The Emblazers Podcast, Ep. 15: The Data Behind Top Performers - Dr. Peter Kerr's Sales Research

Look, I promised myself I wouldn’t use the phrase “data-driven insights” in this recap, but when you get not one but two PhDs on a podcast, things get real nerdy real fast—and I mean that in the most delicious way possible.

This week on The Emblazers, Tim and I welcomed back our inaugural guest Dr. Leff Bonney, this time as a co-host, alongside first-timer Dr. Peter Kerr. And let me tell you, my sales-loving friends, when academics with real-world sales experience start setting off intellectual fireworks, you’ll want to take notes.

Dr. Kerr has spent 25 years in the sales trenches, including managing a $1.2 billion portfolio as VP of Marketing for Bell Canada’s SMB division. But what had us geeking out was his meta-analysis of 150 sales research studies spanning a decade. That’s right—he analyzed the analysts, summarized the summarizers, and extracted what actually matters in sales performance.

While most of us are still using “my personal experience” as our primary data point (guilty as charged), Peter sifted through nearly 1,000 research findings to identify patterns that predict sales success. Heads up: Some of these findings might make you rethink your hiring criteria.

The Confidence Equation

Task-specific self-efficacy tops the charts. This is your specific confidence in executing sales tasks (not general “I’m amazing at everything” confidence). Think: your genuine belief that you can crush the particular activities your role demands. Unlike personality traits you’re born with, this confidence can actually be coached and developed.

Building your self-efficacy muscle requires:

• ​Deliberate practice (no, winging it doesn’t count)
• ​Structured role-playing (awkward but effective)
• ​Leaders who demonstrate rather than just dictate

Nature vs. Nurture in Sales Success

Some traits, however, you just can’t coach. The research highlights empathy, resilience, emotional intelligence, and “coachability” as innate qualities that separate the sales stars from the rest.

I loved Leff’s story about the company that plants a story with their receptionist to test candidates’ empathy during interviews. The receptionist shares something personal, and later the interviewer asks what they talked about. Brilliant, sneaky, and effective all at once.

The AI-Proof Skills

AI won’t replace your sales job unless your sales job is “Human Search Engine.” Winning sellers in 2025 aren’t spec sheet regurgitators but industry Sherpas who’ve seen every cliff your customers might fall off of. Your superpower? You’ve peeked behind the curtain of 20 companies just like theirs, while they’re stuck in their own bubble wondering why their problems feel so unique (spoiler: they’re not).

The Practical Takeaway That Blew My Mind

Ready for the mic drop moment? Peter explained that while we’d all love a team of sales superheroes (high on both soft skills and hard skills), that’s not realistic. Truly elite sales organizations make a conscious trade-off: They decide whether to prioritize soft skills or hard skills based on their value proposition, then design everything else around that decision.

Most organizations try to hire for both and end up with mediocre-at-everything teams. As Peter said, “If you don’t make that trade-off, you’ll stay mediocre forever.”

So there you have it—sometimes you need to be bad at something on purpose to excel at what really matters for your business.

Watch the Episode

What 150 Sales Studies Say About High Performers - Drs. Peter Kerr and Leff Bonney (YouTube)

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If this episode made you rethink your sales strategy (or at least question whether you’re hiring for the right skills), then our work here is done.

Tune in next time when we’ll have fewer PhDs but just as many insights. And remember, if you like what you’re hearing, subscribe, rate, and review—your future sales career might just depend on it.