6 min read
Congratulations. You’re now promoted to the coveted job of a sales leader.
Here’s your team.
Here’s the quota.
Don’t miss it.
By the way, we need a forecast on Friday.
Sound familiar?
Sales leaders are asked to do a lot of things.
So many things that it is sometimes difficult to know what to emphasize.
One of these things they are asked to do is “coach their team.”
And most managers think they are coaching and doing a great job. One study identified 83% of managers believe they are “awesome” at coaching.
Unfortunately…the reps working for these managers had a different opinion.
The reps of these managers were asked how effective coaching was and 48% said it “Never happens.” 87% said when it did happen…coaching was “worthless.”
Worthless. That’s strong talk.
Almost as strong as self-identifying as “awesome.” Why the disconnect?
This coaching gap is a huge part of why there is a sales leadership crisis.
Why the Disconnect?
This is an important point for every sales leader…at any level…to consider. Sales leaders are doing what they THINK is coaching, …and what they THINK is effective.
They are trying to coach.
They know they need to.
They want to be good at it.
The reality is that very few sales leaders are ever taught how to coach effectively.
As a result, we shouldn’t be surprised that the leadership and coaching activities are more often identified as ineffective by the salespeople on the receiving end of these attempts at coaching.
What are you chasing?
The challenge in coaching comes in what both salespeople and sales leaders are chasing.
Sometimes it is activity.
Other times it is outcomes.
For a few, it is improvement.
So to sales leaders around the world…ask yourselves right now: Why do I coach? What is the purpose? What are we chasing?
The answer to these three questions will identify quickly what kind of sales leader/sales coach you are.
Here are 3 sales leadership types as it relates to coaching. Each spends time coaching. Each believes their focus is the right approach.
Each creates a much different impact on their organization and with the people they lead.
The Rookie
The rookie is focused on outcomes. It’ a “show me the money” or results-orientation. They typically highlight pipeline creation or actual sales. But this leader is beating the outcome drum because this leader is consumed and driven by the pressure of hitting the number.
For Rookies, focusing on the numbers really matters. They have to sell. The go-to button for this type of a leader is the“more” button with no other buttons to press in how they lead. These leaders really are numbers-centric in how they view their job.
You’ll see lots of emphasis on the leaderboard. Rookie leaders start every meeting with their magic spreadsheet. Each rep is compared against the “average” or the relative spot on the leaderboard. Raising reps to the top is the goal.
Coaching here is about work ethic. The “Grind” is celebrated. The hardest workers are highlighted. These leaders rely on games and contests to try to artificially engage the team.
Too often this is a recipe for burnout. Having reps focus on outcomes that are often beyond their direct control is draining. Sometimes, work ethic is the coaching recipe for an individual. But the main thing missing in the Rookie sales coach is an emphasis and understanding of the individual. The Rookie assumes all reps are created equal. If you ever hear your leader saying “It’s a Numbers Game…” you’re working for a Rookie.
If you’re only emphasizing the work ethic…if you’re emphasizing the effort over all else…you very likely can move to a different level and have a much better impact. In my experience, Rookies aren’t leaders…they are just accountants highlighting the bottom line. They fail to understand that numbers don’t drive people, people drive numbers.
Herd mentality is not the stuff that brings out greatness in individuals. At some point, the relentless push for “More” leads to reps Burning Out and then Opting Out.
The sad fact is, most sales leaders never get past this level. This is a huge reason why sales organizations see turnover in excess of 30% every year.
They are being driven out by their Rookie managers.
The Amateur
The amateur understands that Outcomes are fueled by Habits and Patterns that make up a salesperson. The amateur also knows that Habits and Patterns are fueled by a salesperson’s behaviors.
These leaders understand that in order for Outcomes to change, we first need to work to change behaviors. Sometimes this comes in the form of doing more of an activity or doing different activities.
Other times this comes in the form of developing new skills reps need to master a given activity..
Amateur coaches take a close look at individual behaviors. And it is a MASSIVE upgrade over the Rookies that just crack the whip. The coaching conversations here are complex are largely about behaviors.
And while this is better, it sets up a very difficult challenge: Understanding the Art of Overcoming willpower.
Most of these conversations are about the fight for discipline. If you don’t change your behaviors, then you must not be disciplined enough. Amateur leaders see themselves as cheerleaders, which is mentally exhausting for both leaders and reps.
A great example of this is a fitness or diet plan. A fitness coach will describe the workout plan and the diet required to transform a person’s body. And when a person gets started, they can do it.
For a little while.
You can beat your willpower for a day.
You can beat your willpower for a week.
You can beat your willpower for a month.
You can beat it…for a while.
But ultimately, your willpower will get you…if the only thing fueling your effort is an emphasis on discipline.
Coaching around the Discipline of a person leads to burnout…almost as much as coaching around Work Ethic does.
The amateur coaches will tell their reps that if they are disciplined enough, they will win.
