Last month, I went to see the Boston Bruins play. It's been a while since I've caught a hockey game live, but being there in the energy of the arena reminded me of something important.
It wasn't just the game that grabbed my attention—it was the people in the front row. I overheard them discussing how hockey players are some of the most physically fit athletes.
And they're right.
Think about the speed, strength, and laser-sharp focus required to track the puck and avoid a body check at the same time. These players are on high alert every second—and they train for it.
And naturally, my brain went to sales.
Top-performing athletes don't show up and wing it. They train. They practice—every day. And yet, what I'm seeing with so many sales teams right now is... they don't have a practice of practice.
Sure, some reps do the bare minimum—they'll look up the name of the person they're calling and the company they work for. But they don't dig deeper. They're not asking:
They aren't strategizing questions, setting expectations, or rehearsing previous calls. They're just showing up and hoping for the best.
And when that's your habit, your results will reflect it.
Carole teaches audiences that attitudes toward an action affect our ability to perform that action — meaning if we want to perform better in sales, we must move towards more positive attitudes toward sales.
And it starts with putting buyers first.
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Performance improves through intentional, repetitive practice. Just like athletes, salespeople need drills. Micro-strategies. Daily reps.
Even small changes can completely shift outcomes.
I learned this firsthand when I changed my own habits around eating—something as simple as not looking at a screen while eating helped me reconnect with my body's signals. That's what practice does: it rewires and requires us to pay attention.
I ran a poll recently asking: What's the #1 trait to look for in a top sales rep? The top answer: Coachability and Adaptability.
That tracks. Because here's the thing: If someone won't practice… they won't adapt. And if they're not open to coaching, they're probably locked into old habits and mindsets that don't leave much room for growth.
The second most common answer was Resilience and Persistence. And those two traits are married to coachability. Resilient people know they'll screw up. They expect to fail sometimes. But they get back up, they learn, they improve.
Want proof? I still mess up my own sales calls. And yes, I still listen to my recordings. If I can coach myself, I do. If I can't, I call in someone else to help. That's what growth looks like. It's never finished.
Here's the real rub: How do you spot these traits—coachability, adaptability, resilience—in an interview?
It's tricky. People can perform well in scenarios, say the right things, or even have that so-called "killer instinct." But that doesn't guarantee they'll do what's needed when the pressure is on.
That's where data comes in. Objective insights into mindset and behavior traits are invaluable. Because in a world where everything changes fast, the only people who thrive are the ones who can change with it.
You practice your way into it. Whether it's hockey or sales, the same truth applies:
The discipline of practice isn't optional—it's the path.
So if you want to be better—or hire better—start there.
Are you practicing today?