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The blog
September 30, 2025
The #1 Skill That Predicts Sales Success (Science Backed)
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Research just busted a major sales hiring myth...

The strongest predictor of sales success isn't:

  • Previous quota attainment
  • Years of experience
  • Industry knowledge

It's ADAPTIVE SELLING.

Science speaks: A meta-analysis of 139 studies revealed that the ability to read and adapt to different customer situations trumps all other predictors of sales success.

Think about your top performers: They excel because they can:

  • Adjust their style for different stakeholders
  • Modify strategies when they're not working

Yet in most hiring processes:

✓We assess experience

✓ We ask about quota attainment

✓ We verify product knowledge

? But do we evaluate adaptability?

Question for hiring managers: How do you assess a candidate's ability to adapt their selling style? 

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