How Do We Find The Time To Coach Our Sales People?

Everyone recognizes the importance of coachingthose discussions, the best managers use these as
sales people, but it just doesn't get done. In a surveyopportunities both to understand what's happening,
of several hundred sales managers, we found salesbut also to coach and develop their people.
managers "coached" their sales people 1 time perWhen coaching becomes part of the everyday
quarter or less! Based on this, a sales person is luckybusiness discussion managers have with their people,
if they get 4 coaching sessions per year.it is no longer an "unnatural act." It no longer is the
Clearly, this is a problem. Coaching needs to happenmeeting we schedule, then postpone, then postpone
every day, but everyone is busy and time-poor. Howagain. When coaching becomes part of the everyday
do busy managers and sales people find the time forbusiness, the performance of sales people
coaching and development?skyrockets-they are getting advice when they need
One of the problems with coaching is many peopleit and can use it, not months later, after everything
confuse coaching with the performance review. Whilehas been forgotten.
coaching should have a positive impact on theSo How Do We Coach?
performance review, effective coaching is not aThe second aspect to effective coaching is "the
performance review. Too many managers think ofconversation." Coaching is a careful blend of asking
the "coaching session."and telling. Some may be surprised by this, since
Integrating Coaching Into Everyday Business:most of the time when we talk about coaching we
Effective sales managers incorporate coaching intofocus so much on asking questions.
their daily business activities. Coaching is part of theEffective coaching starts with the questions. The
everyday conversations and discussions they havequestions shouldn't be an interrogation, but should be
with their people. It occurs as part of normal businessoriented to getting the sales person to think about
conversations-not something special. When they arewhat they are doing, the strategies they have
talking about opportunities or deal strategies, strongchosen. The questions should help the sales person
managers focus both on understanding the businessconsider other alternatives, broaden their point of
situation, but also use the opportunity to coach theview, analyze the results they have produced.
sales person in strengthening and improving theirBut questioning alone is not sufficient. Making
strategy. In preparing for a call or debriefing the call,suggestions (telling) based on the discussion the
the sales manager will also coach the sales person bymanager has had with the sales person is very helpful
asking things like, "What are your goals for the call,"to the sales person's development. Effective coaching
"Do you have stretch goals," "What is the worstis a conversation - it is a balance of questioning,
thing that might happen in the call, how do you planactive listening, and advising. If any part of this is
to handle it?," "What's the value the customer will getmissing, then the impact of coaching is reduced
from this call?" After the call, they might ask, "Didsignificantly.
you accomplish all your objectives," "Is there anythingCoaching is one of the highest leverage activities a
more that you might have accomplished," "Is theresales manager can undertake. Effective coaching
anything you would do differently?"improves the performance of sales people. Effective
As sales managers, we spend our days talking tocoaching is a focused conversation, integrated into
sales people about sales calls, deals, pipelines,the daily activities of sales managers and sales
forecasts, territory and account plans. In each ofpeople.