Comments on: Why Sales Coaching Really Matters http://www.barrett.com.au/blogs/SalesBlog/2009/327/sales-training/why-sales-coaching-matters/ everybody lives by selling something. Thu, 19 Jan 2012 06:15:30 +0000 hourly 1 By: Sue Barrett http://www.barrett.com.au/blogs/SalesBlog/2009/327/sales-training/why-sales-coaching-matters/comment-page-1/#comment-1527 Sue Barrett Mon, 19 Oct 2009 02:14:36 +0000 http://www.barrett.com.au/blogs/SalesBlog/?p=327#comment-1527 Sue, One of the key reasons why organisations don't do this better is the disconnect between what is said and what is then expected by the business leaders. I’ve seen many examples where the CEO will talk about their focus on coaching but then turn around and demand actions that contradict this message. Sales people aren’t stupid. Once they see this happening they realise that coaching is a lame duck exercise and the efforts are often quickly dismissed. As you identified in your post – coaching needs to be a culture across the whole business. If this isn’t led by the CEO then the effects will be minimal. Two pieces of advice I’d add to your list: 1. Don’t coach the result – coach the behaviours that will lead to a change in the result. 2. To coach the result, you need to understand your sales process and you need to ensure your CRM system is giving everyone involved in coaching the right information they need to have a positive impact. As you identified in your post - the research now available that shows the performance difference between those that manage and those who coach cannot be argued - it's simply too obvious. cheers Mark Sue,
One of the key reasons why organisations don’t do this better is the disconnect between what is said and what is then expected by the business leaders.

I’ve seen many examples where the CEO will talk about their focus on coaching but then turn around and demand actions that contradict this message. Sales people aren’t stupid. Once they see this happening they realise that coaching is a lame duck exercise and the efforts are often quickly dismissed.

As you identified in your post – coaching needs to be a culture across the whole business. If this isn’t led by the CEO then the effects will be minimal.

Two pieces of advice I’d add to your list:

1. Don’t coach the result – coach the behaviours that will lead to a change in the result.

2. To coach the result, you need to understand your sales process and you need to ensure your CRM system is giving everyone involved in coaching the right information they need to have a positive impact.

As you identified in your post – the research now available that shows the performance difference between those that manage and those who coach cannot be argued – it’s simply too obvious.

cheers
Mark

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