It’s basketball time in Kentucky! The March mess of snow and ugly weather has been replaced with the spreading March Madness mindset that sweeps across our state each spring. Seemingly sane people who catch the fever show symptoms of uncharacteristic obsession. They wear red (Louisville Cardinals) or blue (University of Kentucky). University flags, buttons, shirts, pins, earrings, ties and other assorted items of fan loyalty appear everywhere. Betting brackets and pools are widely generated for careful consideration. Mixed fan families increase friendly (normally) taunts and recount endless memories of past seasons.
Coaches and players are pumped up but also are likely to feel increased pressure and stress as expectations grow. Players can go from instant heroes to zeroes if they do not perform to their fullest potential.
I have seen similar situations with sales people.
Did you know?
- 50% or organizations are dissatisfied with the new sales reps they hire
- 19% of sales representatives turnover voluntarily each year
- 16% of sales representatives turnover involuntarily each year
Universities carefully recruit players and coaches spend the season analyzing the strengths of their players, targeting training needs and developing each player individually and in a team setting. The players spend countless hours practicing and conditioning both on and off the court. If sales people were subjected to the same training regiment, we may see them produce dramatically different results.
Fortunately, resources targeted to sales are available that can help with recruiting and development. The Profiles Sales Assessment predicts on the job performance in seven critical sales behaviors: prospecting, call reluctance, closing the sale, self-starting, teamwork, building and maintaining relationships and compensation preference.
The Profile Sales Checkpoint help sales leaders precisely target the developmental needs of their sales professionals avoiding the traditional “one size fits all” sales training which leaves many underperforming.
Wouldn’t it be nice if sales fever could sweep your organization?
Linda serves as a Principal in MCM’s HR Consulting practice, and has experience working with various-sized companies throughout a variety of industries. Linda’s experience in organizational development, training, executive coaching and hiring assistance spans over 25 years. Previously, Linda was the President and Owner of Personnel Profiling, Inc., an HR consulting company that offered a suite of employment assessments and services to help companies gain a competitive advantage by hiring, retaining and developing great talent. Linda’s formal education includes a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Louisville with a concentration in counseling psychology. Linda and Members of her team will be ongoing contributors to the Academy Blog.
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- Time Magazine’s Cover Story—“How High is Your XQ?” - July 6, 2015
- 5 Proven Strategies to Reduce Turnover - May 29, 2015
- Become an Awesome Boss - April 24, 2015
