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Dick Richards

Is Your Genius on Purpose

How are you feeling today? Talent leaders know that emotional intelligence (EI) is a contributor to professional success. Awareness of one’s own emotions and the emotions of others is essential to managing feelings and relationships in a productive and empathetic way.Yet many sales leaders focus on building their team’s hard skills and neglect emotional intelligence or “soft skills.” Emotional intelligence matters for every field—especially sales. When sales professionals understand and act on emotions appropriately, they can connect and communicate more effectively with their colleagues and customers.This ability has a significant impact on job satisfaction and sales performance. Find out why emotional intelligence is essential for sales professionals today and how to develop this critical skill.The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Sales Having a great product is no longer a guarantee of a successful sales career. Today’s sales professionals need to position themselves as strategic advisors—resources to help solve their customers’ business problems. This is known as “consultative selling.”A consultative sales professional puts the buyer’s needs ahead of their own. Instead of leading with a sales pitch, sellers discuss options, provide insights, and guide buyers.Emotionally intelligent sales professionals are well suited for consultative selling because they’re aware of their own strengths and weaknesses, able to adapt to the emotional states of others, and proficient at building rapport and maintaining strong connections.5 Ways Emotional Intelligence Affects Sales PerformanceThere are five categories: self-awareness, self-regulation, social skills, empathy, and motivation. Each of these contributes to the success of highly emotionally intelligent sales professionals.1. Self-Aware Sales Professionals Manage Their Emotional StatesSelf-aware sellers can identify and understand their emotions and the impact they have on others. They can manage their mood, are less likely to clash with others, and recover from rejection faster than sellers who don’t recognize or manage feelings. 2. Self-Regulated Sales Professionals Control Their ImpulsesSelf-regulated salespeople don’t bring negative emotions—anxiety, discomfort, or irritation—to sales conversations. They adapt their behavior to the needs of their job and can motivate themselves over the long term. 3. Socially Skilled Sales Professionals Make Meaningful Connections Sales professionals with strong social skills make meaningful connections, build rapport easily, and maintain relationships over time. They know how to “read a room” and adjust their own behavior to get the outcomes they desire. 4. Empathetic Sales Professionals Understand Others’ EmotionsEmpathetic sales professionals identify other people’s emotions—and are good at adapting to fit the situation. Empathy helps sellers understand customer needs, goals, and pain points so they can address them most effectively.5. Motivated Sales Professionals Work to Achieve Their GoalsMotivated sales professionals get more done in a day and seek out training to improve their skills. They pursue promising leads and follow up on opportunities more assertively than less-motivated peers. They embrace coaching that helps them reach their goals.Developing an Emotionally Intelligent Sales Team Emotional intelligence can be developed to improve sales team performance and harmony. Look for these five building blocks of emotional intelligence when hiring and developing sales professionals:Self-Awareness: Do they seem able to recognize their own emotions and tendencies? Emotional Regulation: How do they describe handling stressful or challenging situations?Social Skills: Do they make eye contact? Do they pick up on social and non-verbal cues? Empathy: Can they see things from another perspective? Do they actively listen?Motivational Skills: Do they have techniques or habits to keep themselves energized? You can help your sales professionals increase their emotional intelligence and perform to their maximum potential with an emotional quotient (EQ) assessment. Assessments help team members gain self-awareness, reveal strengths and gaps, and help talent professionals develop low-competency areas. Consider the level of emotional intelligence within your sales organization. Are there customer satisfaction issues, personal conflicts, or tensions? It may be time to assess the team’s ability to understand and apply the power of their own emotions to improve sales performance and satisfaction.Want to learn more about emotional intelligence and sales training? Visit The Brooks Group blog for expert advice.

Emotional Intelligence: Why It’s Essential for Today’s Sales Professionals

Rick At Lee is the learning design and content director for Truist Financial Corporation. He oversees Truist Learning's Design & Content COE, which is responsible for the design and management of all enterprise learning programs and serves as the Center of Expertise for learning teams across the organization. Rick earned a M.Ed. in Training and Development from North Carolina State University. When he isn't working, Rick enjoys running, camping, reading, and spending time with his family.

Richard At Lee

Rick Christ is currently an independent leadership coach, HR consultant, and university adjunct professor. Rick previously was a senior HR manager, public affairs manager, and leadership coach with more than 30 years of progressively responsible experience at ExxonMobil Corporation. He currently teaches at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, where he also provides career coaching.In Rick’s leadership coaching engagements, he has worked with senior executives, emerging and high-potential leaders, work teams, expatriates from all over the world, and other individuals in many types of technical and nontechnical positions seeking career coaching and career transition assistance. He has also coached IT and high-tech entrepreneurs and senior leaders in the defense industry and consulting companies.Like most coaches, he believes we are all capable of and naturally inclined toward growth and learning. Coachees usually find it positive and useful to identify and build upon key strengths and improve leadership “presence,” and this is common in his coaching practice.Rick holds an AB in psychology and environmental studies (Honors), an MBA from Indiana University, and an MEd in counseling psychology from the University of Houston. He has earned the designation of Professional Certified Coach (PCC) from the International Coach Federation.

Richard Christ

Richard Fletcher is VP, Talent Management for Zaxby’s Franchising, a franchisor of gourmet chicken restaurants with 590+ locations and 20,000 employees throughout the Southeast. He has been with Zaxby’s since 2003. Richard has responsibilities to ensure the long-term viability of the organization by improving performance and the guest experience by securing a talented workforce, providing best-in-class training and ensuring high team member engagement. Richard has over 25 years of executive level experience in sales, operations, organizational development and training with other national companies such as Wolf Camera, Zaxby’s and Sprint PCS. Richard is a national member of ASTD and President for the Greater Atlanta chapter. He is an active member of the Council for Hotel and Restaurant Trainers (CHART) and Regional Director for the CHART’s Atlanta Regional Training Forum. Richard received a Bachelor of Science degree from Auburn University. He is a certified EQ-Iïƒ¢, EQ-360ïƒ¢ administrator and has received the Certified Hospitality Trainer (CHT) certification from CHART. When Richard isn’t busy developing talent at Zaxby’s, you can find him developing his swing on the golf course or traveling. Asked to choose his favorite Zaxby’s menu item, he hesitates since he likes them all. But if I have to pick, I’d go with the Kickin’ Chicken Sandwich!”

Richard Fletcher

4 Learning Science Trends to Watch

January 2019 - TD Magazine

Make a Leadership Impression

A May 2016 article in McKinsey Quarterly, “Learning at the Speed of Business,” explores what digitization means for the next generation of corporate learning.

Transforming Learning for the Digital Age

Volunteerism allows people and organizations to flourish. It accelerates personal and professional success while meeting the needs of organizations that want and value your help. Rick Hicks and Howard Prager will share ways that strategic volunteering—volunteering with a purpose—can help all involved. Businesses and associations relying heavily on volunteerism allows them to attract and retain talent through the professional development and personal growth offered to volunteers. With the culmination of National Volunteer Week, Rick and Howard will help you consider the ways you can advance your career path and your capabilities through volunteerism and will demonstrate how strategic volunteering is in you and your organization’s best interests.

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