In meetings with a group of sales managers, it became apparent that there is a trend in terms of sales manager effectiveness. It is so common that the sales manager used to be a good sales rep, that it is typically easiest for them to tell the salespeople what to do, how to do it and when to do it...
If a sales manager can master the art of coaching, not only will they help their salespeople grow and develop but they will make their lives easier as well.
If we use football as the metaphor, the manager of a football team handles the equipment and other “things”. They work with inanimate objects. Coaches, on the other hand, work with people. They influence behaviors. They grow and develop people, not things.
Well it’s the same with sales managers. We call them managers because I suppose they also have to handle inanimate objects such as commissions and contracts, but the reality is, if they focused more on being a coach and less on managing, they might feel more fulfilled and their salespeople will benefit. Ultimately, the company will benefit because salespeople will improve, sales managers won’t be as stressed out and sales will soar.
So, what do I mean to coach? Well, to be proficient at coaching, a sales manager would demonstrate the vast majority, if not all, of the following traits. Check which traits you have of the following:
Total up the number of traits you are proficient in.
If you have 8 or more of these then you are considered a proficient coach!
What other traits to do you find valuable in being an effective coach?
Gretchen Gordon is the CEO of Boost Profits, a consulting firm specializing in sales team transformation. A self-proclaimed “Sales Nerd” with over 27 years of sales, sales leadership, and sales team transformation experience, she spends most of her time working directly with client companies and helping them improve their sales effectiveness and exceed their sales goals. Gretchen is also a frequent guest speaker for industry events and webcasts, and has been featured on the radio talk shows “Meet the Sales Experts” and "Sales Coaching over Coffee." She is also an accomplished writer, having been featured on industry-leading sites like SellingPower.com and SecurityInfoWatch.com. She authors a “Top 50 Sales Management Blog,” according to Docurated.com, and has published sales-focused eBooks, including “The 5 Essentials of Effective Sales Management” and “Cold Calling in the 21st Century.”
Find out more about Gretchen Gordon on LinkedIn
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