As a sales leader, there is a time and place to be a manager, a coach, or both. Managers focus on operational tasks, ensuring the day-to-day activities run smoothly. A sales coach, on the other hand, works to develop the sellers and foster growth within the team.
Each role is essential, but harnessing their full potential requires mastery in understanding when to step into each mindset. In our recent Sales Readiness Podcast episode, Ray Makela sat down with Jeff Cordes, SBI’s Senior Director of Training Services, and highlighted that knowing when and how to coach your sellers can make all the difference in building a high-performing team.
Creating a coaching-centric environment within your sales organization delivers undeniable benefits:
By embedding feedback and development into your team’s daily routine, you will enhance performance and build a reputation as a workplace that values growth.
Many frontline managers face challenges transitioning from managing to coaching. One of the biggest obstacles to overcome is their past. Many frontline sales managers were promoted for being top sellers and not trained to coach their sales reps to do the same. Coaching is a learned skill, and mastery requires intention and practice.
Another common hurdle is the instinct to solve problems for the team rather than empowering sales reps to find solutions for themselves. While this approach may seem efficient, it hinders long-term team growth. Coaching to build self-sufficient reps frees up managers in the long run, allowing them to focus on strategic priorities.
Time is a persistent barrier. Frontline managers juggle many responsibilities, from recruiting to managing relationships to progressing deals. However, dedicating time to coaching yields long-term benefits by creating a more autonomous and productive team.
To transition from being a successful sales rep to an effective coach, sales managers must embrace a mindset shift. Goals surrounding personal achievements (the mindset of a sales rep) should shift to advancing the team. To cultivate this new mindset:
This transition requires letting go of the individualist mindset developed as a seller and focusing on elevating the team as a whole.
Some reps may resist coaching, but this often stems from how the coaching is delivered. Start by evaluating your approach. Effective coaching is collaborative and focused on two-way feedback and mutual accountability.
As yourself these critical questions: Are your reps making an effort to improve? Are they receptive to guidance? If resistance persists, it may be a sign they are in the wrong role.
To make coaching a consistent practice, it must become part of your routine. Carve out time for coaching in your weekly schedule and prioritize it as a non-negotiable.
By embedding coaching into your habits, you can create a structure that ensures growth is always top of mind.
Jeff Cordes key takeaway was, “Improve the ability to consistently ask for and deliver feedback.”
Active listening and constructive conversations are at the heart of effective coaching. By honing these skills, sales managers can make the leap to becoming true sales coaches and unlock the full potential of their teams.
Listen to the full conversation here.