Sales Coaching 101

It is estimated that the business coaching market is worth approximately $2.4 billion and is growing at about 18% per year. Additionally, business coaching is reported as the second fastest growing industry following the IT industry, by the National Post. It's therefore no surprise to see over 42.2 million internet search results for the term "sales coaching".

What is sales coaching? Does it work? If sales-coaching is an effective intervention, what do coaches need to learn to be more effective?

Let's begin by establishing the difference between a sales manager and a sales coach. In general terms, managing often includes "telling or evaluating" while coaching comes in the form of "questioning and developing". Therefore, coaching is NOT telling someone what to do, nor is it giving advice or providing solutions. Coaching is about providing support to someone by championing their success. It's about asking great questions to encourage you to leverage your own stable of resources, to discover the solutions you didn't know you had. A coach is someone who appropriately challenges you to explore different perspectives and expand your self-limiting views.

Prior to coaching others, consider this short list of questions:

Sales coaches must demonstrate a sincere interest in the success of others. Do you have a "me" focus or a "we" focus?
Great sales coaches are able to keep their personal agendas out of coaching conversations. Are you able to maintain a non-judgmental view of situations and help others discover solutions they didn't know how to find?
How self-aware are you? Are you able to listen to your own feelings and check how they affect your behavior?

In order to increase a coaching experience, salespeople must be willing to be coached. Consider the following:

Prior to receiving coaching, one must realize and accept that changes are necessary.
Personal accountability for your current and future performance is required.
How open to being challenged are you?