10 Traits that Successful Salespeople and Managers Have in Common

August 2009

I am passionate about seeing people in our industry aspire to achieve all that they are capable of achieving and living the life they most desire. Ours is a wonderful industry. It is an industry where someone with an intense desire to succeed and an unstoppable mindset can become an entrepreneur with nearly unlimited earning potential. In addition to achieving personal self fulfillment and growth, we each have the opportunity to help others to achieve their personal and business goals and to provide a deep level of financial security.

I spoke with many producers and managers when I was writing and researching my soon to be published book, What Every Great Salesperson Knows-A No-nonsense Guide to Sales Success, Some of these professionals were super successful, others- not as much. Certain traits and characteristics were common to both groups. Not surprisingly, it wasn’t so much a matter of possessing a particular trait or not, it was more a matter of to what extent.

The table below lists 10 key traits and characteristics that successful managers and producers have in common. Rate yourself on a scale of 1-10 where a 1 means that you more identify with the statement on the left and a 10 means that you more identify with the statement on the right. Circle the appropriate number for each set of statements.

This is not a Pass/Fail test. There are no perfect scores. It is meant to provide you with a tool you can use for introspection and reflection. Ask yourself why you rated yourself the way you did on each item. Are your actions helping or hindering your growth and achievement? If you want to make improvements in one or more areas, write out some specific actions you can take each day to improve. And then, do it! Don’t let a single day pass without taking some positive action(s) to bring about the change you desire.


1	Fuzzy non-specific goals	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	Written crystal clear precise goals
2	Vague ideas on how to move forward to accomplish goals and objectives	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	Specific written plans and action steps and benchmarks to achieve goals and objectives
3	Harbors self-doubts	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	Strong belief and confidence in self
4	Gets derailed by distractions	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	Subject to minimal distractions
5	Individual contributor	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	Effective and enthusiastic delegator
6	Often thinks about worst possible outcomes	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	Always thinks about the best possible outcomes
7	Considers achievement of goal as all or nothing	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	Rewards self and others for positive progress made along the way
8	Sporadic commitment to consistently and effectively executing the right activities	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	Unwavering commitment to consistently and effectively executing the right activities
9	Self-involved	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	Builds others and fosters positive relationships
10	Allows others to have a negative impact on self	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	Surrounds self with nutritious people and positive ideas

Good luck to you on your journey to success.

Robert A. Arzt , CLU, ChFC, LLIF, is CEO of Polaris One and InsuranceCoachu.com. Bob is coach to professionals who are ready to achieve more. He is available for speaking engagements and consultations. To speak with Bob, you may contact him at 301-610-5624 or by e-mail at bob@insurancecoachu.com. You may also visit his website at www.insurancecoachu.com.

To take advantage of a free coaching session to accelerate your success, click here.

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