one.&nbsp; This weakness can single-handedly neutralize any strengths the&hellip; <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/2016\/04\/the-most-dangerous-sales-weakness\/\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":47390,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"bgseo_title":"","bgseo_description":"","bgseo_robots_index":"index","bgseo_robots_follow":"follow","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[21,6,16,3],"tags":[1174,961,38],"class_list":["post-3122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aptitudes","category-assessing","category-hiring-salespeople","category-sales","tag-assessing-sales","tag-handling-rejection","tag-sales-hiring"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5Oho-Om","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1139,"url":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/2007\/08\/sales-traits-series-job-ethic\/","url_meta":{"origin":3122,"position":0},"title":"Sales Traits Series &#8211; Job Ethic","author":"Derrick Moe","date":"August 23, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"This week we look at a trait that provides a measurement that is difficult for any interviewer to ascertain on their own. Job Ethic The capacity to fulfill the professional responsibilities with a strong sense of moral duty and obligation they have been given. A salesperson with strength in this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Aptitudes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Aptitudes","link":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/category\/hiring\/assessing\/aptitudes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":504,"url":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/2006\/12\/sales-traits-series-influencing-others\/","url_meta":{"origin":3122,"position":1},"title":"Sales Traits Series &#8211; Influencing Others","author":"Derrick Moe","date":"December 14, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Sales, in its most basic form, is convincing others to change their behavior. One of the aptitudes we use to objectively assess this important trait is Influencing Others. Influencing Others This is the capacity to convince others - to present ones viewpoint in such a way that it is accepted\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Aptitudes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Aptitudes","link":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/category\/hiring\/assessing\/aptitudes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1004,"url":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/2007\/06\/sales-traits-series-sense-of-self\/","url_meta":{"origin":3122,"position":2},"title":"Sales Traits Series &#8211; Sense of Self","author":"Derrick Moe","date":"June 14, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"This trait is one to measure in all salespeople since it reveals much of how they approach\u00a0prospects, how they handle rejection and how they hold up under stress. Sense of SelfThe ability of a salesperson to realize and appreciate their own unique self-worth. They base these feelings on internal factors\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Aptitudes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Aptitudes","link":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/category\/hiring\/assessing\/aptitudes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":586,"url":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/2007\/01\/sales-traits-series-persuading-others\/","url_meta":{"origin":3122,"position":3},"title":"Sales Traits Series &#8211; Persuading Others","author":"Derrick Moe","date":"January 18, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Sales is the art of convincing other people to change their behavior. Obviously, this ability relies upon the following sales trait. Persuading Others This is the capacity to convince others - to present one's viewpoint in such a way that it is accepted by others. A salesperson with strength in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Aptitudes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Aptitudes","link":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/category\/hiring\/assessing\/aptitudes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1255,"url":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/2007\/10\/sales-traits-series-role-confidence\/","url_meta":{"origin":3122,"position":4},"title":"Sales Traits Series &#8211; Role Confidence","author":"Derrick Moe","date":"October 25, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"This week we look at a trait that ebbs and flows with salespeople. Typically, candidates have a lower level of role confidence (a driver in their reasoning for finding a new job). Established salespeople who are having success tend to have higher role confidence. The lack of this trait usually\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Aptitudes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Aptitudes","link":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/category\/hiring\/assessing\/aptitudes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":770,"url":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/2007\/03\/sales-traits-series-proactive-thinking\/","url_meta":{"origin":3122,"position":5},"title":"Sales Traits Series &#8211; Proactive Thinking","author":"Derrick Moe","date":"March 22, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"This week we look at a trait that is important when assessing sales candidates for complex, long sales cycle positions.\u00a0 Proactive or reactive is the difference in this highly valued sales trait. Proactive ThinkingThe ability of a salesperson to evaluate future implications of current decisions and actions. This would include\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Aptitudes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Aptitudes","link":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/category\/hiring\/assessing\/aptitudes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Shark-Fin.png?fit=560%2C315","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3122","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3122"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3122\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47391,"href":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3122\/revisions\/47391"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47390"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3122"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3122"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/selectmetrix.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3122"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<!-- WP Super Cache is installed but broken. The path to wp-cache-phase1.php in wp-content/advanced-cache.php must be fixed! -->