Staying Objective When Hiring Sales People

I’ve seen it so many times! A manager either falls in love the sales candidate or develops an instant dislike. In either case, at some level, the candidate reminds the manager of someone they either really like or really dislike. 

If you find yourself moving too far in one direction or another, pause and make a note of the fact and why it might be happening. It helps if you can identify the person you are thinking about or with whom you are comparing the candidate. 

This often helps you better understand your feelings and often results in being able to disconnect your feeling for the candidate from the other person. If you’re going to make a good hiring decision, it’s critical that you remain objective to the very end of the hiring process. 

That’s one more reason to consider using an assessment. To do otherwise can skew the decision, often in the wrong direction.

Are you conducting too few interviews?

I’ve often felt that many companies are too fast to hire into slow fire. One of the hiring traps that companies fall into his hiring someone after the first, and sometimes only, interview. Even the worst sales candidate can come across as being presentable during that first interview. 

It’s like being on a first date; they are on their best behavior. Once you really get to know the person, however, you may not want to take them anymore. 

By the second interview, the candidate may have loosened up a bit because he or she knows that they are under serious consideration or they would not have been asked back for second interview. 

By the third interview, most candidates will begin to let their guard down. Now you can begin to see different aspects that make up the real candidate. It’s usually by the third or fourth interview when you discover that the person is a non--stop speaker or some disguised bad habit that comes to light. 

To this end, our sales assessments can help you “peek” under the tent and see what the candidate would rather you didn’t see. It’s best to find out this stuff before you hire and not after.

Why People Quit Their Jobs

Last month, I was on my way back to the office after facilitating a training program. I stopped for coffee and overheard the man behind me talking on his cellphone. 

“We need to be stricter with our hiring practices.” he said. “We want to keep them past a year.” 

I could not help myself. I turned around and introduced myself. I told him “I certainly recommend that you take a close look at your hiring practices. But remember, even if you hire the best people, the reason people leave is primarily because of a bad boss. So take an even closer look at the boss." 

But did you know this? 

The Gallup organization polled more 1 million employed U.S. workers and found that the No. 1 reason employees voluntarily leave their jobs is not the company, not the work, but is because of a bad boss. 
Plain and simple: People join good companies, but leave a bad boss. Turnover is less about selection and more about leading effectively. 

In fact, this points to a fundamental question: Are you a Leader or a Boss? 

While both may be “in charge”, a leader guides, teaches by example, and supports people. A boss, on the other hand, likes people working for rather than with and actively reminds them who is at the helm. 

Leaders use “we” when a boss uses “I” and “Let’s do this” as opposed to “Do this.” They inspire by acting with humility rather than ordering, criticizing, or humiliating. 

I love this quote: “If you think you are leading and no one is following, then you’re just taking a walk.” Sometimes a picture tells a better story, so here’s a great graphic that caught my attention making the rounds on social media recently. It sums this idea up so nicely… 

Do people who exercise make better leaders?

Medical experts have been stressing for decades the health benefits that exercise provides. Recent studies have also been conducted into how exercise can play a part in performance in the workplace – particularly for those in leadership positions. 

While you may be skeptical, it seems there may be a strong case for the argument that people who exercise make better leaders. 

 Here are some of the reasons why: 

Less sick days - Those who are physically fit are less likely to pick up the dreaded office bug that goes around. Absenteeism costs companies millions of dollars every year. While it is reasonable to expect anyone to fall ill from time to time, when a leader takes unplanned time off work it not only impact their own work, but also the team’s work. 

Increased energy - Are you ever surprised at how much energy you have right after exercising? That’s because regular exercise gives you increased and sustained energy levels throughout the day. This is particularly important for leaders who need to remain focused and pro-active all day. 

Higher Confidence - The fitter you are, the more self-confidence you’re going to have. You look better, feel better and feel that you can accomplish the goals that you have set for yourself. As a leader, confidence is vital. If you don’t believe in yourself, how is your team going to? 

Effective Stress Management - Anyone in a leadership position will be familiar with stress. Strict deadlines, difficult people, budget issues, and long hours are extremely demanding. Some leaders seem to take this all in stride. Chances are that they are the ones who regularly hit the gym or find ways of keeping themselves active. Exercise releases the physical and emotional tensions that are experienced on a daily basis, which means that fit leaders have lower stress levels. 

Taking care of yourself physically is a critical element in effective leadership. You can't do great things at work if you don't feel good. The best leaders eat well, exercise, and take care of themselves.