We’ve got something new that I wanted to share. We are now expanding the Sales Traits Masterclass program to individual sales leaders and sellers, as well as B2B clients. This has been in the works for a while, and during our recent webinar on September 25th, we made the official announcement.

If you’re interested in diving deeper into your sales strengths and challenges, you can find the details on the expanded offering here.

Recap of the Masterclass: “Discover Why You’re Good at Sales… and What Holds You Back”

On September 25th, Will Barfield and I hosted a live masterclass at Sales HQ, In Raleigh, NC. The turnout was strong: over 50% of registrants joined, and 90% of them stayed until the very end. It’s always good to see that level of engagement, and several people even reached out afterward to tell us how valuable they found the session.

The focus of the masterclass was to help both sales leaders and full cycle sellers understand their unique strengths and potential barriers. We used the OAD personality assessment, a tool we’ve relied on for years to help individuals and teams better understand how their natural traits impact performance.

Defining Sales Traits by Quadrant

We kicked off the session by introducing the OAD Leadership Style Matrix, which breaks down leadership and selling styles into four quadrants: Builder, Architect, Expert, and Facilitator. Each of these quadrants represents a different approach to leadership and selling, shaped by core personality traits:

• Builders: Visionary leaders like Richard Branson and Oprah Winfrey. Builders are dynamic, quick decision-makers who thrive on innovation and independence. They’re natural at motivating teams and driving new initiatives but can sometimes overlook the details.
• Architects: Analytical problem-solvers like Bill Gates and Satya Nadella. Architects excel in structured environments and focus on proven solutions. They’re methodical in their approach but can be overly cautious with new ideas.
• Experts: Detail-oriented individuals like Warren Buffett and Tim Cook. Experts thrive on precision and careful planning, excelling in environments that require deep technical knowledge. Their focus on getting things exactly right can slow them down in fast-paced environments.
• Facilitators: Team-oriented leaders like Sheryl Sandberg and Jim Lentz. Facilitators are focused on harmony and cooperation and are great at creating balanced team dynamics. They excel at fostering collaboration but may avoid confrontation when it’s needed.

Key Responsibilities of a Sales Leader

From there, we moved on to defining the four key responsibilities of any sales leader:

1. Recruiting and Hiring: Building a team that aligns with company values and culture.
2. Performance Management and Development: Giving feedback and fostering growth in the team.
3. Strategic Planning and Execution: Aligning the team with long-term goals and making sure those goals are executed effectively.
4. Team Motivation and Engagement: Keeping the team energized and focused on high performance.

For each responsibility, we broke down how individuals from different quadrants—Builder, Architect, Expert, and Facilitator—would likely handle these tasks. As an example, here’s how it played out for Builders:

• Strengths: Builders are natural motivators, able to inspire teams with vision and energy. Facilitators excel at maintaining team harmony, making sure everyone feels included and heard.
• Challenges: Builders might rush through recruiting, overlooking details in the search for quick results. On the other hand, Architects may get bogged down in overanalyzing candidates, which can delay decision-making.

Understanding where you’re naturally strong and where you might struggle is key to refining your leadership approach.

Key Responsibilities of a Full Cycle Seller

We then shifted our focus to full cycle sellers, outlining their four key responsibilities:

1. Prospecting and Lead Generation: Finding and qualifying new leads.
2. Sales Presentations and Demos: Delivering product demos and communicating value to prospects.
3. Negotiation and Closing Deals: Finalizing deals and securing sales.
4. Account Management and Customer Support: Building long-term relationships with clients and ensuring continued satisfaction.

Once again, we examined how each quadrant approaches these responsibilities. Here’s an example for experts:

• Strengths: Experts excel at delivering detailed, technically accurate presentations, building trust with prospects through their thoroughness. Builders are highly persuasive, which helps them close deals quickly and confidently.
• Challenges: Experts can sometimes get bogged down in the technical details, losing the audience during demos. Builders might rush through negotiations, missing out on key deal elements.

For full cycle sellers, understanding how their quadrant shapes their selling style is crucial for playing to their strengths while addressing potential blind spots.

Wrapping Up the Session

We wrapped up the session by summarizing the key takeaways for both sales leaders and full cycle sellers. The big theme: self-awareness is the foundation of success. Whether you’re leading a team or managing your own sales cycle, knowing where you’re strong and where you might need to adjust is critical.

Several participants reached out after the session, letting us know how much the material helped them think differently about their approach. Some recognized areas they could immediately improve, like adjusting how they give feedback to their team, while others saw opportunities to refine their selling process to better align with their natural strengths.

What’s Next?

While the webinar was a success, the expanded masterclass offering wasn’t a result of that event. It’s something we’ve been developing for a while. We’ve spent years working with companies to deliver these insights to teams, but we know there’s a real need for individual sales leaders and sellers to access the same personalized approach.

Whether you’re managing a team or driving your own sales success, this new offering provides the opportunity to discover what makes you thrive and where you might need to adjust. If you’re interested in learning more, you can find the details here.