Talent Optimization: A Study on Selection & Development of a Winning Sales Team

Dr. Shailendra Kumar Srivastava

Abstract

At last all wars are down to implementation.

These are the rush hours for sales organizations. Rising cost, intense competition and top performers are jumping ship. To remedy the problem, many sales organizations look to technology, new incentiveplans, and additional sales training for their Sales Representatives and Sales Leaders. While these initiatives may move the needle, they do not address one of the major sources of sales force ineffectiveness—the hiring and promotion process. This study has been conducted to learn more about the challenges facing sales executives and determine what they perceived to be the root causes of their problems. For this specific purpose Vice Presidents of various reputed organizations have been surveyed and three major issues have been identified that are severely hampering their organizations’ ability to sell:

·Substantial skill gaps among Sales Reps.

·Lack of leadership and coaching skills among Sales Leaders.

·The skill gaps are most dramatic among organizations undergoing significant change, such as rapid growth initiatives or shifting sales approaches.

These findings indicate that there are fundamental flaws with the hiring, promotion,and accountability systems used by many sales organizations. Fortunately, many of these problems can be avoided. With a clearer definition of their needs, and accurate assessment of sales candidates’skill levels and motivation, organizations can identify, hire, and promote higher quality sales talent that fit with their sales culture.

Keywords

Sales Team, Leadership, Skills, Selection & Development

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Cites this article as

D. S. K. Srivastava "Talent Optimization: A Study on Selection & Development of a Winning Sales Team", International Journal of Innovative Research in Engineering and Management (IJIREM), Vol-1, Issue-1, Page No-6-10, 2014. Available from: