I love asking this question because I’m always amazed at how salespeople will over-rate themselves! I have a sneaky feeling if I were to ask this same question of management, they’d come back with a lower score in the “top performer” and “outstanding” categories. Yes, I do want you to continually view yourself in a positive light because there is no way a salesperson can succeed without that kind of perspective. However, the concern I have is that when we rank ourselves too high, we become numb to finding new ways to improve. We believe we’re as good as we’re going to get and when we do, we immediately start to slide. Consider the world of sports. It is full of individuals and teams who thought they were the best, only to find themselves being knocked from their perch.
Every salesperson must have a continuous improvement process. If you’re not actively engaged in a sales development program via books, audio, web, or classroom, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity. One quick item you can do right now is to seek out a person you know who epitomizes a truly exceptional salesperson. Watch them, study them, talk with them, and find out what it is that makes them successful. Then, find elements you can adapt in your process. However, I’m not advocating selling yourself out. Always stay committed to your personality, ethics, and values. In the end, if you have to trade anyone of these away to be successful, you shouldn’t be in sales.
