The Secret to Managing Salespeople? Begin with Their Myers-Briggs Personalities

Whereas it is true that not everybody is an ideal match for gross sales, most individuals simply want the fitting motivation and administration to thrive. And understanding your crew’s character sorts (in addition to these of potential hires) can assist you encourage, develop, and practice them extra successfully.

The most effective methods to method character in a concrete means is through the use of a character framework comparable to MBTI (Myers-Briggs Kind Indicator).

Gross sales Character Varieties

As a reminder, the Myers-Briggs Kind Indicator® identifies 16 character sorts that emerge out of your preferences. These preferences are:

Administering the Myers-Briggs check permits you to uncover your worker’s preferences, and it assigns every of them a four-letter “kind” that encompasses their character.

This kind can then be used to know the person’s motivational elements.

Figuring out salespeople’s Myers-Briggs character sorts is a superb place to begin when trying to know motivational elements. However how are you aware which sorts will thrive in gross sales?

1. ESFJ (The Supplier)

ESFJs are compassionate, enthusiastic, and pleasant. On account of their Extraversion rating, they exude power when working with individuals. This helps them preserve the identical quantity of ardour for the work no matter its ups and downs. As well as, as a result of mixture of their character traits, you will discover that ESFJs are motivated to assist individuals (a wonderful trait in gross sales) and adept at speaking and constructing rapport. All of those elements mixed make ESFJs profitable in gross sales roles.

2. ESTP (The Explorer)

ESTPs are personable, sensible, and detail-oriented. As a result of ESTPs suppose logically, they could have issue capitalizing on the whims and dealing with the objections of notably emotional prospects. Nonetheless, ESTPs are observant and choose up on issues others may simply miss. They’re additionally truth-seekers, and they don’t seem to be uncomfortable with getting pushy to make a sale so long as it is sensible for the prospect. With this in thoughts, ESTPs perform greatest as closers.

3. ENTJ (The Visionary)

ENTJs are talkative, high-achievers who like to discover new concepts. As a result of they’re outcome-oriented and simply capable of see the “large image,” ENTJs are nice for organizations with lengthy gross sales cycles and structured gross sales processes. They’re expert promoters, if a bit intense, who simply take cost of social conditions.

4. INTJ (The Mental)

INTJ is a much less apparent character kind for a gross sales position because of their Introversion and Pondering traits. INTJs will rapidly turn into drained by an excessive amount of social interplay, which can sound counter-intuitive in gross sales.

Nonetheless, introverts will be deceptively good at gross sales, notably in subtler roles with extra emphasis on inbound processes than pounding the pavement. INFJs are adept at evaluation and logic, to allow them to excel when creating gross sales plans, perfecting processes, and recognizing ways that are not working. They’re additionally nice at analysis, which may make prospecting a breeze.

5. ISTP (The Detective)

Just like the INTJ, ISTPs are extra reserved and discover social conditions taxing. On the similar time, ISTPs are adaptable, self-sufficient, and spontaneous, that are all nice traits for fast-paced gross sales roles. As a result of they’re logical and detail-oriented, they’re nice “course of individuals” and may excel as gross sales leaders and managers.

6. INFJ (The Counselor)

For INFJs, the Introversion rating is a bit deceptive. Whereas an excessive amount of social interplay will be exhausting for them, many INFJs are ambiverts by nature and extremely attuned to the feelings and emotions of the individuals round them.

As well as, INFJs are likely to suppose each creatively and logically, tapping into their “entire mind” when making use of expertise and finishing duties. These two traits make them empathetic communicators and wonderful troubleshooters, which is effective in lots of gross sales roles.

Nonetheless, INFJs are additionally keen about making the world a greater place and can turn into simply drained if there is no altruistic side to their work. Many INFJs are energized by ongoing and fixed enchancment, working exhausting to affect the lives of these round them, and this makes them wonderful at creating construction and processes for the crew.

7. ESTJ (The Commander)

If you happen to want a gross sales rep to return into an already-established course of and thrive, the ESTJ is nearly as good a rent as any. Their distinctive trait combos make them uniquely capable of abide by current guidelines and constructions. They take course from management nicely and are self-motivators who maintain themselves accountable. On the similar time, they’re high-energy people who thrive on social interplay. ESTJs are detail-oriented, making them nice listeners who take motion on what prospects say.

Managing and Motivating Salespeople Based mostly on Character Kind

Now that you realize extra concerning the Myers-Briggs character sorts and the way they relate to gross sales, you may then make gross sales administration choices primarily based on character traits.

As a result of it isn’t all the time possible to create a gross sales administration plan primarily based on every crew member’s particular profile, I’ve created a fast cheat sheet that can assist you handle all of the 16 Myers-Briggs personalities like a professional, grouping every kind into the next 4 generally used buckets:

Explorers

Charming, good, enthusiastic, and energetic —explorers make a few of the greatest salespeople round. They’re social, take pleasure in being held to difficult metrics, and all the time discover new methods to resolve outdated issues.

To encourage this group, you will want quite a lot of methods. ESTPs require a enjoyable however agency supervisor. They reside on the sting, so enlisting them to take part in high-risk, high-reward gross sales contests may yield spectacular outcomes. ISTPs wish to maintain issues sensible. Give them the duty of looking for know-how that may improve crew effectivity and you may see them rise to the event.

