Step Two To Extraordinary Coaching
If it's true that there are too few sales leaders who are good coaches, there are far fewer sales
leaders who are also great coaches. That makes sense, given the characteristics all great coaches
share in common.
The good coach, as I said last month, is adept at teaching the fundamentals of his or her discipline.
In sales, the great coach, like the good coach, is an effective teacher who teaches and reinforces
the fundamentals of selling. What makes them great coaches is their knack for recognizing talent
and potential in their team members that many others simply don't see, their ability to motivate their
sales teams, and their communication skills.
Managing Strengths
A sales leader who is also a great coach, for example, may see that while a team member is reluctant
to prospect for new business, she exhibits great ability to capitalize on any opportunity she encounters.
Great coaches know that it is folly to manage to a person's weaknesses. They know the words of
Sun Tzu, who wrote in The Art of War: “Do not charge people to do what they cannot do. Select
them and give them responsibilities commensurate with their abilities.”
The sales leader who is a great coach will zero in on the strengths of each team member and help
them develop these strengths to improve their performance. These leaders refuse to allow a team
member to fail. When a team member falters, and is obviously unable to execute the duties of his
position, the sales leader who is also a great coach will place the team member in a new position – a position better suited to the individual's talents and desires.
Master Motivator
The sales leader who is a great coach is also a master motivator. He knows that uncovering the
personal drivers of each team member provides the key to motivation. He is a master at using that
information to inspire the team members toward great performance. He knows that when people
sense a clear, personal benefit in any activity, and when they begin to excel in their performance,
they are likely to continue that activity with vigor, enthusiasm and determination.
Master Communicator
Finally, like all great coaches, the sales leader who is a great coach is a master communicator. He
is always brutally honest with the members of his team. His assessments of individual performances,
and his evaluation of a team member's potential, are direct, honest and emphatic.
Recognizing the paramount importance of the team, and respectful of individual needs, he clearly
communicates what contributions are needed from each team member. He also clearly delineates
the consequences of failure to deliver those contributions.
Next month we will examine the ultimate in coaching – the extraordinary coach. What characteristics
and talents do extraordinary coaches share in common, and what can sales leaders do to develop
themselves into extraordinary coaches of their sales teams?
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Copyright © 2009 Selling Up™. All Rights Reserved.
About the author: Steve Chriest is the founder of Selling Up™ (www.selling-up.com), a sales consulting
firm specializing in revenue and sales improvement for organizations of all types and sizes in a variety of
industries. He is also the author of Selling The E-Suite, The Proven System For Reaching and Selling
Senior Executives and Profits and Cash – The Game of Business. You can reach Steve at
schriest@selling-up.com.
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