The Absolutely True and Practical Way to Identify Top Performers
Over the years, hundreds of sales organizations have asked me to show them the profile of the perfect or ideal salesperson for whatever product or service they were selling. The common belief is that if they have a profile, template, success model or benchmark, they can use it to hire sales stars in their business. Unfortunately that is so almost true, that it has led countless sales managers to spend millions of dollars on this methodology, which is promoted by many assessment companies. Almost true means that it works much better than not using tests and relying mainly on interviews. It also means that every now and then they do get a star. The catch is that along the way, they also hire some cinders that seemed to match the profile. While stars can certainly bring in some wonderful sales, cinders can often burn up time, energy, training dollars and sales leads that can easily offset those sales.
A more practical approach starts with recognizing that there are really three types of candidates for sales jobs.
• STARS
Easily trained
Closes major deals
Requires little support or direction
Self-motivated
• OK
Can be trained
Work hard and are coachable
Close some deals, occasionally a bigger one
Require average support and direction
Easily motivated
• OOPS
Enjoy training but little changes
Works at the wrong things Is defensive, blaming circumstances and others
Requires high level of support and a lot of direction
Any apparent motivation produces no results
Deals take longer and turn out smaller
The illustration below represents the population of sales job candidates for any particular sales position. There will be a few STARS, a lot of OK’s and some OOPS. Wouldn’t it be great if the candidates were labeled just like this?
A more practical approach starts with recognizing that there are really three types of candidates for sales jobs.
• STARS
Easily trained
Closes major deals
Requires little support or direction
Self-motivated
• OK
Can be trained
Work hard and are coachable
Close some deals, occasionally a bigger one
Require average support and direction
Easily motivated
• OOPS
Enjoy training but little changes
Works at the wrong things Is defensive, blaming circumstances and others
Requires high level of support and a lot of direction
Any apparent motivation produces no results
Deals take longer and turn out smaller
The illustration below represents the population of sales job candidates for any particular sales position. There will be a few STARS, a lot of OK’s and some OOPS. Wouldn’t it be great if the candidates were labeled just like this?
The problem is that they are not. In fact, the line between STARS and OK’s is not quite as clear as in the illustration. They often look the same. The real difference lies in such things as their:
• Work ethic
• Personal standard of excellence
• Personal values.
The gigantic and really expensive problem is that OOPS sometimes look the same in the interviews and on the resumés. Actually that WAS a problem up until now. Now there is simple and straightforward technology that can easily identify the OOPS. It can do that without reading the resumés and even without any interviews. Imagine that the candidate population looked like this.
• Work ethic
• Personal standard of excellence
• Personal values.
The gigantic and really expensive problem is that OOPS sometimes look the same in the interviews and on the resumés. Actually that WAS a problem up until now. Now there is simple and straightforward technology that can easily identify the OOPS. It can do that without reading the resumés and even without any interviews. Imagine that the candidate population looked like this.
Whichever candidate is chosen can do the job. Some can do it better than others, but all of the remaining candidates can do it. In effect, the selection process becomes relatively risk-free.
But wait! It gets better. The same DATA that is used to screen out the OOPS can be used to identify which candidates are most likely to be STARS. Using a style of reporting called virtual interviewing, DATA describes how each candidate will deliver the key job behaviors that are necessary for success in any specific sales position.
Better still… DATA also drives behavioral event-based interview questions for each candidate, that automatically target the issues that the candidate may have in that job.
And… DATA helps you match salespeople to their sales managers and to their territories.
Then… DATA guides you on how to most effectively onboard and train the new salesperson.
And of course… DATA provides coaching keys for the sales manager, and even troubleshooting information for each salesperson.
This is the absolutely true and practical way to identify top performers. More importantly, it ensures that your team is almost completely made up of performers. Top performers are always welcome, but as baseball teams know, the World Series is not won by just top performers. It is won by the team that matched their STARS with a whole team of OK’s and no OOPS. The amazing thing is that DATA not only makes it easier, but it simplifies the whole recruiting process at the same time.
Wow! Simpler, easier and much less expensive AND more effective!!
About the author
Chuck Russell is a leading authority on the business applications of assessment technology. He has reviewed the assessment industry for twenty years. His first book, Right Person - Right Job, Guess or Know, introduced new paradigms for hiring, management and training. Chuck has pioneered many innovations in the assessment industry, all with the goal of unlocking the strengths within each person. His company, BestWork DATA, develops advanced talent acquisition and talent management systems that are disruptive innovations in the assessment world, displacing the old profiling methodologies with newer generations of psychometric applications that are effectively operating systems for human resources.
But wait! It gets better. The same DATA that is used to screen out the OOPS can be used to identify which candidates are most likely to be STARS. Using a style of reporting called virtual interviewing, DATA describes how each candidate will deliver the key job behaviors that are necessary for success in any specific sales position.
Better still… DATA also drives behavioral event-based interview questions for each candidate, that automatically target the issues that the candidate may have in that job.
And… DATA helps you match salespeople to their sales managers and to their territories.
Then… DATA guides you on how to most effectively onboard and train the new salesperson.
And of course… DATA provides coaching keys for the sales manager, and even troubleshooting information for each salesperson.
This is the absolutely true and practical way to identify top performers. More importantly, it ensures that your team is almost completely made up of performers. Top performers are always welcome, but as baseball teams know, the World Series is not won by just top performers. It is won by the team that matched their STARS with a whole team of OK’s and no OOPS. The amazing thing is that DATA not only makes it easier, but it simplifies the whole recruiting process at the same time.
Wow! Simpler, easier and much less expensive AND more effective!!
About the author
Chuck Russell is a leading authority on the business applications of assessment technology. He has reviewed the assessment industry for twenty years. His first book, Right Person - Right Job, Guess or Know, introduced new paradigms for hiring, management and training. Chuck has pioneered many innovations in the assessment industry, all with the goal of unlocking the strengths within each person. His company, BestWork DATA, develops advanced talent acquisition and talent management systems that are disruptive innovations in the assessment world, displacing the old profiling methodologies with newer generations of psychometric applications that are effectively operating systems for human resources.
