How To Spot A High Performer And Why They Make Great Employees

“ High performers” are generally very smart people with an above average IQ. However, IQ is not enough on its own to be a high performer, there are 4 types of intelligence that contribute to high performance.

• Innate intelligence [IQ] – How smart you are – is fixed. Set in your DNA
• Acquired intelligence [AQ] – How much you know – makes IQ relevant
• Technological Intelligence [TQ] – How fast you integrate and leverage technology for low value tasks – gives more time for building human relationships
• Emotional Intelligence [EQ] – Your agility for dealing with emotions – amplifies the impact of the other 3 because it allows you to relate, respond to, influence and persuade other human beings

People with high IQ tend to be curious, quick to learn and utilise new information, are strategic and can see the bigger picture, hold themselves to account, and have better reasoning skills. They also perceive relationships in seemingly unrelated objects, ideas, or facts and can develop unique and original ideas and solutions to problems. These are great competencies for discovery and challenging status quos as well as developing unique solutions.

High IQ alone in sales can also have a negative side. Because high IQ people tend to think, talk and connect ideas faster than some other people they may damage relationships through:

• Impulsiveness
• Impatience
• Talking down to people
• Talking over people
• Failure to listen and hear people out
• Failure to empathise with others
• Overwhelming people with elaborate solutions to basic problems or issues

Many extremely intelligent people have failed in sales because they are unable to influence the behaviour of other people!

Acquired intelligence opportunities are all too often faced by average performers with comments such as “I’ve been doing this for xx years – I don’t need/want training!”. High performers have a thirst for knowledge and ideas. They:

• Seek out every opportunity to learn
• Are coachable and open minded
• Welcome feedback and review
• See adversity as a learning experience
• Will share ideas and successes

High “Q” people will always be successful in goals they set themselves!

There are so many ways to invest in self-development today. Look into the internet for podcasts and videos. A good place to start is  with Jeb Blount’s Sales Gravy with links to many others like Mike Weinberg.

We have no time for salespeople who limit their own capabilities by never investing in themselves!!

We are looking for more high performers to join our candidate list – please send your CV to info@thcrecruitment.co.uk

Image from www.cognology.com.au