Are sales coaching skills actually present in your team?

In our 2023 Whitepaper on 'The Catastropic State of Sales Coaching', we saw progress in sales coaching skills; however, there was a slight discrepancy in the evidence of this progress.

Here are the three major problems our research identified and three actions you can take to improve the use of your sales coaching skillset.

The Problems

Problem #1:?Questions are performance and examination focused

The primary reason for coaching, mentioned by a significant majority of 71%, is to advise to improve performance. This is contrary to what coaching should be, and this statistic reveals the alarming state of sales coaching. Performance-focused coaching models often lead managers to fall into the trap of offering advice instead of guiding individuals to discover their own approaches.

Problem #2:?Sales Coaching is not focused on specific areas

Only 15% of respondents have a structured coaching approach targeting specific areas of development, while a majority (59%) allow coaching conversations to unfold organically. The latter approach assumes the coachee is self-aware of their developmental needs, missing the key benefit of sales coaching, which is to help individuals uncover their blind spots.

Problem #3:?Sales Managers struggle with different experience levels

A significant majority of respondents (59%) stated that they have difficulty coaching people who are either more experienced, have strong personalities, or are unresponsive to coaching – or a combination of these. As a result, many managers make coaching optional for these individuals, undermining the coaching culture and its value to all sales team members and the organisation.?

The Solutions

Solution #1: Use critical question-based coaching.

Thought-provoking critical questions in coaching can boost an individual's ability to generate innovative solutions by up to 70% and have an impressive 80% retention and commitment rate. This emphasises the long-lasting behaviour change benefits of this coaching approach*.

Lead sales professionals to their awareness, not with the answer.

Solution #2: Be specific on what is being coached.

Effective sales coaching requires a specific focus on lead factors that drive performance. Coaching conversations should target areas like deal coaching, account coaching, or value coaching, for example. Casual coaching is ineffective in driving sales success.

Sales coaching is a targeted conversation, not a general one.?

Solution #3:?Build a process sales managers trust.

Managers often struggle with sales coaching due to feelings of inadequacy when coaching individuals with varying experience levels. Implementing a consistent and proven sales coaching process builds trust in its value, irrespective of experience, helping managers overcome these challenges.

Confidence requires trust built through consistency.

________

In conclusion, targeted and structured sales coaching that uses critical questions to help people identify their gaps, clarify their root causes, and explore their own actions will dramatically impact sales performance.?

* Dr. David Rock , author of "Quiet Leadership" and founder of the NeuroLeadership Institute.

Want to know more?

Whitepaper:?Download 'The Catastrophic State of Sales Coaching':?https://bit.ly/gmi_SOSC

Assessment:?Do your own rapid sales coaching effectiveness assessment:?https://bit.ly/gmi_SCR