Coaching for Sales Effectiveness
What does it take to become a great coach for my reports? is one of the first questions leaders/managers ask when we are in a training session with them or coaching them one on one. They are surprised to hear that we put an extreme curiosity about people at the top of the list of desirable coaching skills.
Sherlock Holmes had a great line: You have eyes, but you do not see. Holmes close inspection of others gave him insight into his cases and allowed him to untangle them. He was the ultimate curious observer, noting habits and traits and special characteristics. Good coaches do the same with the people theyre coaching.
We suggest that you may want to consider getting into shape for coaching by starting to hone your curiosity skills. The best way we know to do this is to become a Holmes, closely observing people and noting what they do and how they do it.
In our experience, the more you learn about human behaviour, the more you can untangle the Why? and How? questions.
- Why dont my salespeople do the things that will make them money?
- Why dont these people sell in a way that has been proven successful in the tech office equipment industry?
- Why dont they do what I say?
- How can I light a fire under them?
Want to figure out what makes the people on your team tick? Follow these simple tips to get your curiosity muscles in shape.
Become an obsessive people watcher
A little while ago, I (Nicki) coached a pharma marketing manager who wanted to understand his team better. We went to a caf in a busy office building and, in Holmes fashion, started closely observing people. We watched their facial expressions for signs of temperament, body language for indications of character and personality, rated their level of energy, and tried to guess their occupations from the way they dressed. We would occasionally ask to see if our observations were correct by introducing ourselves as people watchers and asking questions. Because we were open and friendly, we found people were open and friendly in return.
The manager was surprised to learn that he could objectively watch people and learn about them without judging their behaviour. He carried this lesson over and began observing his team members, not with a where are you messing up? eye, but simply trying to understand their characters and personalities.
His curiosity helped him ask his team members better questions, which led to his staff being more candid with him, which led to improved ideas for developing marketing strategies, which led to new success in the marketing of products for his company.
Turn off the sound on the TV
See if you can tease out what people are saying with their bodies. This is another great way to people-watch.
Separate observations from interpretations
It is easy to misinterpret what you are seeing. For instance, a classic interpretation of crossed arms is that the person is angry or defensive. While it may be true, there are other reasonable explanations. I often feel cold, so I cross my arms to stay warm when I am talking to others. Most people tend to observe scantily, then rush to judgment. Try to observe longer, and when you make an interpretation, validate it.
Close your eyes when you talk on the telephone
Can you hear the persons level of passion and enthusiasm? Are you paying attention, or is your mind wandering? What else are you aware of?
I love talking on the telephone with my eyes closed, because I hear an amazing amount. In addition to uncovering each persons endearing weirdness (everyone is weird, I have decided), I can hear their depth and integrity, what they are not saying, and feel that persons impact on me more profoundly.
Figure out what your gut is trying to tell you about someone
A sales example. Use the following exercise to tap into what you know but arent acknowledging. Think of a problematic relationship with a member of your team. On a piece of paper draw a line down the center from top to bottom. On the right side, write down a conversation with this person that left you feeling uncomfortable. In the left column, write down all the things you thought but did not say.
Try to observe your background thoughts; they are your gut instincts shouting at you. The next part of the exercise, of course, is figuring out how to put those thoughts into words that will get across your message in a constructive way.
So practise these tips for ways of tuning into your curiosity and your ability to gather information through body language as an observer and also pay attention to what your own body is telling you about what needs to be said in order to have a clear focus on what is best for the organization and your people.
Nicki Weiss and Joanne McLean are founders of PharmaMatters, a leadership and team coaching
organization.