Pointer Strategy

Sample assessment

Team assessment, one skill at a time

Pick a skill, score your team against the rubric, see where the gap is. Here's a sample run of a three-person BDR pod on "Conduct effective discovery".

Skill being assessed

Conduct effective discovery

Open full skill details →

A certified rep diagnoses the current state, pain points, business impact, constraints, and desired outcomes well enough to decide whether the opportunity is real, worth pursuing, and how the solution should be evaluated.

Step 1

Score the rubric, not gut feel

Every certified skill in Pointer's framework comes with a rubric. Managers score each area on a 1–5 scale against the same standard, so two managers reach the same conclusion about the same rep.

AreaStandard (a 4 looks like…)
Current-state diagnosisThe rep builds a clear view of how the buyer operates today and where the issue sits.
Impact depthThe rep uncovers meaningful business impact, urgency, or downside of inaction.
Constraint and fit assessmentThe rep surfaces practical constraints and tests whether the solution should be evaluated.
Outcome clarityThe rep defines what success looks like in the buyer's terms.
Questioning and listeningThe rep uses layered questions and follows important threads rather than sticking to a script.
Synthesis and documentationThe rep captures a usable summary that supports inspection and next-step planning.

Step 2

Score 2–3 people you can compare

Three anonymized BDRs from the same pod, scored against the same rubric. Same standard, different patterns.

AreaRep A(9 months)Rep B(4 months)Rep C(14 months)
Current-state diagnosis4/ 5 · Reliable3/ 5 · Inconsistent5/ 5 · Consistently strong
Impact depth4/ 5 · Reliable2/ 5 · Gap4/ 5 · Reliable
Constraint and fit assessment5/ 5 · Consistently strong3/ 5 · Inconsistent4/ 5 · Reliable
Outcome clarity4/ 5 · Reliable2/ 5 · Gap5/ 5 · Consistently strong
Questioning and listening3/ 5 · Inconsistent2/ 5 · Gap4/ 5 · Reliable
Synthesis and documentation4/ 5 · Reliable3/ 5 · Inconsistent5/ 5 · Consistently strong

Step 3

Read the gap, set the coaching focus

The lowest-scoring area across the pod is the highest-leverage coaching focus for next week.

Biggest gap

Questioning and listening

Pod average: 3.0 / 5

The rep uses layered questions and follows important threads rather than sticking to a script.

Next-week coaching focus

Run a 30-minute roleplay drill on this area with Rep B, then have them shadow Rep C on two live calls and report back specific moments where questioning and listening showed up.

Strongest area

Current-state diagnosis

Pod average: 4.0 / 5

The rep builds a clear view of how the buyer operates today and where the issue sits.

Use the strength

Rep C is the in-pod model for this area — set up a 1:1 between Rep C and Rep B before the roleplay drill.

Inside Pointer Workspace

What this sample is missing

The workspace version tracks assessments over time, lets you compare reps against role expectations, attaches coaching notes to specific rubric areas, and rolls up gaps across multiple skills so you know which programs to run this quarter.