Objection Management Group (OMG), our world-class partner in sales evaluation and candidate screenings, recently shared their research identifying an urgent Sales development gap that confirms what we are seeing in the Sales environment: many sellers and sales managers are not prepared to thrive under pressure. OMG’s trusted research revealed that only 1 in 5 sellers expressed confidence in achieving targets during economic downturns. Sadly, 1 in 4 admitted that they lacked the resilience to recover from adversity. While unfortunately, nearly half reported low confidence in their manager’s ability to support them.
OMG’s findings and assessments demonstrate that resilience can be identified and measured, but it must be developed through intentional coaching and training.
Left unaddressed, this gap leaves organizations vulnerable to stalled performance and underperformance when the pressure mounts – and as we know, the pressure always mounts.
Let’s take a look at some of what OMG’s data-driven analysis says about the critical skill of resilience and what differentiates top performers from the rest:
In today’s unpredictable business environment, resilience has emerged as one of the most critical competencies for sales professionals and leaders. From economic uncertainty to rapid shifts in buyer behavior, today’s sellers face unrelenting pressure to perform. Their research shows Sales professionals who score in the top 25% on resilience-related factors are twice as likely to be top performers compared to those in the bottom 25%.
The resilient behaviors that OMG identified as key for Sales roles include the following:
PERFORMANCE UNDER PRESSURE: Delivering consistent results even during downturns, disruptions, or uncertainty.
CLIENT FOCUS DURING ADVERSITY: Staying centered on customer needs and sales goals amid challenges.
RAPID RECOVERY: Rebounding from lost deals or setbacks without lingering impact on performance.
This also applies to Sales leaders as those with high resilience demonstrate effective leadership through uncertainty, maintaining team morale and productivity during stress-filled periods.
Furthermore, OMG cited the World Economic Forum’s 2023 Future of Jobs Report, showing that resilience is one of the top five skills for future readiness and that resilient employees are 43% more productive and 47% more likely to remain with their organization during turbulent times.
They noted the modern sales environment is increasingly shaped by forces that are beyond an organization’s control—economic shifts, supply chain breakdowns, new regulations, and rapid digital disruption. Sales professionals must be able to navigate ambiguity, manage stress, and stay productive when circumstances are chaotic.
To quantify the impact of resilience on sales outcomes, OMG analyzed assessment data from thousands of salespeople across industries. Their proprietary research uncovered a clear correlation between these resilience-related behaviors and top performance.
- Stay in the moment during high-stress situations
- Persist more effectively after rejection
- Recover faster from setbacks
- Maintain steady activity levels despite external pressure
The top-performing managers also demonstrated an increased ability to lead through adversity, boost team morale, and model resilience for their teams.
The bottom line is resilience is not a nice to have, it’s a high-impact, measurable competency that separates average performers from exceptional ones. Organizations that proactively assess and develop resilience within their sales teams will gain a clear advantage, especially during times of disruption and economic uncertainty.
If you agree that it’s critical for your organization and sales team to develop the skills of resilience, we can help.
Let’s get to work,
Mary Anne Wampler
Objective Management Group. (2025). Why Resilience is the New Must-Have Sales-Skill for 2025 and Beyond [White paper].
