Why Women Make the Best Sales People

Guys: Before you go getting your boxers all in a bunch, the title of this post was just meant to grab you and slap you up side the head. Yes, you. It was meant to draw you in and make you think for a minute. It's not meant to be a slam toward anyone. Cool?

Ladies: Before you start thinking your all that and go getting all puffed up and arrogant, the tile was also meant to bring you here for some sales think tank too. Maybe you're really good at sales, but could you improve? Can we talk?

There's a debate online about who are the better sales executives, men or women. When I think of all the sales people I know, there are extremely good sales people of either gender that I have great respect for, so the whole question is really kind of silly. What's important and instructive though is to consider the strengths that people bring to the job, regardless of gender and how those can help us get more of what we want.

I know some men who are great at building things, solving problems, hunting down and bagging opportunities. I know women who do this too, some of them much better than their male counterparts. Not everyone has these abilities and they are vital to the sales process.

I know some women who are profound nurturers. They are incredible at building relationships and creating unity. I also know some great men who do this, way better than their spouses. This too is incredibly important to sales success.

I know a lot of people who spend little if any time thinking about how they're wired and I know very few people who possess both of these bents together.

Here's what I think about a lot: Whatever your personal bent and your greatest strength, it's not good enough. It doesn't complete the set. I've only mentioned two aspects of personality. There are many more. The greatest success comes when we partner up with people much different than us; when we appreciate the differences in each other (instead of dividing over them) and we make a strong effort to enable each other to shine. When we honor, respect and learn from each other, that's when the planets align and crazy success comes our way.

Who makes the best sales people? Those who recognize their own strengths and weaknesses and work toward synergy with others who possess the strengths they don't.