You've explored your sales personality style, but there's another invisible force shaping your sales leadership decisions: cognitive biases. These are mental shortcuts your brain uses to make quick judgments.

Think of them as your mind's autopilot system.

Engagement Message

Can you think of a recent sales decision you made quickly without much analysis?

Your brain processes 11 million bits of information per second but can only consciously handle about 40. So it creates shortcuts—biases—to speed up decision-making.

These shortcuts work great for survival but can trick you in complex sales leadership situations.

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Why do you think quick mental shortcuts might cause problems for sales managers?

Here's the challenge: biases feel like good judgment. When you experience confirmation bias (seeking information that confirms what you already believe), it feels like being thorough and smart.

You don't feel biased—you feel right.

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Have you ever looked for evidence to support a sales strategy you'd already decided on?

Let's look at confirmation bias in action. Imagine you think cold calling is dead. You'll unconsciously notice every time a rep struggles with cold calls while overlooking when they generate quality leads.

Your brain cherry-picks supporting evidence automatically.

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Can you think of a strong opinion you hold about your sales process?

Another common sales leadership trap is the halo effect. When someone excels in one area, you assume they're great at everything. Great at closing deals? Must be great at prospecting too.

This bias leads to poor territory assignments and coaching decisions.

Engagement Message

Have you ever assumed a top performer's skills transferred perfectly to a different sales activity?