Does a salesperson have to be extroverted? An Empirical Study on the Influence of the Trait of Collectivism in Introverted Personalities on Sales Performance

Abstract

This study aims to explore the impact of introverted personality traits on sales performance and challenge the traditional stereotype that "extroversion = excellent sales performance". Through an empirical analysis of 472 valid questionnaires from enterprises in six provinces including Beijing, Shanghai, Sichuan, and Yunnan, a model was constructed with sales strategy as the mediating variable and the Collective Morale Index (CMI) as the moderating variable. The results show that the sales strategy plays a crucial mediating role between introverted personality traits and sales performance. Introverted salespeople can enhance their performance by virtue of their relationship - building and problem - solving abilities. The CMI has a reverse moderating effect in the "PT - SS - CMI - SP" path, and an overly high CMI may weaken the effect of the sales strategy. However, in the "PT - CMI - SS - SP" path, it has a positive moderating effect, which can help introverted salespeople formulate strategies. This study theoretically challenges traditional perceptions and expands the understanding of the relationship between salespeople's personality traits and sales performance. Practically, it provides guidance for sales management, helping enterprises leverage the advantages of introverted salespeople and optimize the team environment. The research has limitations such as a sample limited to China and insufficient consideration of other influencing variables. Future research can conduct cross - cultural studies and deeply explore the interactions of multiple variables.