Do Athletes Make Better Sales People?

JH
John Honovich
Oct 17, 2017
IPVM

Industry sales manager Brad Anderson tweeted:

Anderson cites this article: Why I Like To Hire Endurance Athletes For Sales Roles

This is certainly not the first time someone has suggested this (e.g., see various articles on athletes becoming sales people). More often, I have heard this for team sport athletes (football, basketball, lacrosse, etc.), i.e., the benefits of working hard, being competitive, beating rivals, stats driven, etc.

So what do you think. For our industry, do you think being an athlete makes better sales people?

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Sean Nelson
Oct 17, 2017
Nelly's Security

Of course thats not always the case, but it is is often the case. I think it just goes with a mentality that an athlete has to compete and "strive for winning" and that mentality transfers over to the sales position as well. 

Of course I've seen some very non-athletic people be very good salesmen too, but not all competitive people are athletes. 

When I hire people, it does spark my interest if a prospect was/is involved in athletics or some other extra curricular activity that involves competition, even more so if they are/were very successful at it.

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Undisclosed #1
Oct 17, 2017

involves competition, even more so if they are/were very successful at it.

Applicant: "I was a competitive athlete but I lost every match / event / contest / race I ever entered."

Employer: "Oh you will do well in this industry..."

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UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Oct 17, 2017

At what stage does the person need to be an athlete? Current or past or ever? I think its an unfair assumption to have your interest peaked more because they were successful. If a marathon runner competes in 15 events a year and completes them but never finishes high is that person less successful to someone who goes to three events a year and finishes top 20 once? I played high school sports but did not have talent to reach college level, not by scholarship anyway. However I have a lot of drive and being average is not the bar for me. I always want to be the best one, and knowing there is someone always better helps me work harder.

So your one statement that some non-athletic people are very good salesmen has proven true I think to feel that athletes can make better salesmen is the wrong frame of mind to be in.

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Sean Nelson
Oct 17, 2017
Nelly's Security

Its most definitely not a requirement that the prospect be an athlete but it definitely does spark my interest when i see it on there resume. Just to expound on why prospects involved in competitive athletics spark my interest. Most people that have been involved in athletics have been taught and involved in the following:

- Competitive In Nature
- Ability to take constructive criticism
- Has been in a situation where reaching a goal was important
- Sense of urgency
- Discipline
- Humility
- How to deal with adversity

These are qualities employers are looking for in a candidate. Whether they are greatly successful in athletics doesn't have a large bearing in my interest but I would be lying if it didn't spark my interest a little more more by an athlete that excelled in a particular sport as it may show they were exemplary in the fields above. If you think thats unfair, oh well, but there alot of employers, sales managers especially, who look for stuff like this. Of course this is not a catch all statement, for example, I dont think I would want to hire Johnny Football on my team.  

But again, there are many great candidates who have never been athletes at all. I have some people on my team who were never involved in athletics and they are rockstars. All I'm saying is when I'm sifting thru tons of resume's that all look the same and I see some candidates that were involved in competitive athletics, it is one aspect (among others) that sometimes sparks my interest.

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Christopher Freeman
Oct 17, 2017

Like anything its about training, perfecting talent, Seeking out the enduring. 

when You talk to different sales people they all seem to know just enough to be dangerous , not experienced to know enough about what thier talking about. 

Just a good pitch , to get a commitment or contract in place. 

Then when the truly professionals get in place they take over 

Same with an athlete.

Knows how to look good, act great, present well , but knows nothing about your industry and the interworkings of it.

Training, Education, Time

This can be anyone.

What is the Best is a People Person, with Personality, presence, and a Well Groomed appearance.

You have to have this 1st

Then the rest can be worked out.

so the answer is , anyone can be, not everyone should be

 

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Ari Erenthal
Oct 17, 2017
Chesapeake & Midlantic

Anyone who is competitive, motivated, and self-disciplined would make a good sales person. Finding an athlete is a good shortcut, because they're probably already proven to be competitive, motivated, and self-disciplined. 

Of course, those three qualities aren't all you need, so not every athlete makes a good salesperson. And there are plenty of people who are competitive, motivated, and self-disciplined who aren't athletes. 

Looking at athletes is simply a good first-pass filter to quickly narrow down your candidate field, though. 

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Undisclosed #3
Oct 17, 2017
IPVMU Certified

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Brian Rhodes
Oct 17, 2017
IPVMU Certified

I could write an article titled 'Why Megalomaniac Dictators Make The Best Sales People' and list the same virtue themes.

