Making Progress on the Sales Coaching Journey

Welcome to the first edition of the Sales Coaching blog. As someone who is radically committed to the value of good coaching, it is my hope that you will find this space to be a powerful addition to your toolbox and your pursuit of creating excellence.

So, where are you? Are you at the beginning, the middle, or the end? Of the journey, I mean. The coaching journey.

And don't give me some pseudo-plausible excuse that it isn't a journey, because that would only give you away. The coaches I know, especially the great ones, always talk about how coaching is a journey. You are always working on something. Even when you think you have "arrived," the players change the rules. Imagine how successful Vince Lombardi would be with today's athlete. He would either crush the athlete's will or be run out of town for being "out of touch" with today's player. Conversely, imagine how Phil Jackson's Zen approach to Jordan or Kobe would have worked in yesteryear.

But that's the confusing thing. You see, we often interchange the title with the role - and that's not smart. Just because you are called Coach (or have a coaching mandate from HR) doesn't mean you know how to do it, and vice versa. Know anyone who is great at coaching yet doesn't have the title? You probably do. You see, great coaching is about all the skills, talents, and wisdom needed to bring the best out of others.

So, back to the question at hand... where are you? Seriously, think about it before you read on.

Next question: where are you going? Are you moving forward, or are you repeating the same experiences and lessons over and over again. In other words, are you a ten-year coaching veteran or a "Coach" with one year's experience ten times? Want a real dose of honesty? Go ask your players. What would they say?

I don't know how, but we've become isolated from the idea that leaders are responsible for making others special. It's not about showing how special you are.

Look back at your calendar for the last couple of weeks. How much time did you spend on bringing the best out of your players? Now, how much time did you spend showing how special you were? Need examples? Bringing the best out of others looks like coaching one on ones, joint sales calls where you let your player take the lead, and following up on your players' successes by letting them know how proud you are of them. Showing how special you are looks like taking over the sales call, calling folks to tell them they failed (or worse, "letting them know" they are behind and need to get their numbers up), or simply spending all your time on administrative crap.

I can't tell you what the right ratio is (every situation is different), but if you feel guilty right now, do something about it. And if you feel good, pat yourself on the back and turn your momentum into focus. Be acutely aware of what you are doing right, and do more of it. It will define your journey. And increase your sales.

Sincerely ~ Tim

Grow your people. Grow your revenue.