Using the APQ Aptitude Assessment to Measure Sales Emotional Intelligence
Sales Emotional Intelligence Development through connecting extreme personality traits to sales
Sales Emotional Intelligence Training – We Go Deeper
Asher Sales Training programs deliver Emotional Intelligence training and development at a granular level. Participants first take a personality assessment, the Advanced Personality Questionnaire (APQ). This assessment delivers a comprehensive view of students’ nine personality trait scores on a scale from 1%-100%. By reviewing personality at this granular level, participants learn not only what their personality style is, but the data behind WHY they have that style.
Step One: Understanding the 9 Personality Traits
The journey to increasing one’s emotional intelligence through Asher’s sales training programs begins with a thorough understanding of the 9 Primary Personality Traits. They include:
Intensity/Drive
- Measures “fire in the belly” and results-orientation
Independence
- Measures team player vs. entrepreneurial spirit
Assertiveness
- Measures level of confidence to confront or control others
Recognition Drive
- Measures social motivation and versatility
Need to Analyze
- Measures intuition vs. “analysis paralysis” in decision making
Need to Serve
- Measure on-task behavior vs. service orientation
Optimism
- Measures attitude (victor vs. victim)
Trust
- Measures skepticism vs. belief in others
Self-Protection
- Measures ability to handle criticism or rejection
The journey to increasing one’s emotional intelligence through Asher’s sales training programs begins with a thorough understanding of the 9 Primary Personality Traits. They include:
Step 2: Understanding Personality Styles
Asher’s Emotional Intelligence training continues with the understanding of how personality trait scores result into where someone falls on the four-quadrant grid of personality styles. Those include:
- Directive Driver
- Expressive Communicator
- Reflective Thinker
- Supportive Helper
Now participants explore their personality style and how it differs from the other three styles. Discussions of each style result in collaborative communication of tolerance and appreciation of differences, as each style embodies natural strengths the others don’t possess. This understanding of the four personality styles delivers opportunities to learn matching and mirroring techniques which increase rapport and effective communication. Through this process, participants reach higher levels of Emotional Intelligence involving awareness and connecting with others.
Step Three: Sales Emotional Intelligence
Asher continues Emotional Intelligence development by relating specific extreme personality traits to sales challenges.
For example, using assertiveness (just one of the nine traits), we can identify the below based on their scores to more effectively coach, manage and train.
Assertiveness
Someone with Lower Scores:
- Strength: Asks (rather than tells), which can help develop deeper relationships and buy-in while building trust and rapport.
- Blindspot: Yields to a stronger personality, which can inhibit ideas, confidence and persaverance.
Someone with Higher Scores:
- Strength: Assertive in all situations, which builds trust and confidence, and combined with product knowledge positions you as a subject-matter expert
- Blindspot: May talk over others, and be perceived as not ‘listening’
Coaching Tips:
- Ask questions to build rapport, take notes to create natural pauses and practice.
Coaching Tips:
- Learn how to use power phrases, and taking charge to lead the conversation throughout the sales process.
Through extensive research and experience, Asher sales trainers and coaches work with sales professionals to focus on the specific areas where their personality extremes could be holding them back from being Elite salespeople.
Thanks for your help! The “Everybody’s in Sales” training in combination with your aptitude testing and analysis has really made a difference in our team. We now have the right people doing the right things and it’s working great. It was well worth the investment and continues to pay off as our sales growth has heated up to +30% in a market that grew only 5-6%!
