Session 10 Flashcards
Mental health in sales
What is activity-based performance in sales?
Activity-based performance tracks behavior metrics that lead to pipeline development, focusing on effort (e.g., calls, meetings) rather than direct sales effectiveness.
What defines “salesperson performance”?
Salesperson performance is behavior evaluated based on how well it contributes to organizational goals
What does outcome-based performance measure?
Outcome-based performance measures actual sales results, focusing on the revenue impact from transactions rather than the methods used.
How does conversion-based performance differ from other performance types?
Conversion-based performance shows the quality of effort by comparing inputs (activities) to outcomes, such as win-rate. It reveals strengths and weaknesses at various pipeline stages, like the number of calls needed to secure a meeting.
What is relationship-based performance in sales?
Relationship-based performance measures the quality of relationships with customers, such as loyalty and retention, focusing on long-term outcomes and sustained success potential.
What are the two types of relationship-based Sales Performance operationalization?
Financial SPOs: Measure financial outcomes tied to long-term client loyalty (e.g., customer lifetime value, recurring revenue). These use behavioral data to assess loyalty.
Non-Financial SPOs: Track outcomes like customer satisfaction and Net Promoter Score (NPS), which reflect attitudinal loyalty rather than financial impact.
explain when throughout the sales process each type of SPO would be relevant/appropriate
Activity-based perf: assess pipeline development/progression in early stages (prospecting, preapproach, approach)
Late stage activity based perf: initial efforts + ability to progress (approach/presentation)
Outcome-based perf: closing abilities (close)
relationship-based perf: “farming” and relationship management (close-after sale)
conversion-based perf: overall converting early stage activities into late stage (entire sales process)
What are some advantages of using primary data in sales research?
Primary data captures unobservable performance aspects (like cognitive and emotional), offers perspectives from managers and customers, is easy to compare across industries, maintains anonymity, uses established scales, and controls for measurement errors.
What are challenges with using primary data?
Challenges include differences in respondent interpretation, questionable face validity for practitioners, high time/resource needs, limited flexibility for time-lagged or repeated measures, potential low participation, and risks of rater bias and survey fatigue.
Why is primary data beneficial for understanding employee performance?
It captures nuanced details such as emotional and cognitive aspects and can reflect insights from different perspectives, like those of managers and customers.
What is a disadvantage of primary data collection in terms of time and resources?
Primary data collection is often more time- and resource-intensive compared to secondary data.
What is a pro of secondary data in sales research?
Secondary data has clear face validity, minimizes self-report bias, and offers multiple variables for selection and trend analysis.
Why might secondary data be considered limited?
It is confined to observable data, depends on company-chosen metrics, may struggle with anonymity, and relies on company data integrity.
What are some logistical challenges of using secondary data?
Secondary data often requires approval to access private performance metrics, and it demands significant time and effort to purify and ensure data integrity
What is a disadvantage of secondary data regarding the scope of information?
Secondary data only includes metrics deemed important by the company, limiting analysis to observable performance factors.
Why might B2B sales foster neuroticism?
B2B sales roles may foster neuroticism due to the job’s inherent uncertainties. Frequent experiences of uncertainty—such as complex customer needs, long sales cycles, challenging negotiations, and incentive-based compensation—can lead to increased neuroticism over time as salespeople consistently face emotionally charged, goal-threatening situations.
What is neuroticism, and how does it affect professionals/ work-life?
Neuroticism is the tendency to experience negative emotions like anxiety and anger and is tied to lower job satisfaction, job performance, resilience, and social network quality. High neuroticism can reduce career success and increase work-family conflict and mental health issues. In uncertain jobs, neurotic responses can reinforce over time, as goal-threatening situations repeatedly activate defensive emotional responses.
What are the four Key Uncertainty Drivers of B2B sales job characteristics that may contribute to uncertainty and increased neuroticism?
Product complexity
Customer dynamics (# of actors, complex needs)
Sales process factors (long cycle, unfamiliar surroundings, product or customer complexities, dependency on coworkers performance)
Sales control characteristics (time competing goals, high share of variable compensation)
What are the managerial implications of this study for B2B sales roles?
Managers could reduce neuroticism by adjusting sales job structures (e.g., simplifying targets, reducing variable pay) and offering mental health support (e.g., mindfulness training, wellness programs). Emphasizing psychological support and considering job redesign can prevent the development of neuroticism, addressing the risk of psychological harm in high-uncertainty roles.
