Core Values Index™ for business
CVI for teams and sales
Hire, lead and sell knowing how people are wired. The Core Values Index™ gives leaders and teams a shared language for strengths, communication and conflict — and gives your sales staff a better read on every buyer.
New to CVI? Start here →
Why teams stall
It’s rarely effort. It’s wiring.
Most teams aren’t short on effort. They’re managing everyone the same way, and different wiring keeps solving the same problem in different ways.
The Core Values Index™ identifies how each person is wired to create value across four energies. Once your team can see them, you stop guessing.
New to CVI? Start here →
Builder
Drives action and results.
Listens for: the bottom line
Merchant
Builds relationships and vision.
Listens for: the story
Innovator
Solves problems.
Listens for: the logic
Banker
Gathers knowledge and protects what works.
Listens for: the detail
Everyone carries all four. The official Core Values Index™ shows your exact mix — and a Certified CVI™ Coach helps your team put it to work.
For businesses, teams & employees
A team assessment that changes how you work
When you know how each person is wired to create value, you stop managing everyone the same way. CVI coaching gives leaders and teams a shared language for strengths, communication and conflict.
Hiring & role fit
Understand what a role really demands and who is naturally wired for it, so you place the right people in the right seats — as one input alongside interviews and experience.
Team alignment
See the mix of energies on your team, where you’re strong, where you have gaps and how to divide work so people contribute where they’re designed to.
Reducing conflict
Recognize friction for what it often is — different wiring solving the same problem in different ways — and resolve it before it becomes personal.
Communication
Learn to communicate the way others listen: bottom line for Builders, story for Merchants, logic for Innovators and detail for Bankers.
Leadership development
Help leaders understand their own wiring, its blind spots and how to lead people who are wired differently than they are.
Engagement & retention
People who are understood and used for their strengths tend to have more energy and purpose at work. CVI insights help you build that kind of culture.
Looking for more than coaching? See all AdaptExec services
Conflict & communication
It’s not right vs. wrong. It’s wiring.
Conflict isn’t about right or wrong — it’s about competing wiring patterns trying to solve problems in different ways.
People don’t just argue from opinions. They argue from wiring, fear, pressure and self-protection.
The moment you understand what someone is protecting, the conflict starts making sense.
Most relational breakdowns begin when someone says, “Why can’t you just see it my way?”
What each energy protects
When someone digs in, they’re usually protecting something their wiring values.
- Builders protect progress and results.
- Merchants protect relationships and people.
- Innovators protect the better idea and getting it right.
- Bankers protect accuracy, stability and what already works.
see it my way?
CVI coaching replaces that question with a better one: how is this person wired, and what are they trying to protect?Communicate the way others listen, recognize conflict before it escalates and build trust in teams, marriages and friendships.
Sales training by core values
Sell the way your buyer is wired
Every buyer runs on the same four core values. A Builder and a Banker can hear the same pitch and walk away with opposite conclusions. Pick a buyer type to see how to open, present, handle objections and close.
I’m selling to a…
What they’re really asking“Will this get me results — and fast?”
Avoid
- Long preambles
- Rambling details
- Deciding for them
- Wasting time
Open
Get to the point. Lead with the outcome and respect their time: what this does for their results, in one or two sentences.
Present
Bottom line first, details on request. Lay out two or three clear options with the trade-offs and let them choose.
Handle objections
Answer directly and briefly. Don’t get defensive or over-explain — show how your solution removes obstacles to the result they want.
Close
Ask for the decision. Make next steps fast and simple; Builders decide quickly once they see the win.
What they’re really asking“Do I trust you — and will this help my people?”
Avoid
- Cold, transactional pitches
- Data dumps up front
- Skipping the relationship
- Rushing past their story
Open
Connect first. Ask about their vision, their team and what matters to them, and genuinely listen.
Present
Tell the story. Paint the future and show how your solution helps the people they care about. Real stories and examples land.
Handle objections
Listen fully before you answer. Many concerns are about trust and people impact, so address the relationship, not just the facts.
Close
Invite them into the vision. Make the decision feel collaborative and follow up personally — the relationship continues after the sale.
What they’re really asking“Does this actually solve the problem better?”
Avoid
- Hype and buzzwords
- Pressure tactics
- Shallow answers
- Rushing them
Open
Start with the problem. Ask thoughtful questions about what isn’t working and why — they respect someone who wants to understand.
Present
Show the logic. Explain how and why your solution works better, invite their ideas and let them test it against their thinking.
Handle objections
Treat objections as good thinking. Explore them together, and be honest about what you don’t know rather than bluffing.
Close
Give them room to process. Summarize the reasoning and let them reach the conclusion; pushing for a fast yes usually backfires.
