My first selling job was for a jobber who stocked boxes and packing supplies and sold them to small manufacturing and distribution companies in our city. We based our value proposition on our variety of products and next day delivery.

One day an engineer named Jeff called me to ask if we could make a special container for some cylinders he was using in a project. He wanted a relatively inexpensive way to store these cylinders that was light weight and would cushion them from each other. He thought corrugated paperboard would be an excellent material. As we discussed his application he asked, “How thick is the corrugated material?” “About an eighth of an inch,” I replied. Then I went back and measured it with my office ruler, and it looked like about an eighth.

So, using one eighth inch as his gauge, he computed his container size, and gave me all the dimensions. I ordered his “egg crate” container, custom made and very expensive (for a box).

The day after this custom made container was delivered; Jeff called me on the phone, fit to be tied. “What’s the problem, Jeff?” I asked. “I thought you told me this cardboard was an eighth of an inch thick,” he said forcefully. “Well, yes,” I replied.

Jeff said, “It’s not! It’s seven sixty fourths of an inch think! And these cylinders are loose in their compartments. They are not snug like I want.” I was speechless.

That was my first introduction to something called “behavior style.”

Jeff was a “controller” personality style. He loved details and specifications. He was a design engineer, and he loved the preciseness of that work. When a guy like Jeff asks, “How thick?” he means “EXACTLY how thick is it?” He expects you to use a micrometer.

I am a “talker” personality style. Exact is not in my vocabulary. When he said, “How thick?” I heard, “About how thick.” My answer was “About one eighth of an inch.” I just guessed, and confirmed it with my ruler. When I told Jeff “about an eighth,” he heard, “Exactly an eighth.” Well we fixed the problem for Jeff, but I learned a valuable lesson. People don’t all see things the same way I do.

If you are in a profession like sales, where you must communicate effectively with others, learn about the major behavior styles and how you need to adjust to be effective at working with them.


Sell More — Serve Better

J. Mark Walker