Hiring great salespeople starts with understanding who they are—before they ever set foot in your office. Two key traits from the CTS Sales Profile can help you predict how a rep will perform, especially in prospecting-heavy roles: Deadline Motivation and Recognition Drive.
These traits work together to shape how a person approaches goals and public interaction. Here’s what they mean:
Trait Breakdown
-
Deadline Motivation
-
High: Urgent, results-now mindset, thrives on fast movement.
-
Low: Steady, methodical, prefers long-term goals and planning.
-
-
Recognition Drive
-
High: Energized by networking, social visibility, and public praise.
-
Low: Prefers quiet work, avoids the spotlight, values private recognition.
-
4 Sales Rep Types (Based on Trait Combinations)
-
The Showman Closer
-
High Deadline + High Recognition
-
Fast-moving, thrives at events and loves competition.
-
Perfect for high-activity, public-facing roles.
-
Risk: May burn out or chase shortcuts.
-
-
The Silent Sprinter
-
High Deadline + Low Recognition
-
Urgent but prefers low-social environments.
-
Best in structured roles with provided leads.
-
Risk: Avoids public prospecting, which limits pipeline.
-
-
The Social Networker
-
Low Deadline + High Recognition
-
Loves people, great at building trust—but slow to close.
-
Great for long-cycle, relational sales environments.
-
-
The Quiet Planner
-
Low Deadline + Low Recognition
-
Prefers private, steady work.
-
Better suited for inbound sales or support roles with little outbound pressure.
-
Real-World Example
Take “Tom,” a rep with High Deadline Motivation but Low Recognition Drive. He excelled at moving leads through the pipeline quickly—but hated public prospecting. Networking events drained him. As a result, his lead flow dried up and frustration set in.
Once placed in a role with structured, inbound leads and less public exposure, he thrived.
Key Takeaway for Leaders
Match personality to the role.
Hiring someone with great urgency but low social drive into a high-event prospecting role is a recipe for burnout or underperformance. Similarly, hiring a socially driven, low-urgency person into a fast-paced close-now culture will slow down your sales cycle.
These two traits—Deadline Motivation and Recognition Drive—are just part of the full CTS Sales Profile, but they offer powerful insight into a rep’s natural rhythm and ideal environment.
Want to learn how to use all nine traits to recruit and coach the best? Watch more videos, explore our tools, or reach out to SalesManage Solutions today.