Sales Management Coaching: Mistake #1 Telling vs. Asking Coaching
Want to drive sales performance? Transforming your sales managers from good to great coaches can have a dramatic impact on sales. In fact, sales coaching is the management No.
By on Jun 18, 2009Want to drive sales performance? Transforming your sales managers from good to great coaches can have a dramatic impact on sales. In fact, sales coaching is the management No. 1 activity that drives sales performance. The only problem is that managers have not been taught how to effectively coach. Coaching is a skill that takes time to perfect and unless effectively coached or trained managers make all types of mistakes.
As the head of sales or as a frontline sales manager you can greatly enhance the performance of your sales team if you can develop great coaches.
Over the next week I will explore daily coaching mistakes to avoid on your way to becoming a great sales coach.
Coaching Mistake #1 Telling vs. Asking Coaching
As a sales manager you probably were a top sales rep. You may still see yourself as a problem-solver, like If I solve this reps issue then she/he can make the sale. As a result of your action orientation you are likely to tell the salesperson how to solve the issue. Telling does not create self-managing salespeople. In fact, there are numerous downsides to the tell-first approach.
First, you are not empowering your sales reps, who may perceive you as being a micro manager. Second, you are also creating a dependency on you to be their problem-solver. This creates endless emails, phone calls and resulting in needy reps. And third, you are not developing them. One of the critical areas for development is the ability to be a self manager.
Be aware of when you are in tell mode and remind yourself, when you have fallen into a bad habit.
Have fun coaching,
Steven Rosen, MBA
Executive Sales Coach
http://www.starresults.com