The 10 Most Common Characteristics of the Worst Sales Performers (The Bottom 10%)

So you're a top sales performer right?

Got those killer awards such as President's Club, Winner's Circle, Achiever's Club, Summit Club, 100% Quota Club, Conference, etc.?

You may think that that your poo doesn't stink.

You may think because of all the accolades you've won in the past that you are simply going to keep winning!

I used to think that way too...

However, as I started working on my self-awareness, I learned that it was very easy to fall into some mental traps that bottom performers fall into as well especially after a tough week or month..

I realized that the worst sales performers all had certain characteristics and being HUMAN, it is easy to flip-flop back and forth!

Fortunately, by increasing your self-awareness it can help you be cognizant of it and ultimately pivot if necessary!

If you read my article last week on the Top 10 Characteristics of the Top 1% of Sales Professionals, you may think it's as simple as the opposite of top professionals...IT'S NOT! There may be some correlation but there are distinct characteristics that impact their results. After leading sales people for over a decade, I've seen very specific behavioral traits and characteristics that the bottom 10% consistently have and that bleeds over into their personal lives as well! Let's check them out and make sure you aren't guilty of them (and if you're hiring, be on the lookout for these):

1.) Dishonest to themselves: They typically lack clarity into how they are performing and their actual skill set. They may believe they are more skilled than they really are and will find excuses on why they are not performing to the level they claim they should be at!

2.) Negative: The bottom 10% are usually energy VAMPIRES! They LOVE to find reasons to be negative no matter the situation. If their sales leader brings in coffee orders for the team, they are first to point out theirs is wrong!

3.) Problem-Seeker: This next characteristic ties right into the negativity - no matter the situation, they are first to find the reasons why things WON'T WORK or why there will be problems. They are pessimistic and are first to say "I told you so" when things don't work out!

4.) Defensive: The bottom are also very defensive - the smallest joke or comment may cause them to go into a defensive tailspin. Even if what is said is not directed to them, they take personal offense to it! They are also very defensive about their poor results and are constantly over-compensating by pointing out all the problems that lead them to not be successful.

5.) Ego: This is a scary one - they usually have an ego or an air of confidence. They believe they are correct even if the facts show them to be wrong. They often will overly-arrogant to overcompensate for true feelings of insecurity.

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6.) Lack of ownership and is a BLAMER: The bottom 10% typically will never take any accountability. They will blame others for everything from lack of training, resources, development, etc. even though others on the same team may find massive success!

7.) Jealous: They are also usually very easily jealous of others. When they see others thrive and are successful, they are never happy for them! Instead, they sit green with envy and jealousy and look for reasons why they can't have success....

8.) Victimization: This characteristic ties right into several of the above! The bottom performers are always the ones that believe they are being wronged whether it is by the company, sales leader, of the customers! No matter what, it is NEVER their fault...

9.) Entitlement: This characteristic is also very common among them - they believe they are entitled to everything whether it is a sales lead, territory, volume, etc. No matter the logic behind it, if they don't get it, they feel that they are being VICTIMIZED as a result!

10.) Never executes on coaching: This is a big one - I've seen it firsthand! No matter the coaching, support, resources, etc. provided, they NEVER put the work in and they will find every excuse in the book to not do it ultimately leading to continued poor results! This ultimately will lead to their demise.

So there you have it, the ten most common characteristics of the worst sales performers! As you read through, do you have any of these characteristics? At the end of the day, the first step is having massive clarity and self-awareness about yourself to know if you have these. If you do, then you can start working on it and being more aware of how you are thinking!

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And then leave a comment below with your questions, thoughts, and advice on the ideas above.

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Marcus Chan is an award-winning results and people-driven executive sales leader. Over the last decade, Marcus has been promoted 10X in 10 years and has been ranked in the top percentile of every company and every role he has been in. He is passionate about helping others reach their maximum potential. You can follow him on Instagram here for daily motivation! More information and a ton of cool resources are waiting for you here!