Posted by on August 31, 2023.
I am recalling a conversation I was having as VP of Sales with our CFO who also wore the Human Resource hat with a young, venture capital backed, market development oriented, start up organization. We were discussing the need to hire the best sales talent, or “A” talent, that we possibly could. This conversation begged the question, what does “A” talent look like and what really differentiates true “A” talent from solid “B” performers and others?
Over the years of leading sales organizations with disruptive technologies, the fundamental requirements to be perceived as an “A” sales talent are repeated top 10% actual sales performance, excellent product knowledge, excellent selling skills, excellent relationship building skills, excellent business acumen and the key differentiator “GOOD JUDGEMENT.”
The next obvious question is How do you measure good judgement? Profiles Incorporated offers a wide range of resources, including Talent Management technology that can be developed within the PXT Select assessment. This technology offers reports specifically designed for recruiting sales people. The Sales Comprehensive Selection report can help your efforts to really gain insights into a candidate’s “Good Judgement” understanding in the Behavior section. The 2 behaviors, Decisiveness and Judgement begins the process as these behaviors will reflect the candidate’s tendencies of how quickly they will make decisions and the types of information they will require to support those decisions. This report also provides specific behavior-based questions to help you dig into how your candidate thinks through various decision opportunities each day.
Real “A” sales talent will understand how this process works for them and will take it one step farther. They will not only determine how their decision will impact them but they will think through how their decision will impact all others the decision may touch. Then and only then will they initiate the execution of their decision. Now they have made the best judgement they can make considering all those impacted by their choice. I call this using an internal and external mindset to determine whatever decision you are initiating, what is the implication and impact on all those this decision will touch. You can also look at GOOD JUDGEMENT as an equation:
3 I’s (initiate, implication, impact) + Internal Mindset + External Impact = GOOD JUDGEMENT
Profiles, Inc is ready to support your sales recruiting of “A” talent and help you understand how judgement works for candidates to in turn optimize your overall results. Contact us today!
