Nonverbal Emotion Recognition and Salespersons: Linking Ability to Perceived and Actual Success

Abstract

The present studies examined whether salespersons who more accurately read nonverbal emotional expressions were more successful. We used multiple measures of job success, consistent with prior research. In Study 1, building‐supply salespersons who were better at nonverbal emotion recognition earned higher average annual salary increases, but did not rate themselves as more successful. Similarly, in Study 2, we found that automobile salespersons who were better at nonverbal emotion recognition sold more cars per month, but did not rate themselves as more successful. The results speak to the need for further exploration of skill‐based assessments in the selection and development of salespersons.