In this episode of SalesTV, Dr. Peter Kerr, Chair of Applied Research in Sales at the University of New Brunswick, shares research drawn from LinkedIn hiring data and quantitative performance studies to examine how salesperson analytical skills directly influence sales performance and strengthen the effort-to-results relationship. The conversation explores whether sales leaders should optimize for both soft interpersonal skills and hard analytical skills, why working smarter often outperforms working harder, and how job design, hiring strategy, and training must align when navigating trade-offs in the AI-driven sales environment. Chapters 00:00 – Are We Hiring the Wrong Salespeople for the AI Era02:01 – What Skills Actually Drive Sales Performance07:24 – LinkedIn Data Reveals Analytical Skills Surge08:58 – Direct and Moderating Effects on Performance09:54 – Two Dimensions of Analytical Skill12:03 – Will AI Replace Analytical Skills13:21 – Should We Hire for Both Soft and Hard Skills15:48 – The Compromise Candidate Problem18:09 – Analytics Dashboards vs Analytical Thinking19:26 – Working Harder vs Working Smarter20:16 – The One Thing Sales Leaders Must Decide In this episode, we asked… * What job are buyers actually hiring salespeople to do? * Why does pressure-based selling make decisions less safe? * Why do so many deals end in no decision instead of lost? * Where does buyer risk really live inside organizations? * What happens after the meeting, in the “second room”? * Why do internal incentives sabotage trust and judgement? * How do sellers unknowingly increase buyer anxiety? * Why does supplier selection matter less than people think? Key Takeaways * Why analytical skills are now one of the top skills appearing in sales hiring data * The direct relationship between analytical skills and sales performance * How analytical ability strengthens the effort–performance link * Why working harder is not the same as working smarter * The risk of hiring “the compromise candidate” * Why sales leaders must consciously choose which dimension to optimize * Why analytical skills are trainable - and why that matters The ONE Thing Dr. Peter Kerr wants you to take away – Sales leaders must decide whether to prioritize soft skills or analytical strength - and then design the job, training, and systems to support that choice. Trying to maximize both when hiring often results in average on both. About SalesTV SalesTV.live is a weekly talk show created by salespeople, for salespeople. Each episode explores sales, sales training, networking, and social selling, bringing together sales leaders, enablement professionals, and practitioners from across the globe. About the Institute of Sales Professionals The Institute of Sales Professionals (ISP) is the world’s only body dedicated to raising standards in sales. Through its Sales Capability Framework, certifications, and global member community, the ISP works to elevate sales to the level of a recognized profession. @SalesTVlive @InstituteofSalesProfessionals #SalesAnalytics #AnalyticalSkills #SalesPerformance #AISales #Sales #SalesLeadership #LinkedInLive #Podcast

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