Are you hiring? Look for an expert.

Summary: There are many traits that help make a sales person successful, but in my experience, there are 5 that really stand out as crucial. They are (1) coachability combined with ego; (2) strategic thinking; (3) trustworthiness; (4) a penchant for problem-solving; and (5) a keen ability to actively listen. These are the attributes that make a sales executive an expert, and in sales — as in many other professions — expertise makes a difference.

When a little knowledge hurts…

I dislocated my shoulder playing hockey Sunday morning. While quite painful, I’m way more concerned about what this might mean for my hockey-playing days. This is my second shoulder dislocation in 14 months. Not good.

The process at the hospital involved a few steps. After a 4.5-hour wait, the ER physician decided the best course of action was to put the shoulder back in without sedation. I was actually okay with the decision: There were no beds, and getting sedated meant waiting at least another couple of hours.

Unfortunately, it didn’t work.

A bed was eventually secured, and this time, I went under. The ER physician and anesthesiologist tried again. Again, it didn’t work. The dislocation was anterior, which means my shoulder was basically in my chest. This was a tricky one, I guess.

…Sometimes only an expert will do

The new course of action was to wait for the orthopedic surgeon. He was performing surgery somewhere in the hospital and would be an hour.

When he arrived, they put me out again. When I woke up, lo and behold, my shoulder was back in its rightful socket.

As I was coming to, I overheard the ER physician and orthopedic surgeon talking about my situation quietly in the hallway. The ER physician was sharing details about the two failed attempts to reset my shoulder. To which the orthopedic surgeon replied, “That would never have worked.”

Why am I telling you this? Because expertise matters.

The top-performing sales people are always coachable, alongside which comes curiosity, compassion (empathy is key), and an appreciation of teamwork.

How to hire a sales expert

All sales organizations want top sales performers. But top performers are in short supply. They’re also somewhat elusive and difficult to identify.

The fact is that while many are called to the sales profession, few are “chosen”. And the really good ones are in high demand.

So how the heck do we find them?

In my 20-something years leading a team of some 100+ sales executives, I was fortunate enough to hire and work with some very talented people. Time and again, I found that the following 5 attributes were always present in these individuals.

1/ Coachability combined with ego:? In my experience, the top-performing sales people are always coachable, alongside which comes curiosity, compassion (empathy is key), and an appreciation of teamwork. On the flip side, they usually possess healthy egos — a trait I believe is essential to sustaining them through the (constant) rejection that comes with the role.

2/ Strategic thinking: Top performers think strategically and are process-oriented. They recognize there is a means to an end. They establish processes, and they stick to them, fine-tuning as they go based on what works best. They also spend as much time qualifying as they do selling to ensure they get deals into the funnel that are going to close.

Their habits and routines revolve around:

• Networking
• Prospecting
• Nurturing
• Referrals
• Social selling
• Personal brand

3/ Trustworthiness: Buyers want someone they can trust to help them make important decisions. Trust comes from credibility, reliability, and intimacy. It is undermined by self-orientation. Trust is intrinsic to expertise. That doesn’t mean you have to hire a salesperson with extensive knowledge of your industry, but you do need to hire someone who can demonstrate a capacity to learn.

4/ Problem-solving: Top performers have a buyer-first mindset. They measure success as much in problems solved as they do in deals won.

5/ Active listening: Top performers practice active listening as the foundation of their interactions with bosses, peers, and buyers.

Finding a true sales expert — one who is motivated, goal-oriented, and passionate about their profession as well as what they’re selling — is well worth the investment of time, effort, and money. They will repay your business in spades, not simply through dollars earned, but through the knowledge and inspiration they provide to others. Make no mistake about it: Their expertise will shine.???

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