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Select Metrix
Newsletter |
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April, 2005
Vol. 1, Issue
4 |
Application in Action:
Assessment
Threads
This month’s
featured article illustrates the relationship between the 5
different assessments we incorporate into the Select Metrix
process. Applying these assessments to candidates is
fairly straight-forward; simply call us and we will provide a
password and instructions for your candidate. One focus
area is the relationships that flow between the different
assessments. These “threads” provide deep insight and predictive
descriptions of the candidate’s overall approach to selling.
This article will focus on one specific thread that appears in
many salespeople – the ability to handle rejection.
Anyone who
has been in sales more than a day knows that salespeople deal
with rejection on a daily basis. It is analogous to being a
Hall of Fame baseball player – a lifetime .300 hitter in the
Hall of Fame still was unsuccessful (strike out, fly out, ground
out, etc.) 7 out of 10 times. Most sales success rates are
lower than that! Hence, a successful salesperson in a position
requiring a high number of daily contacts must be able to
handle rejection.
Much like
self-starting, handling rejection is multi-faceted. Aptitude,
Motivation and Selling Style are the three areas to focus on for
this ability.
Aptitudes:
Handling
Rejection
- It is the ability of a person to see themselves as valuable,
separate and apart from their role or position in life.
Self-Esteem
- The ability of a person to realize and appreciate their own
unique self-worth. They do not judge themselves based solely on
what they do, what role they occupy or what success they attain.
Motivations:
Utilitarian
-
A passion to gain return on investment of time, resources and
money.
Individualistic
- A passion to achieve position and to use that position to
influence others.
Selling
Style:
Influence
– An extroverted, optimistic, trusting style that always assumes
the best in people and highly values a personal connection with
their contacts.
Now that I
have explained the components of the thread, let’s build two
examples to show the thread in action.
Low
Probability of Success
-Handling
Rejection 5.8 / 10.0
-Self-Esteem 6.1 / 10.0
-Utilitarian 65 / 72
-Individualistic 33 / 72
-Influence 76 / 100
Thread:
This candidate has a low Aptitude for Handling Rejection and
their Self-Esteem is markedly low. That combination illustrates
a cognitive struggle to deal with situations where they are
unsuccessful in persuading another individual. The candidate’s
Utilitarian score is strong which is critical for selling.
However, their Individualistic score is low. A tip – look for
business development salespeople with a combined Utilitarian +
Individualistic score above 110. We know that a combined score
well below 110 indicates a salesperson who does not have the
hemi-powered motor to churn through high volume prospecting
calls day-in and day-out. Finally, their Influence score on
their Selling Style indicates a salesperson who greatly values
positive, trusting relationships with prospects. Hang-ups,
rudeness, etc. are going to slowly grind them down to a point of
potential burn-out. Please note: Focusing solely on one
Selling Style factor is not standard, but we will do so for the
sake of this example.
High
Probability of Success
-Handling
Rejection 8.3 / 10.0
-Self-Esteem 7.5 / 10.0
-Utilitarian 65 / 72
-Individualistic 51 / 72
-Influence 62 / 100
Thread:
You can see that this salesperson has a natural aptitude for
Handling Rejection and their Self-Esteem is higher (but not
too high). They are cognitively able to separate what they
do from who they are (role vs. identity). Their Utilitarian
score is the same but they have a strong Individualistic
motivation behind it. Their combined score is 116 which
indicates a motor that can handle a high volume of prospecting
calls. Finally, their Influence score is still above 50 but not
as intense as the first example. This candidate will value
positive calls, but they will not be as impacted by the daily
grind of unsettling cold calls.
This is one
simple thread. There are hundreds of threads to look for in any
candidate report. The importance of an accurate Profile of the
Sale becomes magnified at this stage as you begin to compare
overall candidate abilities to the position’s requirements. A
gap analysis between the candidate and the position identifies
areas where they will naturally excel and areas where further
development is needed.
Click here for the next article -
Metrix Medley |
