Ben completed the SalesKey® assessment of sales behaviors as a candidate for the position that was eventually offered to him. His scores were exceptional. On paper Ben should have been the next superstar. But eight months later, after repeated warnings that he should pick up his contact activity, Ben was fired for lack of production.What went wrong? the manager wanted to know. How come the test didn’t spot this? he asked.
Reviewing Ben’s SalesKey® profile, we should have predicted a situation but we didn’t because we were looking more carefully at some scales than others. Ben’s Sales Initiative and Energy scores were very high. Ben had a good Sales Identity. His overall Productivity Quotient (PQ) was 100.
But some behaviors were deficient. Ben’s Goal Orientation was very low as was his Goal Focus. His Problem Solving and Coachability were very high along with his Analyzer behavior. His zero Attention Need score was certainly unusual as was his very low Controlling score.
When asked why Ben was let go, the manager said, He started off great. He excelled in the company’s training programs, but he wouldn’t make calls. The manager’s style is that of a strong Commander-Performer whose motto could be, Do it my way or hit the highway.
Ben had the behaviors and skills necessary to succeed, but something happened that caused him to dig in his heels, draw a line in the sand, and go no further. The manager was oblivious to any problems. But here’s what probably happened (based on Ben’s assessment profile).
Ben’s low Goal Orientation and low Goal Focus with his strong analytical style meant he would probably not do well in any area in which he didn’t feel completely prepared. This gets compounded by his extremely high Coachability score that actually made him somewhat co-dependent on managers and trainers. The manager most likely met Ben’s repeated requests for training and coaching with a just do it approach. Ben’s zero Performing score makes his Analytical Need much stronger than his Analyzer score suggested. This is what we call the Double Whammy “ a very high score in one behavior accompanied by a low score in the contradictory score; in this case high Analyzer, low Performer. No Performer. His Self-Estimate was also low.
So, Ben fears making a mistake and not being prepared. He has a tendency to hide out in the organization and shun any self-promotion. When his appeals for help were rebuffed, Ben checked out mentally.
Where was the failure in Ben’s case? Did SalesKey® get it wrong? I don’t think so. Ben started his new sales job with great expectations and powerful habits that could have been harnessed in the direction of success. Obviously Ben is at fault for failing to meet his production goals. SalesKey® predicted that goals and quotas were not enough in and of themselves to motivate performance. The failure, I think, is with the manager who did not take seriously the deficiencies of this individual and who was probably unable to adapt his or her managerial style to communicate meaningfully with Ben.
Two critical points:
1. All SalesKey scores are critical to success.
We do not reduce the hiring decision to a simple thumbs-up or thumbs-down decision. It’s just not that simple. Selection is all about knowing how to leverage the strengths and challenges that every candidate brings to a new job. Any deficiency in those 21 SalesKey® behaviors can sink a sales rep.
2. Even the best new hires need coaching and developing.
Managers need to be trained in how to spot productivity problems and how to adapt their personal style to the needs of those on their team. Turnover is the logical, inevitable result of an untrained manager using his own experience as the template for all interaction.