A agency schedule is to ensure that your ESFPs.You’ll be able to harness their spontaneous nature with a bit 9-to-5 rigidity.. And for ISFPs, it is good to be within the particulars. They’re creative and charming, however may require a goal-oriented technique to channel that inventive power into gross sales stats you may each be happy with. As an example, strive holding them to exercise metrics, like sending a sure variety of emails each day or breaking their month-to-month or quarterly quota into weekly numbers.

Diplomats

“Diplomatic” may not be a phrase generally related to salespeople, however it’s essential to have a couple of of those character sorts in your crew. They could appear quiet or overly desperate to please (which isn’t all the time factor in gross sales), however they’re additionally charismatic and hard-working till the tip. In different phrases, diplomats are the salespeople you need by your facet if you’re three hours and $10,000 shy of your quarterly gross sales deadline.

So how do you encourage them? INFJs actually respect high quality time. Attempt to not miss their weekly check-ins and all the time ask how they’re doing. For INFPs, acknowledgement is essential. Did they break a private report final quarter? Give them kudos at your subsequent all-staff assembly.

Teamwork is an efficient technique to encourage ENFJs. Enlist them to mentor junior crew members to allow them to train others their tried-and-true promoting methods. Your ENFPs want a inventive outlet each infrequently. These could also be few and much between on the earth of gross sales, however you may contemplate permitting them to create a chunk of gross sales enablement content material for different reps as an alternative of handing that job off to Advertising and marketing.

Analysts

Your most curious, daring, revolutionary, and strategic salespeople fall beneath the analyst group . They don’t seem to be happy with the processes or explanations your organization has relied upon for years, they usually love problem.

INTJs do their greatest work if you, as their supervisor, define a path to achievement. Have lofty objectives for revamping your drained CRM workflow this quarter? Assign the duty to your INTJ and put collectively a strategic plan for the way they’ll succeed.

ENTJs are born leaders, so dangling a crew mentor or gross sales administration place in entrance of them is a good way to maintain them targeted and fulfilled. Oh, and ENTPs would favor in case you did not beat across the bush. Be open and sincere about their efficiency this quarter, and you may obtain respect and loyalty in return.

Sentinels

This distinctive group of personalities is right here to maintain your crew grounded. Sensible and detail-oriented, sentinels make nice managers and caring teammates. To maintain them motivated, contemplate a couple of of the options beneath.

Ensure you maintain difficult ISTJs. They love fixing issues, so allow them to resolve probably the most urgent ones dealing with your crew or firm — as an example, analyzing a lower in ASP or crafting new positioning in opposition to an up-and-coming competitor. ISFJs rely closely on specificity from their managers. Make certain their quarterly objectives are completely outlined and embrace an actionable path to success.

Converse logically along with your ESTJs and you will be talking their language. Reorganizing your gross sales areas? Clarify the reasoning to your ESTJ to get them on board first. And be an concerned supervisor along with your ESFJs. They’re keen to assist and can do their greatest work if you fastidiously define their objectives and examine in recurrently to verify they’re conscious of and assembly your expectations.

Qualities of Sturdy Salespeople

Remember the fact that anybody can thrive in gross sales with the correct motivation and dealing atmosphere. Consider your personal gross sales crew — odds are every individual has a unique promoting type.

That mentioned, the identical names could seem on the prime of the leaderboard each week. If not for character, what do the highest performers have in frequent? Chances are high they emulate sure qualities that prime them for achievement.

Listed below are a few of these qualities:

1. Aim-Oriented

It is exhausting to progress if you do not know which course you are going. The very best salespeople set bold — however attainable — objectives. They know precisely what they need to accomplish and take the mandatory steps to get there.

2. Optimism

Being optimistic is greater than carrying a smile throughout gross sales calls, conferences, and pitches — it is a mindset that helps nice salespeople overcome troublesome conditions and even rejection. It additionally influences quite a lot of different key qualities, like drive, confidence, and perseverance.

3. Capacity to Pay attention and Empathize

An excellent salesperson does not do all of the speaking. As a substitute, they present curiosity, ask considerate questions, hear actively, and provide related options. This builds rapport and belief with each new and present clients.

4. Desperate to Be taught

The very best salespeople decide to studying and rising. For each win or loss, they take a step again to investigate what went proper and the place they will enhance. Additionally they learn blogs, take heed to podcasts, and keep updated on tendencies and up to date information within the gross sales world.

5. Emotional Intelligence

In robust moments, wonderful salespeople do not throw a match or blame others. They acknowledge and perceive their feelings and regulate them throughout aggravating conditions. Additionally they use EI to understand the emotional state of the different get together to have a greater probability of closing the deal.

Bringing Out the Finest in Your Gross sales Staff

You most likely did not rent a crew comprised completely of alpha salespeople. And, let’s be sincere, that is most likely factor. What you actually need is the skillset to handle every of your salespeople in a means that may carry out the very best in every of them and contribute to your organization’s backside line.

Editor’s observe: This submit was initially revealed in July 2017 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.