Does the quality and positioning of your product impact the personality of the person you should hire?
Consider this: Let's assume for a moment that your company has really found itself in an unfortunate situation. Your product line has gotten "old". The feature functionality is missing, and you are more expensive than the competition. In fact, the knowledgeable consumer is your worst enemy. Could there possibly be a personality profile that could succeed in this environment? Yes, but you don't have a lot of options.
Consider this scenario instead. You have a fabulous product line, great pricing, distinct feature function benefit, a great customer base, and a terrific reputation. Do you think that there would only be one personality type that could succeed in this environment, or might you have a broader range of personalities that would find success?
In the "bad product" scenario, the only successful profile will be one with very high dominance, and very low patience. This situation calls for someone that can take complete control of the selling environment and get deals off the table early. (This person will have a "caveat emptor" approach to sales, and have no difficulty spending their commission check.) Think about the difficulties the other styles would have in selling a "bad product". Would the prospect like them? Would it build peace and harmony? Is it the "right" thing to do? I don't think so.
In the "good product" scenario, almost any behavioral style will have some success, but that creates even more management opportunities, and opportunities for leaders to make a difference in productivity. Here's why:
First, each different behavioral style will sell differently. Some will gain control of the sales cycle by showing their ability to solve a prospect's problem. Others accomplish their mission by inspiring the buyer to do what they the salesperson believes they should do. Some may succeed by showing their ability to build a relationship of "trusted advisor". And lastly, some will succeed because of their ability to lay out a buying process that allows their prospect to feel comfortable with a thorough and correct decision.
That's all well and good, but each one needs a different kind of help from their manager, and you need to know what that is. If your management style is to "treat them all the same", or treat them the way you want to be treated, then you might be missing out on opportunities to improve their performance and productivity. And isn't that in fact your value proposition as a manager? Your value to your organization is to improve performance at a level greater than the cost of having you be there. Separate out what you may do as an individual contributor within your organization, and that's how you need to look at yourself.
What is the right personality mix for your product offering? How do we work together to "tip" the odds in your favor? The top performer data we have for the products you are selling is a vital first step, and then understanding your specific circumstances regarding your location, competition, and any other factor will help us help you. Impacting performance (in a positive way, please) is your job, and OPUS stands ready to provide you with tangible tools and advisement services to assist you in accomplishing your objectives. Our clients would tell you that our services have helped them make better hiring decisions, and then, even more important, to drive improved performance and productivity by taking into account the information we provide to them. Reach out to us to discuss your specific situation and needs. We look forward to working with you.
