Hiring and Building a High-Performing Sales Team Lucas Price, Former SVP of Sales @ Zipwhip (acquired by Twilio) and Founder & CEO @ Yardstick

1. Hiring and Building a
High-Performing Sales Team
Lucas Price
Founder and CEO of Yardstick

2. The Sales Hire Problem
40%
Failure rate for
new sales hires
70%
of annual quota is
lost when sales hire
fails

3. Other Benefits of Hiring Well
Career Trajectory Building a legacy
Creating a
flywheel of
knowledge
Accelerating
Training and
Ramp

4. Characteristics of a High Functioning Hiring Process
Consistent
Ask every candidate the same
set of interview questions
Behavioral
Use behavioral interview
questions tuned to the job
Scored
All interviewers use a
scorecard
Assessed
Use a work sample (role-play)
as part of the process

5. Interview Skill Basics
● Build Rapport with the
candidate
● Let the candidate know what
to expect
● Have an open and
non-judgmental conversation
● Follow the interview plan
● Listen and ask high-quality
follow-up questions
● Manage time during the
interview
● Allocate time for the
candidate’s questions
● You don’t need more than
four interviews

6. Behavioral Interviews

7. Sales Competencies
Coachability
Ability to accept and incorporate
feedback without defensiveness to
improve performance.
Emotional intelligence
Understand the emotions of others through
self-awareness, self-control, empathy, and
interpersonal skills.
Growth mindset
The desire to get better each
day and help others do the
same.
Adaptability
Being flexible and working
productively in a changing and
dynamic environment.
Resourcefulness
Ability to optimize situations and find
creative solutions to overcome
difficult problems.

8. Situational
Questions don’t
work
>10% effective at predicting
future behavior
What would you to get started if you were
assigned 1000 accounts in your territory and
you needed to prioritize them?
“
Situational questions are hypothetical
https://www.bakeru.edu/images/pdf/CDC/Behavioral_Interviewing_Strategies_for_Jobseekers.pdf

9. Competency-Based Behavioral Interviews
Ask candidates what they’ve done in specific
situations in the past
Allows candidates to share past performance
with examples rather than hypotheticals
Provides interviewers with an understanding of
decision-making and effectiveness
Describe a situation when
you…
We want to know the practice not
the theory
Tell me about a specific
time when…

10. Common Criticisms
The method is too common
Questions are predictable with Internet
research
Candidates can be coached, and answers are
rehearsed
Candidates can’t come up with relevant stories
on the spot
Use the right level of
specificity
Use few questions and go
deep with follow ups

11. Go Deep with Follow-up Questions
● Understand the situation the candidate referenced
● What actions did they take?
● What were the reasons for the course of action?
● What happened after they took those actions?
● What resources/support did they use?
● What lessons did they learn?
● How did they apply those lessons in another situation?

12. Example Questions
Describe a time when you faced a significant pipeline shortage. Walk me through the situation and
how you addressed it.
Adaptability, Resourcefulness
Listen carefully to the candidate's response and ask follow-up questions to ensure you clearly understand:
● The situation: What caused the pipeline shortage? How severe was it? What was at stake? What does the candidate consider a pipeline
shortage?
● The candidate's actions: What specific steps did the candidate take to address the shortage? Look for evidence of resourcefulness, initiative,
and adaptability in their approach. Did they take ownership of the problem or rely on others to solve it?
● The results: What were the outcomes of the candidate's actions? Did they successfully rebuild the pipeline? How quickly did they achieve
results? Look for quantifiable metrics if possible.
● Lessons learned: What did the candidate learn from the experience? How have they applied those lessons to prevent or address similar
situations in the future?
Look for a candidate who demonstrates:
● A proactive, resourceful approach to addressing the pipeline shortage
● A sense of ownership and accountability for the problem and its resolution
● Adaptability in trying new strategies or tactics to rebuild the pipeline
● Measurable results achieved through the candidate's efforts
● Thoughtful reflection on lessons learned and how they've been applied since

13. Example Questions
Tell me about a time when you were working on an opportunity and discovered that the initial buying
criteria would prevent you from winning the deal. Walk me through the situation.
Resourcefulness, Emotional Intelligence
Listen closely to the candidate's response and ask follow-up questions to ensure they provide a comprehensive answer that covers the following:
● The specific situation they faced and how they identified the problematic buying criteria
● The plan they developed to address the challenge, including their reasoning behind each action
● How they executed their plan, including details on how they influenced the buying criteria, developed a champion, engaged multiple contacts,
and navigated stakeholders' interests
● The results of their actions and the impact on the sales opportunity
● The lessons they learned from the experience and how they have applied those lessons to other situations
A strong answer will demonstrate the candidate's ability to think strategically, adapt to challenges, and persuade stakeholders to modify the buying
criteria in their favor.
Look for evidence of resourcefulness, resilience, and strong communication skills. A weaker answer may lack specific details, fail to address how the
candidate influenced the buying criteria, or not provide clear examples of lessons learned and applied. Be cautious of candidates struggling to
articulate their thought processes or actions.

14. Example Questions
Describe a situation when you had to navigate a complex sales opportunity with a large, multi-stakeholder
organization. What was the situation and how did you approach it?
Adaptability, Resourcefulness, Emotional Intelligence
Listen for a specific, detailed situation involving a complex buying organization. Ask follow-up questions to understand:
● How the candidate assessed the complexity of the organization and the challenges they faced
● How they developed a strategic plan to navigate the organization and build relationships with key stakeholders
● The specific actions they took to execute their plan, such as identifying a champion, engaging multiple contacts, and addressing the interests of
various stakeholders
● How they adapted their approach when faced with challenges or setbacks
● The results of their efforts, including whether they closed the deal and the impact on the organization
● Lessons learned and how they have applied those lessons to subsequent opportunities
Look for the candidate to demonstrate:
● A clear, well-structured narrative that demonstrates the candidate's ability to think strategically, plan effectively, and execute skillfully
● Evidence of strong communication skills, emotional intelligence, and the ability to build relationships and influence others
● Resourcefulness and adaptability in the face of challenges or setbacks
● The ability to reflect on their experience, learn from it, and apply those lessons to future situations

15. Scorecard

16. Use a Scorecard pt. 1

17. Use a Scorecard pt. 2

18. Role Play

19. Role Play Method
Give info on pitch &
buyer
Perform cold call
role-play
Room for
improvement
Positive feedback
Mark Roberge’s Process
https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/the-blueprint-for-a-sales-dream-team-with-mark-roberge

20. Role Play: Discovery Call
Scenario
• Provide written information on a scenario common to you
• Provide the candidate with a LinkedIn profile that is the persona you sell to
• Provide a recording of a great discovery call from a current seller
Scoring Criteria
• Preparation
• Question Quality
• Listening
• Selling the next meeting
• Credibility
• Coachability

21. Hiring well is key to sales leadership success

22. Key Takeaways
Hiring and Building High
Performing Teams
Analyze the traits that lead to sales
success for your company
Build an interview plan that includes
structured, behavioral interviews
Use a scorecard to reduce cognitive
bias
Use role-plays to predict success