The current BRODY newsletter is all about how sales managers can use field coaching reports to help their sales reps in the field become their very best. I want to expand a bit on some of the points made in the newsletter…
As a sales manager, part of your role is to help your direct reports grow, improve their skills, and develop the skills necessary to meet their personal and company sales goals. So, while you might be the “greatest salesman in the world” — that’s how you wound up as manager — your super-sales-skills may be quite different than those required to be a great manager or coach.
I know a man who could sell you swampland in the Florida Keys. Not only would he tell you flat out it was swampland, but, by the time he was finished with you, somehow you’d be convinced it was swampland you couldn’t live without. You’d be eager to jump on board, thrilled to buy it at any price, desperate to get your paws on it before everyone else sank into that swamp ahead of you. No lying necessary, this guy simply has an amazing gift to sell. He’s got the “sales gene,” as it were.
His boss worships the ground he walks on. His mystique grows with every huge new client he brings into the fold. But his direct reports complain about him quite a bit. Turnover on his staff? Pretty high. Apparently, his managerial skills and coaching skills are nowhere near as strong as his sales skills.
Perhaps the most important and challenging job any sales manager has is to effectively coach his or her reps. But did you know that coaching is as much about building you as a coach as it is about the person being coached? Makes sense, doesn’t it?
Honest coaching, with another person’s growth and expansion in mind, requires:
- tact
- honesty
- an eye on the big picture/company goals
- commitment to the manager/subordinate relationship
- the courage to say what’s needed even if it’s difficult or unpleasant
Do you have all those qualities? Do you possess all of those skills? If not, here are some tips to make you as great a coach as you are a salesperson:
Build Your Coaching Muscles
- Demonstrate effective listening skills. Give your direct reports the same full-on attention that you’d give that multimillion dollar account. Focus on what the other person is saying, ask questions, paraphrase to make sure you are understanding correctly, and allow space for pauses and thoughtful silences. (Remember, great coaches do more listening than talking.)
- Ask the right questions. Ask for the other person’s thoughts, feelings, opinions and ideas. Ask what might be any next steps. Ask for alternative solutions.
- Employ self-awareness and self-management. Don’t jump to conclusions; rather, wait until your staff member has finished expressing him/herself. Keep your emotions out of it. Be responsive, not reactive.
- Create a respectful and trusting environment. Keep your word, show respect in attitude, word, and tone of voice. (Tip: Sarcasm destroys trust quickly.) Please don’t promise what you know cannot ever be delivered. Instead, reward teamwork, accountability and initiative.
- Communicate! Let your direct reports know your thoughts, your reasoning, your vision. Respect must be a two-way street.
If I was the amazing salesman that I talked about earlier, each of you would now be foaming at the mouth to buy my mini-book, Courageous Coaching.
I’m not that guy, but I will say that this book will show you how to get results by coaching with courage, clarity and conviction. Coaching is the most critical component of staff development. It is the path to growth, goal achievement and success for every member of a team -– and, ultimately, the leader.