Programme Overview
Richardson’s Six Critical Skills Training develops the conversational and critical thinking abilities sales professionals need to succeed in today’s market. With traditional competitive advantages eroding, these soft skills are what elevate the quality of customer interactions and differentiate your team. The programme gives sellers and customer-facing professionals the ability to establish credibility and build trust quickly, foster openness in conversations. uncover and understand customer needs at a deeper level, and position solutions persuasively and gain alignment. The Six Critical Skills also extend beyond sales. Managers apply them in coaching, while non-customer-facing employees use them to strengthen internal dialogues and collaboration.
For Who
Service Professionals
Sales Professionals
Marketers
Format
Digital Learning
Virtual instructor-led
Instructor-led
Blended Learning
Duration
Half-day ILT or 1, four-hour VILT workshops with pre and post digital learning
Why are the Six Critical Skills important?
In today’s market, technology and product advantages are widely available. What sets top performers apart is their ability to be conversational, adaptable, and apply critical thinking.
The Six Critical Skills are the foundation of effective selling because they:
- Build trust and credibility.
- Help sellers uncover and shape customer needs.
- Position solutions persuasively.
- Ensure alignment through feedback.
They are universally applicable across sales, management, and internal business dialogues.
What are the Six Critical Skills?
The Six Critical Skills are observable behaviours that create stronger dialogues and better buying experiences:
- Presence: Projecting confidence and credibility to inspire trust.
- Relating: Building rapport, acknowledgment, and empathy to connect.
- Questioning: Using purposeful questions to uncover and shape needs.
- Listening: Actively understanding both content and emotion.
- Positioning: Presenting tailored, persuasive recommendations.
- Checking: Eliciting feedback to confirm alignment and next steps.
Expected Business Outcomes
Training in the Six Critical Skills delivers measurable impact through:
- Enhanced Agility: Ability to adapt to changing customer demands.
- Sustainable Differentiation: Trusted-advisor credibility that competitors cannot replicate.
- Process Consistency: Common language and behaviours across the salesforce.
- Improved Performance: Better conversations that lead to more wins and profitable growth.
Watch the video below to learn how Six Critical Skills Training has improved business at Strat Hotel and Casino Tower.
Connection to Richardson’s Portfolio
The Six Critical Skills are the bedrock of Richardson’s methodology. They prepare teams for advanced programmes such as:
They are reinforced through Richardson’s Accelerate Sales Performance System, which sustains skills with ongoing practice, coaching, and measurement.
FAQ: Richardson's Six Critical Skills Training Programme
Q. What are Richardson’s Six Critical Skills?
A. They are presence, relating, questioning, listening, positioning, and checking. Together, they form the foundation of effective sales and internal business dialogues.
Q. How long does the Six Critical Skills Training take?
A. The programme can be delivered as a half-day instructor-led session, a four-hour virtual workshop, or a blended learning journey with digital reinforcement.
Q. Is the training available digitally?
A. Yes. The Six Critical Skills can be developed through Richardson’s Accelerate Sales Performance System, which offers modular, video-based, mobile-friendly learning.
Q. Who should attend this programme?
A. It is designed for sales and service professionals, marketers, sales managers, and internal employees who need to improve dialogue and communication skills.
Q. What business results does this training deliver?
A. Organisations gain agility, improved differentiation, stronger customer trust, and consistent selling behaviors that lead to more profitable growth.
Q. How does this programme fit with other Richardson training?
A. It is a foundational programme that prepares teams for advanced courses such as Consultative Selling, Challenger, and Consultative Opportunity Pursuit Training.
