Most companies using SalesMAP to screen candidates are usually only really interested in the SQ score “ the overall measure of sales productivity proven highly accurate at predicting actual sales performance. But there is much business intelligence to mine from the other 22 behavior measures as well. This article examines two SalesMAP score patterns rationally derived but not yet empirically validated. However, these critical combinations of high and low scores in targeted scales point to two of the most costly problems for sales organizations.
The Oppositional Pattern
Some salespeople don’t work well on teams. They went into sales because they wanted to manage their own time and avoid petty office politics. When sales managers try to impose structure or discipline, they push back vigorously, resisting change, frustrating almost any attempt by supervisors to manage, coach or advise. Tell them to do one thing and they will do the exact opposite. That’s why they’re called Oppositionals.
Oppositional salespeople aren’t all bad. Frequently, they are some of the best producers in a sales organization. They work hard to reach a point at which they feel they have earned the right to self-manage their work. But then, having established their territory, Oppositionals dig in their heels and do everything in their power to oppose change and accountability.
Most personality profiles misdiagnose these individuals as driven or possessing ego strength. However, SalesMAPâ„¢ is effective at spotting Oppositionals before they are hired. One recruiter says it’s worth the price of the assessment for an entire year if it can save his company the aggravation caused from just one Oppositional.
Here’s the SalesMAP pattern to help you detect the Oppositional.
| SalesMAP scale | Explanation |
| Very high Commanding (Need for Control) score or very low Empathizing (Need for Approval) score | Oppositionals need control and don’t care what anybody thinks of them. |
| Low Coachability | Oppositionals are not open to objective feedback. Will not cooperate with anything if they don’t understand or agree |
The Oppositional Pattern is intensified with the following detected behaviors.
| SalesMAP scale | Explanation |
| High Decisiveness or High Self-Estimate | Oppositionals are opinionated and have an unrealistically high opinion of themselves, bordering on arrogance. |
| Low Validity Check | Because they don’t like assessments, they will sometimes sabotage results by not following directions or refusing to answer questions. |
The RTQ (Ready-to-Quit) Pattern
It’s uncanny, the similarity of SalesMAP scores that show up just before people quit. Sometimes, if it’s a poor performer, it’s not unexpected or even problematic. But how would you like the shock one manager recently received when the SalesMAP results of her two top salespeople showed the familiar Ready-to-Quit (RTQ) pattern. It’s not guaranteed that everybody with this pattern of scores is going to walk off the job, but it certainly indicates something serious is happening in one’s sales career.
| SalesMAP scale | Explanation |
| Very low Energy | Stamina for selling is gone. Low Energy may be due to personal stress or organizational issues. |
| Very low Sales Identity | While not all salespeople who are ready to quit are fed up with a sales career, low Sales Identity is a dead give-away that other job opportunities are looking more attractive. |
| Low Sales Initiative | Look for more and more Contact Hesitation leading the rep to make more excuses than sales calls. |
The RTQ pattern is intensified if you also see the following in the SalesMAP profile.
| Low Goal Orientation | For the person without much of a future in sales, goals are pretty meaningless. |
We are currently researching these patterns to determine to what extent they can be statistically validated. This will take time. Researchers have all the time in the world. Not so managers and recruiters who must consider all sources of business intelligence in the battle to improve bottom line results in a rapidly changing marketplace.