You now understand that performance feedback triggers threat responses in the brain. Let's practice recognizing these reactions so you can respond appropriately when they happen during sales performance conversations.
Remember: defensive reactions are biology, not character flaws.
Engagement Message
What's the most important thing to remember when a sales rep reacts defensively to performance feedback?
Type
Swipe Left or Right
Practice Question
Practice identifying threat versus safety signals during sales performance discussions. Swipe each behavior left if it shows THREAT response or right if it shows SAFETY response.
Labels
- Left Label: Threat Response
- Right Label: Safety Response
Left Label Items
- "The leads this quarter were terrible"
- Rolling eyes when discussing missed targets
- "My territory is harder than everyone else's"
- Immediately blaming market conditions
Right Label Items
- "What specific skills should I work on?"
- Asking about successful strategies from top performers
- "I see the gap, how can I close it?"
- Taking notes during the performance review
Type
Sort Into Boxes
Practice Question
Sort these verbal responses into the correct category based on whether they indicate psychological safety during sales performance conversations.
Labels
- First Box Label: Feels Safe
- Second Box Label: Feels Threatened
First Box Items
- Asking for coaching
- Requesting resources
- Discussing obstacles
- Seeking feedback
