3 Assumptions That Sabotage Sales Performance for Managers and Professionals

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, host Kelly Riggs addresses the dangerous assumptions sales leaders often make when hiring and evaluating their teams. Kelly identifies three critical assumptions that can undermine a sales force: believing past success and industry experience guarantee future performance, assuming salespeople can effectively manage pipelines, and thinking they have strong planning and organizational skills. He emphasizes the importance of rigorous hiring processes, objective assessments, and continuous skill validation to avoid these pitfalls. Kelly’s insights reveal how unchecked assumptions can lead to high turnover and missed targets, urging leaders to adopt a more analytical and supportive approach to talent management.

Kelly also highlights the necessity of planning and prioritization in sales activities. He argues that many salespeople are reactive rather than proactive, often overwhelmed by daily tasks and customer issues. Kelly suggests that proper planning is key to effective time management and success. He introduces strategies to counteract these dangerous assumptions, including better interview techniques, ongoing training, and regular coaching to ensure salespeople understand and manage their pipelines effectively. Listeners are encouraged to adopt these practices to enhance their sales teams’ performance and drive revenue growth.

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Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don’t and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.

Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.

Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes’ Coaches Council since 2019.

Music and Editing by Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions