Get more from your Manager 1:1s

Outside of the AE <> SDR relationship, the dynamic between a rep and their manager is arguably the most important.

Yet, it’s very common to see this relationship lacking structure and depth.

Too often, I see and hear of this relationship solely revolving around updates on an individual's attainment or chasing for updates on opportunities.

This aligns with the data that 60% of reps said they’d leave a company if their manager wasn’t a good sales coach.

This of course is part of the conversation, but should only take up a small % of any conversation.

So how can you get more out of your 1:1s?

Set a regular cadence for 1:1s

Striving for consistency in your conversation is pivotal in making sure you hold each other accountable to the real-time elements of your day-to-day actions. I’d advise scheduling this time for the start or end of the week in order for you to have time to apply whatever is discussed.

Come with an agenda

Reps who come with a short, clear plan for the time you have with your manager will have the assurance that the conversation will be one of value. You can move the conversation away from an interrogation and into a coaching opportunity.

Salespeople who received quality coaching saw a 19% improvement in long-term performance according to the Sales Executive Council.

Change up environments from time to time

Have your environment, try to align to the conversation you want to have.

If it’s a practical, strategic coaching session on a specific account or opportunity, perhaps consider a room or space with a whiteboard.

If it’s personal catch-up, maybe think about going out for a walk, for a coffee or a less formal environment.

Make sure you’re data-driven

Reviewing and previewing work with the support of KPIs, metrics and data trends will afford you to be more accurate in your actions and the advice you’ll receive from your manager.

Document, action, and play-back

Be sure to take notes of key actions from your 1:1. Spend the first 5-10mins of each session reviewing these actions to see whether you did indeed take action but also to understand the status or outcome of your efforts.

There’s always a good conversation to be had around these progress points.

Final words

If you feel like your 1:1s are inconsistent or lack, coaching and rigor, I’d urge you to take the initiative and bake some of the practices above into your workflow.

Adding depth to your sessions WILL exponentially improve your results.

Whenever you're ready, there are 4 ways I can help you:

1. The SDR Playbook: Bring more structure to how you or your team operate. Book more meetings with less time and effort!
2. AE <> BDR eBook: Drive optimal results through the most important relationship you have in your working ecosystem!
3. ChatGPT eBook: Save time in your planning, strategy, and enablement through the use of pre-proven generative AI prompts.
4. SDR Job Board: If you're looking for an SDR role, or if you’re hiring SDRs whether it be your first or just a new job, add your details so I can try to help!