And these “Coaches” create what I refer to as a 50-50 salesperson. They are on for a day and then they are off.
They have a good hour and then they have a bad one.
They have moments where they beat the battle with their willpower, and then they have moments when they don’t.
How many 50-50 reps do you have on your team?
You know who they are. And a big part of the reason they are a 50-50 is because of how they’ve been developed and coached.
So if the coaching conversation is only about behaviors, you’re doing better than most coaches. But if you want to become a legendary leader, you need to move past your behavior conversation and trade the discipline conversation into something much more impactful.
The Pro
The professional sales coach knows the battle against willpower only leads to short term victories. As a result, they have a different focal point in their 1:1 coaching conversation.
The most successful sales leaders move past behaviors and focus on what the salesperson actually believes.
What she believes is possible for her.
What he believes is possible for anyone.
This leader works on expanding beliefs and changing the focus.
Many salespeople don’t have any idea just how great they can be.
Most have never had someone help them see what “Awesome” looks like…and what really is possible.
Most have never had their leader have an ambitious “What If” conversation with them.
But leaders who do have a remarkable impact on each and every member of their team.
What you Believe…What you THINK about….that’s what drives your behaviors.
So if you can coach someone at the level of thought and at the level of belief, then the salesperson will naturally change their behaviors.
Almost automatically.
Seemingly effortlessly.
The Pro leaders help the members of their team trade the discipline in for the desire. Desire is a fuel that transforms both behaviors and outcomes.
And it comes from having aspirational conversations.
If your 1:1s aren’t tapping into the aspirations of each individual, the tactical work plan will ultimately flame out.
This is a big deal.
Your 1:1 needs to emphasize the beliefs and thoughts of the salesperson.
Sometimes, your coaching will need to share your belief in them.
It is very common for a salesperson to look in the mirror and see a kitty-cat when the reality is they need to look in the mirror and see a lion.
Your mission is to help the individual find the Lion in the mirror…and then help them put a plan together that will bring that lion to life.
If you keep the aspiration alive…if you can help form new beliefs…then you can help the salesperson evolve.
You can’t…and shouldn’t try to build a 100-0 salesperson.
But you can help develop a 90-10 salesperson.
And you can create a 95-5 salesperson.
If you help them to have a different belief system.
Do you know the aspirations of each rep on their team? If you know this (the why), you can then start pushing the “How” button in a way that an individual will not only respond to…
They’ll thank you for it.
Trade Discipline for Desire.
Trade Behaviors for Beliefs.
And if you do, you’ll get all the discipline you need and behaviors will change faster than you thought possible.
And that is how outcomes transform without causing burnout.
Dream or Nightmare?
One of my favorite examples of this is Bill Buckner of the Boston Red Sox. He had a Hall-of-Fame worthy career…he won a batting championship, hit .300 seven times, and came within a season of the elite 3,000 hit club. As good as his batting was, he was known as one of the most reliable fielders in the game. Buckner’s numbers are better than many in the Hall of Fame.
But an All-Star career…a Hall-of-Fame career…was reduced to a single play in the 1986 World Series.
The Red Sox were on the verge of breaking the Curse of the Bambino…about to win their first World Series since the day they traded Babe Ruth in December of 1919. Leading up to this trade, the Red Sox had won 5 of the first 15 World Series. After this trade…
Nothing. The curse was real.
In 1986, the Sox were ready to break the curse against the New York Mets. They were up 3 games to 2. They were in the final inning, up 1 run and had 2 outs.
One more out and the curse was over.
Many of you know how this game ended. But before we revisit that ending, it is important to share a story very few people know.
19 days before this game, Buckner was interviewed by a sports reporter. In this interview, Buckner made the following statement:
19 days earlier…he wasn’t just thinking about the nightmare of letting the game-winning ball ball go through his legs.
He thought about it enough that he talked about it.
He said it.
His thoughts were fueling his nightmare…not his dream.
And when showtime came…when a routine ground ball came that should have led to the final out and the Red Sox’s first title since 1919…
The nightmare became the reality.
Make sure you are reinforcing the dreams of your reps.
Make sure you are talking about the aspirations of each rep…regularly…and are creating plans that get them there.
You will do whatever it is you think about.
That’s why focus matters so much.
Don’t focus on how hard the grind is.
Don’t focus on how challenging behavior change can be.
Focus on how amazing the dream is…and how close the rep actually is to it.
Don’t let the focus turn what could be a Hall of Fame Career into a moment of infamy.
Discipline does not drive Outcomes.
Right now, sales teams need action-oriented leadership, not arms-length leadership.
Things are changing and changing fast.
One thing that is the same: Salespeople still want to work for organizations and leaders that will best help them win.
Take the challenge to learn to coach like a pro.
You do have to evaluate Outcomes.
You do have to consider Behaviors.
But don’t lose sight of the fuel of real transformation.
Belief.
Thought.
You can’t do anything without thinking about it first.
Dream or Nightmare?
The focus is up to you.
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