The point is aggressive and proactive virtues are valuable in any competitive pursuit, good/evil/profitable/socially valuable or not. 

To paint one group with such a broad brush feels good (especially since he's an athlete in Brad's case), but really isn't granular enough to distill anything about sales success.  Used car lots are full of ex-athlete salesmen.

The article is fun to read if you're an athlete, but just LinkedIn filler 'thought leader' fluff otherwise.

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Undisclosed #3
Oct 17, 2017
IPVMU Certified

...competitive pursuit...

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Ricardo Souza
Oct 17, 2017
Motorola Solutions • IPVMU Certified

Where's Dahua???

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Undisclosed #3
Oct 18, 2017
IPVMU Certified

Ask Brian, its his.

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Michael Silva
Oct 17, 2017
Silva Consultants

In addition to the other attributes that have already been mentioned, successful athletes are "coachable" - willing to take criticism, advice, and guidance from others in order to achieve their goals. This is a trait that doesn't come naturally to most people.  

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JH
John Honovich
Oct 17, 2017
IPVM

While I do think there are some benefits for athletes as salespeople, there are reasonable arguments against this. For example, many athletes have superior genetics for athleticism. They may not be great at being coached, they may not super care to win, they simply may be faster, stronger, bigger, than others. And those physical attributes are less likely to make a difference in technology sales.

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Marty Major
Oct 17, 2017
Teledyne FLIR

In my mind, the referenced article isn't necessarily about athletes in general, but about endurance athletes specifically.

Endurance sports take a different kind of mindset to be successful at - which is what I think Brad was shooting for here by using it as his blue print for the type of people he seeks to hire... for sales roles in an industry with extended sales cycles.

i.e. sprinters are athletes - yet I don't think Brad is looking for Usain Bolt types.

 

Note two things:

I am a friend of Brads

Brad regularly runs marathons - and has for years

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Sean Nelson
Oct 17, 2017
Nelly's Security

Id prefer sprinters as I want results quicker than later. 

Just Kiddin by the way. I will mark my post as unhelpful.

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JH
John Honovich
Oct 17, 2017
IPVM

Id prefer sprinters as I want results quicker than later.

lol, I gave that a funny.

I do seriously wonder if endurance athletes might be better for long cycle sales, where it literally takes perseverance over many months or even a year to close big deals.

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Undisclosed #4
Oct 17, 2017

I would've voted Sean funny too - but the funny part was him voting his own comment Unhelpful (which he didn't actually do) :(

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Undisclosed #4
Oct 17, 2017

oic - since I just tried to vote my own reply as Unhelpful.... You can't actually vote on your own comments.

*Voted Seans original comment as Unhelpful to help him out.  :)

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Sean Nelson
Oct 17, 2017
Nelly's Security

I tried, but unfortunately

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Undisclosed #4
Oct 17, 2017

I gave you your earned Funny once I realized you couldn't actually vote yourself Unhelpful and helped you out...   :)

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Brian Rhodes
Oct 17, 2017
IPVMU Certified

I actually had a former NICE (PSIM) sales rep tell me this during a sales coaching session.

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JH
John Honovich
Oct 17, 2017
IPVM

PSIM) sales rep tell me this

I would have thought masochism would be the top character trait for PSIM sales...

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Undisclosed #3
Oct 18, 2017
IPVMU Certified

...yet I don't think Brad is looking for Usain Bolt types.

Usain would have to close the deal on the cold call or else...

But what do you expect?

Bolt has never even run a mile 

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Oct 17, 2017

A lot of good points discussed here. And I was not disagreeing Sean merely saying athletes would not be necessarily top of my list when I look at candidates. There is so many qualities to take in consideration and certainly would not want a Terrell Owens taking over the sales division.  However I didn't see anything mentioned about veterans. Like I said previously mentioned I played high school sports but I am also a veteran serving 6 years. I feel I have a lot to offer having experience in both fields. A veteran displays a lot of traits same as an athlete can. Probably has more team player mentality then an athlete that is involved with individual sports. Now you would want a sales person to be individual but team player is also a vital role and may help reduce inner office back stabbing to get that sale. Just my dime of an opinion. But I like the great thoughts in this discussion.

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Christopher Freeman
Oct 17, 2017

It is all about comfort , relations, who you can relate to. 

lets face it , people tend to buy within thier circles or comfort levels 

Even in many federal, state, local areas they find a way to circumvent the system.

