Sales coaching is one of the most important activities a manager can do to improve the performance of their sales team, as evidenced by the 2017 Sales Management Research Report. Yet managers often confuse sales coaching with just having one-on-one meetings and telling their reps how to improve. At the heart of good sales coaching is a mindset that encourages the rep to take responsibility for their development and engage in a collaborative, positive process of improvement. This involves key sales coaching activities that are different than other things you may be doing to direct, manage or motivate your team.
Good coaching is hard to execute—it requires the manager to be patient, listen and not be so quick to “fix” the problem. Coaching requires you to take a longer-term perspective and engage your rep in the coaching process. That way, your rep will be more inclined to own the outcome and commit to making a change. By contrasting good and bad coaching activities, we can highlight those activities to keep in mind that will make you a better coach.
The foundation of good coaching starts with adopting a positive Coaching Mindset. By implementing the three A’s of the coaching mindset: asking questions, actively listening, and assuming best intentions, you begin to gain an appreciation for the Rep's perspective and engage them in the coaching process.
|
Poor Coaching Activities |
|
Good Coaching Activities |
|
Manager tells Reps where to improve |
|
Manager seeks Rep's input, let’s them go first |
|
Manager does most of the talking |
|
Rep does most of the talking, while manager uses active listening skills |
|
Manager sets the tone, “I know what’s best for you” |
|
Manager makes coaching collaborative, engages Rep in the conversation |
|
Manager “rides to the rescue” on sales calls |
|
Manager lets Rep struggle a bit and then uses mistakes as a learning opportunity |
|
Manager “owns” skill development plan for Rep |
|
Manager encourages rep to take responsibility for their personal development |
|
Manager positions feedback as remedial; uses coaching only to "fix" problems |
|
Manager makes feedback a positive experience; reps seek out feedback to improve performance |
Often when asked to self-assess their performance, Reps will be much more critical of their behavior and it'll be important to identify and reinforce a few positive behaviors that you want them to continue to execute. You may also discover that they have blind spots in their performance and will need to ask additional questions to see if they perceive the gaps.
Asking questions to encourage the reps to “observe” and “reflect” on what happened during a sales call, and then “apply” the lessons learned to future calls will help create a culture of continuous reflection and improvement.
We’ve all undoubtedly encountered bad managers who tend to “yell and tell” instead of making coaching a positive experience. Identifying the behaviors to avoid and reminding yourself of the good coaching activities will help you become a better coach.
Looking for more insight on Sales Coaching? Try these articles.
- Powerful Coaching Questions Every Sales Manager Should Ask
- 6 Benefits of Sales Coaching (And Why It Should Be a Priority)
- 5 Deal Coaching Questions Every Sales Manager Should Ask
- How to Deal with Sales Reps Who Don't Want To Be Coached
- Three Mindset Traits Top Sales Coaches Have in Common
