By Steve Jensen, Xvoyant
4-minute read
When I was 14 years old, I played guitar in a band. I decided that I wanted to play the piano, too, so I began taking lessons from a lady in our neighborhood. She was an excellent teacher, and I was motivated to learn, so I advanced quickly. I practiced when I was supposed to practice, learned my scales, worked my way through all the beginner material, and picked some songs that the band wanted to play. I worked on them every day.
The time came for a recital. All the students in my teacher’s classes would participate. I remained silent on the prospect. As the date of the recital drew close, my teacher selected a piece that I was to perform, and I diligently learned it. I had the piece down and was ready to give a perfect performance.
Then came the day of the recital.
I decided not to show up. I didn’t want to play at the recital, and what made the decision easy was that I had never told my teacher or anyone else that I would do it. I had never committed.
The recital went on without me. The other people played their pieces and enjoyed the moment and learned from the endeavor.
I stopped playing the piano shortly after that and never returned to it. The hours that I spent practicing—the money I spent on lessons—all gone. And all because I refused to commit. I kept my options open so that I could quit at any moment, and that lack of obligation proved to be all I needed to fail.
What do I take from that? Commitment is the most important factor in self-improvement. And it translates to every part of life—including sales coaching.
When a sales leader coaches a rep, if there is no commitment, no obligation to uphold, the rep has nothing to be accountable for and the time spent deal coaching or roleplaying or learning a new skill could be wasted.
Getting a commitment is useful in several ways:
- It helps you measure coachability. Did the rep do what was asked of them? Can you count on them achieving the goals you set, learning the new skills you teach, making the extra effort you have asked for? If not, it could be a big deal they let drop instead of a recital. If you track fulfillment of commitments over time, a picture emerges of what you can expect a rep to do.
- It shows engagement. You know a rep has bought into your plan when they promise to complete their part of it.
- It builds confidence. Meeting a commitment is a good feeling. It indicates progress and instills pride. It gives a rep momentum.
- It makes it easier for a rep to get a commitment from potential customers. Understanding the underlying process of assurance creates empathy for the buyer and informs the rep of the method of securing commitment.
Sales coaching, especially in a one-on-one setting, can be challenging.
Let’s face it—sales reps have egos. They like to succeed, and they like to be recognized for it.
Giving poor performers small, achievable goals that they commit to completing will give them a sense of progress.
Independent-minded reps can speak boldly of their intentions and deliver.
Challenging star performers with new and unique commitments can help them achieve their aspirations and improve where there seems to be little room for improvement.
Along with cadence, commitment is one of the key factors in establishing a culture of progress and success. If your reps know what is expected of them, and they have given you a verbal commitment, the chances of succeeding increase dramatically.
Commitment is what transforms the promise into reality. Coaching without commitment is just conversation.
As time goes by, I find myself thinking about playing the piano and I regret giving up on it. If I had made the commitment to the recital, would I have kept playing? Maybe. But I would have the satisfaction of knowing that I said I would do something and then I did it.
Don’t fall into this trap. Start extracting commitments from your teams now. You won’t regret it and you will be surprised at how much more you will accomplish!
Steve Jensen is Vice President of Marketing at Xvoyant.