I personally don't care if your an athlete or not, as long as you can endure the criticism of others and / or stay in the game and keep on regardless of sales or pressure. 

Coaching is another story 

Many ways to sell , and many different approaches to this.

Met many non trustworthy sales people in the past , last only a season then they went on.

Met many great salesman who never let anything get to them . Kept the personal feelings out of the game and kept going no matter what .

that's who I want on my team .

Your going to have great days, bad days , up days , down days and if you are not stable with in yourself and able to throw it off and stay clear headed , you will fail, matter of time.

Endurance , in the game for life , learning , keeping on

Team Players , always watching the back s of the others , not everyone is a team player or can stay with a team.

Seem to always be in their own world , own way, own direction.

So I guess , I have to say Impress me, have a great day   

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Brad Anderson
Oct 17, 2017

"Endurance athletes tend to be great sales people." This is the crux of the post/story.  I look for a mind set and discipline.  Being an athlete is not required, but I increase my odds of having success with a candidate if they at minimum have the mindset of a tri-athlete or marathoner.  If they have actually done or continue to do either then that is even better!  As of yet . . . no one on my team has done either to date.  Regardless they are all still very successful. 

Behind my desk I have two signs that every candidate sees and reads when interviewed.  They come from two great coaches, one I know personally since she got me through three Ironman 70.3 events: 

"Random Begets Random"  Tracy Maccherolla - Endurance Coach & TriAthlete

"There are two pains in life. There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of discipline, then you'll never have to deal with the pain of disappointment." Nick Saban - Pretty Successful Football Coach!

If work was a hobby I may not take it as seriously.  Everyone that works with me knows my passion and drive for their success.  At my age I challenge the young and old to try to hang with me at work and on the road if they are up for it.  Yes @Marty_Major I run a few marathons a year. :-)

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Undisclosed #3
Oct 18, 2017
IPVMU Certified

Being an athlete is not required, but I increase my odds of having success with a candidate if they at minimum have the mindset of a tri-athlete or marathoner.

Brad: What do you feel you can bring to this position? 
Applicant: I sell 4K, run 5K, and make 100K.
Brad: You're hired.

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UI
Undisclosed Integrator #5
Oct 18, 2017

upon Reading the original title I thought this was going to be about hiring ex professional athletes and using their fame!  I worked with one of those. 

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Undisclosed
Oct 18, 2017

Competitive people might make good sales people.  They also might make the kind of lying sack of (nevermind) that sells anything.  Depends on their definition of competiveness.  Not clear for example how a long distance runner acts as a team player.

Professional Athletes, with experience acting as professionals on a team, working together, planning in advance and doing proper post-mortem reviews on sales calls - heck yeah those folks make killer sales people and can exhibit capabilities that bring valueable experience to an organization.

P.s. hiring too many jocks and thus alienating the geeks on your team is probably not a good way to cause followthrough with decent installations.

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UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #8
Oct 20, 2017

Reread. Not the point of the article. It has nothing to do with jocks at all. 

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #6
Oct 19, 2017

"Why I like to hire people to whom I can relate for sales roles."

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UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #7
Oct 19, 2017

Where do Terrell Owens, Allen Iverson and Ricky waters fit into this discussion??? And yes, I'm an aggravated Philly fan!!! Lol!

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #8
Oct 19, 2017

Neither could finish a marathon or an Ironman ... well not without serious training!

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Jon Dillabaugh
Oct 20, 2017
Pro Focus LLC

We talking about PRACTICE?

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Brian Rhodes
Oct 20, 2017
IPVMU Certified

voted +1 Funny

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Christopher Freeman
Oct 20, 2017

Its about staying in the game, enduring the challenges of the road, people, resistance, forces that tear you down, and those negative people who grate on your nerves . 

Proper selection of people is about reading people and knowing, learning how to relate to them on their level. (setting up a Relation ) connection pt., common bond , or common value 

Temp, Permanent or one time meeting. 

Nothing about athletics at all 

It is about Attitude and Character qualities that make them the kind of person that can be on and stay on the team. 

YOUR Team

 

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #9
Oct 20, 2017

Folks who comes from some form of team sport background in grade school, college, or other are more likely to understand team dynamics and how to be a part of a team.  I don't know about athletes being better sales people, that sounds like a bit of a stretch.  However, I am not someone who can rate sales people as I generally find them all pretty useless (sales engineers exempted!).  I am certain someone can take a customer out to lunch on the company dime whether they played a team sport or not.

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