It always has been a little mystifying to figure out what exactly makes a top-notch Sales Person. Well-Run Concepts has been conducting research to quantify what is needed in the position of Sales Person today by defining these key areas:
• Attributes: personal skills or competencies
• Values: rewards and culture
• Behaviors: how they do the job
We used a comprehensive, validated, step-by-step process called the Trimetrixâ„¢ system to determine what is needed for top performance. This article will summarize our findings to date and here is what we found.
Attributes tells us if an individual can do the job by looking at what personal skills or competencies are needed in the job of Sales Person.
The Top Seven Attributes are:
1. RESULTS ORIENTATION: The ability to identify actions necessary to complete tasks and obtain results.
• Maintains focus on goals
• Identifies and acts on removing potential obstacles to successful goal attainment
• Implements thorough and effective plans and applies appropriate resources to produce desired results
• Follows through on all commitments to achieve results
2. INFLUENCING OTHERS: The ability to personally affect others’ actions, decisions, opinions or thinking.
• Effectively impacts others’ actions
• Gains commitment from others to achieve desired results
• Analyzes other’s opinions and leads them to understand and willingly accept desired alternatives
• Persuades others in a positive manager
3. SELF MANAGEMENT: The ability to prioritize and complete tasks in order to deliver desired outcomes within allotted time frames.
• Independently pursues business objectives in an organized and efficient manner
• Prioritizes activities as necessary to meet job responsibilities
• Maintains required level of activity toward achieving goals without direct supervision
• Minimizes work flow disruptions and time wasters to complete high quality work within a specified time frame
4. GOAL ACHIEVEMENT: The overall ability to set, pursue and attain achievable goals.
• Establishes goals that are relevant, realistic and attainable
• Identifies and implements required plans and milestones to achieve specific business goals
• Initiates activity toward goals without unnecessary delay
• Stays on target to complete goals regardless of obstacles or adverse circumstances
5. INTERPERSONAL SKILLS: The ability to interact with others in a positive manner.
• Initiates and develops business relationships in positive ways
• Successfully works with a wide range of people at varying levels of organizations
• Communicates with others in ways that are clear, considerate and understandable
• Demonstrates ease in relating with a diverse range of people of varying backgrounds, ages, experience and education levels
6. PROBLEM SOLVING: The ability to identify key components of a problem to formulate a solution or solutions
• Analyzes all data relative to a problem
• Divides complex issues into simpler components in order to achieve clarity
• Selects the best options available to solve specific problems
• Applies all relevant resources to implement suitable solutions
7. DECISION MAKING: The ability to analyze all aspects of a situation to gain thorough insight to make decisions.
• Analyzes data necessary for decision making
• Makes major decisions impacting strategic outcomes appropriately and effectively
• Makes decisions in a timely manner
• Demonstrates ability to make unpopular and difficult decisions when necessary
Values make up the next critical success factor needed, which tells us why an individual will do the job or, in other words, what rewards & cultures are they seeking on the job.
The Top Three Values are:
1. UTILITARIAN/ECONOMIC
Rewards those who value practical accomplishments, results and rewards for their investments of time, resources and energy.
2. TRADITONAL/REGULATORY
Rewards those who value traditions inherent in social structure, rules, regulations and principles.
3. THEORETICAL
Rewards those who value knowledge for knowledge’s sake, continuing education and intellectual growth.
Behaviors tell us how an individual will perform the job. We analyzed which of the behaviors an individual should possess to perform well in the job of Sales Person. This is very important information to know in understanding communication styles.
The Top Three Behaviors are:
1. FREQUENT INTERACTION WITH OTHERS
The job requires a strong “people orientation,†versus a task orientation. The Job will comfortably deal with multiple interruptions on a continual basis, always maintaining a friendly interface with others.
2. VERSATILITY
The job calls for a high level of optimism and a “can do†orientation. It will require multiple talents and a willingness to adapt them to changing assignments as required.
3. FREQUENT CHANGE
The job requires a comfort level with “juggling many balls in the air at the same time!†It will be asked to leave several tasks unfinished, and easily move on to new tasks with little or no notice.
Now that we have a clear picture of what the Sales Person Job looks like, I would like to ask you this…
• If you are a Sales Person, do you have these critical success factors mastered? If not, what’s your plan to develop them?
• If you are a company, how are you currently measuring the talent in your Sales Team today?
• Do they have the above named attributes, values and behaviors?
• If so, great! You are ahead of the competition!
• If not, how will you develop them or better yet, select talent that already has it?
Jennifer Selland is the Founder and President of Well-Run Concepts, a Human Resource Consulting Firm based in Ocala Florida, founded in 1997, whose mission is to Help Organizations Define and Develop Top Talent. Jennifer has over 15 years of Human Resource Management and Executive Operational hotel experience.
Well-Run Concepts "Helping Organizations Define and Develop Top Talent." 303 S.E. 17th St., Suite 309-170 Ocala, FL 34471 Toll Free: 877-566-2900 Tel: 352-624-2684 Fax: 352-624-2689 Website: http://www.well-run.com Email: Jennifer@well-run.com
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