Journal of Marketing Research 2010

The Role of Consensus in Sales Team Performance

Michael Ahearne¹; Scott MacKenzie²; Philip M. Podsakoff²; John E. Mathieu³; Son K. Lam⁴

¹ University of Houston · ² Indiana University · ³ University of Connecticut · ⁴ University of Georgia

Abstract

Although team-based selling is highly prominent in practice, research on the drivers of its effectiveness is sparse. Drawing from the literature on climate consensus, the authors propose that in addition to leadership and team factors, team consensus plays a critical role in boosting sales team effectiveness. Using survey and archival data from a sample of 185 pharmaceutical sales teams, the authors find that high team consensus regarding team-level leadership empowerment behaviors (LEBs) and team interpersonal climate quality enhances team potency given high LEBs but weakens team potency given low LEBs. In turn, team potency translates into sales team performance through both extra-role (team helping behavior) and in-role (team effort) behavior. The authors discuss the implications of these findings.

DOI

10.1509/jmkr.47.3.458

Sources

openalex

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APA 7 MLA 9 Chicago (author–date) Harvard Elsevier Harvard (JFE, JBF…) The Accounting Review Academy of Management American Marketing Association INFORMS (Management Science) Copy citation Copied ✓