5 Executive Decision-Making Styles
You Can’t Afford to Ignore
Byron Matthews, President & CEO
Follow @MillerHeiman | #SalesInsights
Agenda
§
Why Executive-Level Selling
§
5 Distinct Executive Decision Styles
§
§
§
Actions for Success: Pre/In/Post-Meetings
§
§
§
Behaviors and characteristics
What they desire & keys to success
Tailoring communications by style
The one-liner approach
Key Takeaways
Executive Selling Effectiveness
“How important is it in your business to sell at the executive level?”
“As a sales leader, how satisfied are you with the way your
sales people are dealing with senior executives?”
“What would you fix to solve this problem?”
Common Answer:
“They have trouble getting access to senior executives, and when
they do, they don’t know how to be effective with them.”
Why Executive-Level Selling?
Latest research confirms that executive-level selling is a world-class behavior
In a large deal, we always gain
access to key decision-makers.
We have relationships and dialog at the
highest executive levels with all our
strategic accounts.
38%
90%
40%
97%
All Respondents
World Class
All Respondents
World Class
Five Distinct Decisions Styles
Charismatic
Thinker
Skeptic
Follower
Controller
25%
11%
19%
36%
9%
The Charismatic
25%
Decision Behaviors & Key Characteristics
Enthusiastic
Captivating
Talkative
Dominant
Persistent
Risk-Seeking
Factual
Responsible
Innovative
Keys to Success
Give the headlines first
What Charismatics Desire
Strong interaction during the meeting
Visuals with charts and facts
Quick movements from big picture to details, especially
implementation issues
Presentations that are grounded in reality and bottom-line results
Stay grounded in results – even if they don’t
Address risks up front
Follow through, follow through, follow through!
Anything that makes their company more competitive
The Thinker
11%
Decision Behaviors & Key Characteristics
Intelligent
Competitive
Cerebral
Academic
Value Driven
Not Social
Guarded Compassion
Keys to Success
Tell it Chronologically
Involve them in the process
Address risks up front
Openly Communicates concerns
What Thinkers Desire
Balanced levels of emotions and rational logic
Strong need to see your process
Prefer to ask questions in meetings and want to hear all the risks
upfront
More control rather than innovation
The Skeptic
19%
Decision Behaviors & Key Characteristics
Strong Personalities
No fear
Demanding
Disruptive
Suspicious
Anti-Social
Disagreeable
Rebellious
Keys to Success
Establish Credibility
Stand firm but find the middle ground
Keep your emotions and ego in check
Go to the source of credibility
What Skeptics Desire
Due to highly suspicious nature, only want to hear from a credible
source
Prefer not to be ‘matched’ aggressiveness, unless the person has
credibility with them
Want to believe they know things already, don’t seek help
Balanced decisions between external and internal viewpoints
The Follower
36%
Decision Behaviors & Key Characteristics
Spontaneous
Value-prone
Responsible
Brand-driven
Avoid Humiliation
Fear Choices
Not early adopter
What Followers Desire
Want to be sure they make the right choice
Most often, choices are made based on the same way its always
been, or the same way someone else successfully has done it in
the past
Keys to Success
Proof, Proof, Proof
Credible and relevant
Keep it safe
Link the new to the old
Never want to admit they are a Follower
Want everyone to believe they are innovative – but never are
early adopters
The Controller
9%
Decision Behaviors & Key Characteristics
Self-Absorbed
Unemotional
Sensible
Detail-oriented
Analytical
Fact-based
Objective
Accurate
What Controllers Desire
Cannot ever really be ‘persuaded’ because they are ‘in control’
Want highly structured and linear approach to a presentation
Want details, but only if presented by an expert
Keys to Success
Enable action – Don’t force
Leverage trusted lieutenants
Build alliances
Draw your line and hold it
Can be very arrogant and self-absorbed, so prepare for a lot of
silence
Decision making based on own input only
Five Distinct Decisions Styles – Famous Examples
Charismatic
Thinker
Skeptic
Follower
Controller
25%
11%
19%
36%
9%
Lee Iacocca
Jack Welch
Richard Branson
Warren Buffet
Bill Gates
Alan Greenspan
Michael Dell
Larry Ellison
Tom Siebel
Ted Turner
Carly Fiorina
Peter Coors
Bob Nardelli
Jacques Nasser
Ross Perot
Martha Stewart
Rupert Murdoch
Poll Question
Which executive decision making style do you interact with the
most?
a. The Charismatic
b. The Thinker
c. The Skeptic
d. The Follower
e. The Controller
Keys To Success
Charismatic
Thinker
Skeptic
Follower
Controller
Give the headlines first
Tell it chronologically
Establish credibility
Proof, Proof, Proof
Enable action – don’t
force
Stay grounded in resultseven I they don’t
Involve them in the
process
Stand firm, but find the
middle ground
Credible and relevant
Leverage trusted
lieutenants
Address risks up front
Address risks up front
Keep your emotions and
ego in check
Keep it simple
Build alliances
Follow through,
Follow through,
Follow through.
Openly communicate
concerns
Go to the source
credibility
Link he old to the nee
Draw your line and hold it
Summary Of Executive Decision Styles
Charismatic
Thinker
Skeptic
Follower
Controller
Risk
Responsibility
Competitiveness
Rebellion
Impulsiveness
Persistence
Fear & Uncertainty
Self Absorption
Playfulness
Education
Intelligence & Facts
Bargains
Key
Seeks
Neutral
Avoids
Getting There Is Only Part Of The Equation
How sales professionals are selling is incompatible with how executives are making decisions
This could result in forecast deals with “No decision.”
“Giving Information” must be tailored to an executive’s decision style to improve the “Getting Commitment”
Executive Decision Styles
25%
11%
Charismatic
Thinker
4%
12%
19%
Skeptic
48%
36%
Follower
6%
9%
Controller
30%
Seller’s Approach
N = 1,684 (Executives Only)
Range of Error = +/- 2.9 points
Key Actions: Pre/In/Post-Meetings
Vary the following according to decision style
Timing
Depth
Order
Media
When do I present this
information?
The amount of detail for
each resource
Sequence of resources
presented
Type used to present
each resource
(PowerPoint, flipchart, demo,
handouts, etc.)
Adapting To The Five Decision Styles
(The One Liner Approach)
Charismatic
Thinker
Skeptic
Follower
Controller
Overview; no long
Power Points; 3-4
bullet items.
Supply all pertinent
information; be sure to
demonstrate the
process used for the
recommendation.
Credibility is key; use
primary sources of
data; don’t wither under
the seeming “attack” of
questions.
Make sure to supply
proof of concept; best
practices oriented;
where has it worked
before?
Sow the seed of an
idea; let it happen,
don’t try to make it
happen; has to be
his/her idea; work basic
Issues.
Multiple Decision Styles Approach
Research showed almost 80% of
sales presentations targeted
Skeptics and Controllers, while
they only represent slightly more
than 25% of Executives
Focus on Charismatics, Thinkers
and Followers – these represent
72% of Executives, yet only
22% of presentations are made
this way
Key Takeaways
The name of the game is not to
get trapped by your own style but
to adapt to theirs.
Do not change the message,
just the way you deliver it to each
executive.
Thank You
Q&A
[email protected]
Close out 2016 strong!
Learn more about Be Ready™ solutions from Miller Heiman Group.
[email protected]
MillerHeimanGroup.com