What's the DNA of great sales leaders?

I have met some great salespeople throughout my career. I've hired many for my clients – indeed sales leadership is a core part of my offering to consumer and retail businesses

I have also been CEO for several international recruitment businesses where hiring sales leadership is fundamental to success.?

At the core of a high high-performing sales leader is an innate drive and motivation—an unrelenting desire to achieve.?

?Drive goes far beyond simply hitting targets or earning bonuses - although that's still important in my opinion. Any sales leader who says money isn’t high on their list of priorities should probably select an easier job.??

Success in sales is about a deep-rooted determination to excel and conquer challenges.?

This hunger is usually apparent early in the careers of exceptional salespeople and is typically very hard to ‘train’.?

But the role of a salesperson is evolving from a solo-driven, transactional model to a more collaborative, solution-oriented approach.

Kate Thomas from sister company NewlandRock , who?advises sales leadership teams on how to become more effective, commented:?

“Traditionally, salespeople have focused on individual success metrics, aiming to be the standout performer with impressive results. Now, there’s a clear shift towards collective success, where cross-functional integration and shared objectives are increasingly prioritised. ?It’s no longer about being the best salesperson, but about how to ensure the entire team is successful.”??

This transformation requires sales professionals to look beyond their own sales figures and consider the broader business impact. Effective sales now involves cross-selling, cross-pollinating ideas, and merging individual insights to provide a unified, comprehensive solution for clients.?

Take the world of FMCG: salespeople are no longer simply selling a product. Sales leaders in this segment they are co-creating solutions by combining insights from different parts of the business to demonstrate they understand the retailer’s shopper base. Adopting internal integration to your selling helps to deliver a well-rounded answer to clients who are looking for holistic, big-picture solutions rather than isolated offerings.

The impact of this shift also extends to hiring profiles. Sales teams today need individuals who are not only adept at selling but also skilled at listening to market trends and feeding that information back into the business.?

"It’s essential to establish a communication loop, where the sales team can bring fresh insights from the market into the organisation to guide future innovation and solution development," Kate explains. This means fostering a collaborative culture where sales and innovation are intertwined, creating a continuous feedback loop that drives both immediate and long-term success."

Great sales leaders understand the characteristics that drive high performance in your business. This knowledge forms a template for hiring more of the same type of talent or coaching those who are advancing through the ranks.

Want advice on hiring your next sales leader in consumer and retail?

Contact me at BartonRock Executive Search.

For further information on executive assessment, contact Kate Thomas at NewlandRock.

Edition 38