What they’re really asking“Is this accurate, proven and low-risk?”
Avoid
- Vague claims
- Exaggeration
- Surprises
- Pressure to decide now
Open
Come prepared. Set a clear agenda, be precise and show you’ve done your homework.
Present
Bring the facts: data, documentation, specifics, timelines and proof that it works. Written materials they can review help.
Handle objections
Answer with specifics and reduce risk — clear process, references, terms and what happens if something goes wrong.
Close
Give a clear written plan with timeline and next steps, then allow time to review. Steady, consistent follow-up builds their confidence.
Know your own wiring, too
Most salespeople sell the way they like to buy. Understanding your own CVI profile shows you where you naturally connect — and which buyers you might be unintentionally losing.
Builder seller
Strength: drives to the close and keeps deals moving.
Watch for: rushing Merchants and Bankers who need trust or detail first.
Merchant seller
Strength: builds rapport and tells a compelling story.
Watch for: skipping the details and follow-through Bankers need.
Innovator seller
Strength: diagnoses the real problem and designs smart solutions.
Watch for: over-explaining to Builders instead of asking for the decision.
Banker seller
Strength: earns trust through preparation and accuracy.
Watch for: data-dumping on Builders and Merchants who want the headline.
Try it on a real deal. The free Energy Explorer’s “You + them” view shows how your likely lean clicks (and clashes) with someone else’s. It’s a taste, not the official assessment.
Open the Energy ExplorerCVI + your sales system
Put buyer wiring inside your CRM
Because AdaptExec also builds custom CRMs and sales tools, we can carry CVI insights into the systems your team uses every day — so the right approach shows up next to the right lead.
- Tag leads and clients by likely buyer type
- Suggested talking points and follow-ups for each energy
- Team dashboards that show who on your team connects best with whom
Your certified CVI™ coaches
Two coaches. One shared language.
Both of your coaches are Certified Core Values Index™ Coaches through Hardwired Coaching — and AdaptExec can carry what your team learns into the systems you run every day.
Adam Neuerburg
Founder of AdaptExec · Certified CVI™ Coach
Adam is a Certified Core Values Index™ Coach through Hardwired Coaching. AdaptExec brings CVI coaching together with the websites, CRMs and marketing systems we build for clients across the country.
Meet Adam →
Bonnie Juma
Certified CVI™ Coach
Bonnie is a Certified Core Values Index™ Coach through Hardwired Coaching. She helps leaders and teams understand how they are naturally wired, so they can communicate better, build stronger teams and lead with confidence.
Team, leadership & sales coachingWe come to you. AdaptExec is based in Scottsdale, Arizona, and we travel to meet clients in person across the country for workshops, team sessions and leadership coaching. Individual debriefs can also be done virtually.
How CVI coaching works
Three steps from insight to action
Take the CVI assessment
Complete the Core Values Index™ online in about 7–10 minutes — individually or with your whole team.
Debrief with a certified coach
Walk through your results with a Certified CVI™ Coach to understand your core values, how they interact, your strengths and your conflict tendencies.
Apply it where it matters
Put your results to work with coaching built around your goals.
Teams & sales FAQ
CVI for business questions
Straight answers about using the CVI with teams and sales staff. Don’t see yours? Contact us.
Can we use the CVI for hiring?
Many organizations use CVI insights to understand role fit, build balanced teams and onboard new hires well. We recommend using it as one input alongside interviews, experience and references — not as the only deciding factor.
Should we do CVI coaching as a team or individually?
Both work. Individuals gain clarity about their own wiring, careers and relationships. Teams get the most value when everyone takes the assessment, because you can see how different energies work together, where friction comes from and how to communicate across the team.
How does the CVI help with sales?
Buyers make decisions from their core values. Builders want results and speed, Merchants buy relationships and vision, Innovators want the logic of a better solution and Bankers need data and proof. CVI sales training helps you recognize those patterns, adapt how you open, present and close, and understand your own selling tendencies.
How long does the CVI assessment take?
Most people complete the assessment in about 7–10 minutes. After that, you can schedule a one-on-one debrief with a Certified CVI™ Coach to interpret your results and learn how to apply them.
Do you travel for CVI coaching outside Arizona?
Yes. AdaptExec is based in Scottsdale, Arizona, and we travel to meet clients in person across the country for workshops, team sessions and leadership coaching. Individual debriefs can also be done virtually.
Start with your team
Ready to see how your people are wired?
Tell us about your team, your sales staff or your organization. We’ll set up a free, no-pressure consultation with a Certified CVI™ Coach and recommend the right next step.
New to CVI? Start here →