(5:04 Q&A Video) “Emotional Intelligence Training Turns Sales Behaviors Into Growth”
In this 5:04 video, Jennifer Knecht explains how studying successful sellers uncovered behaviors connected to stronger sales performance. Awareness, confidence, buyer understanding, and trust emerged as important attributes that helped teams move deals forward. Training sellers around these emotional intelligence capabilities produced a dramatic change alongside the traditional sales metrics the organization was already tracking.
Revenue leaders often focus on pipeline gaps, conversion rates, and underperforming opportunities when looking for ways to improve sales performance. Jennifer Knecht, Chief Revenue Officer at Western States Lodging, took a different approach. Instead of studying only what was going wrong, she examined what successful sellers were already doing differently. That process revealed several behaviors connected to stronger performance, including self-awareness, confidence, buyer understanding, and trust.
More importantly, those behaviors could be taught and reinforced across the organization. For B2B revenue leaders, Jennifer’s experience demonstrates how emotional intelligence can become a practical sales capability that improves buyer conversations, strengthens internal champions, and supports more consistent revenue growth.
“Our sales leaders who were highly aware of themselves, highly aware of how they were presenting, how they needed to adjust, who their audience was, and they were making intentional adjustments in the sales process to align with that other individual, they were being very successful.” – Jennifer Knecht
To learn more, watch the 5:04 video or read the article below.
To catch the full interview with Jennifer at “The CRO’s Guide to How Emotional Intelligence Leads Revenue Growth,” CLICK HERE.
Article: "Emotional Intelligence Training Turns Sales Behaviors Into Growth”
This article is based on an interview with Jennifer Knecht, Chief Revenue Officer at Western States Lodging
Turn Successful Sales Behaviors Into Repeatable Performance
Jennifer’s approach started when her organization encountered opportunities it expected to win but failed to close. Rather than examining only the gaps and determining what went wrong, the team used an appreciative inquiry process to study what successful sellers were already doing well. Jennifer described the concept as identifying “what’s working really well over here that we could apply, that we’re winning at, to the places where we may be needing a little bit of help.” This shifted the focus from correcting failure toward identifying repeatable behaviors connected with success.
One pattern became especially important. Jennifer observed, “Our sales leaders who were highly aware of themselves, highly aware of how they were presenting, how they needed to adjust, who their audience was, and they were making intentional adjustments in the sales process to align with that other individual, they were being very successful.” Revenue leaders can apply the same approach by examining how top performers prepare, communicate, establish trust, identify stakeholders, and respond to buyers. Those behaviors can then become the foundation for coaching and training across the broader sales organization.
Build Awareness and Confidence Into the Sales Process
Self-awareness allows sellers to recognize that one communication style will not resonate equally with every buyer. Strong performers understand how they are presenting themselves and intentionally adjust their approach based on the person and situation. Jennifer identified awareness as “a really important thing for a sales leader.” This capability becomes especially valuable in complex B2B opportunities where several stakeholders may have different priorities, communication preferences, business responsibilities, and definitions of value. Sellers who recognize those differences can create conversations that feel more relevant to each individual involved.
Confidence was another behavior Jennifer’s team connected with stronger performance. She explained, “If you believe in your product or you have belief in yourself, confidence, you’re gonna close much faster.” Revenue leaders can intentionally strengthen both capabilities. Sellers can build awareness through coaching, observation, conversation reviews, and deliberate preparation before important buyer interactions. Confidence can be reinforced by helping sellers understand customer outcomes, business problems, and evidence of value. Together, awareness and belief help sellers remain adaptable while confidently communicating the value their organization can deliver.
Understand the Person Behind Every Business Decision
Complex B2B decisions are rarely driven entirely by product capabilities, pricing, or financial analysis. The person recommending a solution may also be considering how the decision affects their credibility and reputation within the organization. Jennifer used a CFO as an example, explaining that the deeper consideration may be whether “we set that CFO up for the greatest amount of success because they felt like their reputation was gonna be strong with the board when they presented whatever solution they had come to.” Understanding that emotional dimension can give sellers greater insight into what buyers genuinely need.
Identifying the correct stakeholders is therefore critical. Jennifer challenged sales teams to ask, “Who’s your champion? Do you actually really know who the decision-maker is? Do you really understand what’s driving them?” For ABM sales organizations, these questions should become an important part of account strategy. Strategic accounts often include several stakeholders who can influence a purchase, and each may evaluate value differently. Understanding their individual motivations helps sellers communicate more effectively and equips internal champions with stronger arguments to build support across the buying committee.
Conclusion
Traditional sales metrics remain essential for understanding revenue performance. Jennifer Knecht’s organization continued monitoring close ratios, funnel progression, marketing impact, and other measures while developing these additional capabilities. Emotional intelligence did not replace sales discipline. It strengthened it. Jennifer explained, “When we started training the sales leaders, arming them with something they hadn’t necessarily been trained on from a sales perspective before, we started seeing a pretty dramatic change.”
Revenue organizations should not depend exclusively on a handful of naturally gifted relationship builders. Leaders can study what their strongest sellers do differently, identify the behaviors connected with successful opportunity progression, and incorporate those capabilities into coaching and sales training. Jennifer Knecht’s experience shows how turning awareness, confidence, buyer understanding, and trust into repeatable organizational capabilities can create greater sales consistency and support stronger, more sustainable revenue growth.
ELEVATING CONTENT MARKETING STANDARDS RAISES A CRUCIAL QUESTION:
Why shouldn’t the very act of creating thought leadership content also spark new conversations with in-pipeline deals, top prospects, and high-priority customers for revenue expansion? Or serve as the cornerstone for learning and applying voice-of-customer strategies? That’s the power of ABM Podcasting—engaging B2B buyers and customers in meaningful conversations that uncover essential go-to-market insights, support long sales cycles, reinforce your market perspective, build peer-level trust, and dismantle objections that kill deals.
Steven MacDonald
Steven MacDonald is the founder of Content Strategies, CEO of a MarTech SaaS Company, fractional CMO consulting with leading B2B companies and former Director of Strategy and Client Service at top ten digital marketing agencies.
Steven MacDonald
Steven MacDonald is the founder of Content Strategies, CEO of a MarTech SaaS Company, fractional CMO consulting with leading B2B companies and former Director of Strategy and Client Service at top ten digital marketing agencies.
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