Sales manager training is widely recognized as a key performance driver, yet many companies fail to invest in and deliver sales manager training programs regularly. In the latest episode of the Sales Readiness Podcast, our host Ray Makela sat down with Dave Lingebach, Senior Research Manager at SBI, to dive into the implications of providing dedicated frontline sales manager training.
In this discussion, the two will unpack SBI’s latest research, Closing the Training Gap for Frontline Sales Managers. In partnership with the Revenue Enablement Society (RES), SBI surveyed 134 commercial leaders in public and private companies to understand the impact of sales manager training on seller productivity and what modern enablement teams are doing to address frontline manager skill development.
Most companies aren’t doing enough to develop their frontline sales managers. According to the research, only 60% of organizations have a dedicated training program for sales managers, and of those that do, only a third were able to deliver training to their managers in the past 12 months.
As Dave points out, there’s always something urgent pulling managers away, and as a result, training gets deprioritized. Neglecting manager training is a risky decision. Without proper training and support, sales managers are left to rely on instinct or replicate what worked for them as a seller. This tactic rarely leads to scalable team performance.
A major theme of the conversation was the rapid promotion cycle that occurred during and after COVID. Faced with aggressive growth targets, many companies promoted top-performing reps into management roles without a clear plan to develop their leadership capabilities.
Dave put it best: “We needed managers, and we needed them fast. But that meant skipping steps, elevating people based on their sales performance, not their ability to lead.”
The research confirmed that many of today’s frontline managers have received very little formal development since stepping into their roles. This has created a capability gap, where the responsibilities of a manager are misaligned with the skills they have been trained to use.
The Shift from Seller to Manager is More Than a Title Change
Both Ray and Dave emphasized that the transition from seller to manager is more than a change in job function, but a complete shift in skill set. Top sellers close deals and hit their numbers. High-impact sales managers build a culture and coach effectively.
The research suggests that enabling managers requires a different approach from enabling reps. Many organizations continue to treat manager development as an extension or afterthought of seller training, rather than providing a dedicated frontline sales manager training.
If your team members are having trouble navigating this shift, SBI’s High-Impact Sales Coaching Program equips your sales managers with the skills, knowledge, and tools they need to maximize their teams' sales performance
Manager Enablement Yields Results
The organizations that do prioritize manager development are seeing measurable gains. Dave explained that companies investing in structured, consistent manager enablement report stronger team performance, with a 7% increase in quota attainment and potentially thousands of dollars of lost revenue.
This is due to the widespread influence of a great sales manager. When you train a seller, you are improving the performance of one individual. When you train a manager to coach and lead effectively, you are elevating the performance of an entire team.
The Measurement Challenge
One of the biggest barriers to expanding manager enablement is the difficulty of capturing ROI. The impact of manager development tends to be long-term and unclear.
The conversation highlighted a need for better frameworks to assess manager impact beyond quota attainment. Metrics like rep retention, coaching frequency, and performance consistency may offer a more complete picture.
Take Action Now
The episode ended with a call to action for executives and enablement leaders. Manager enablement cannot be optional and treating it as a one-time training initiative won’t move the needle.