by colly | in Uncategorized | 0 comments
The Sales Manager As A Coach
By Colly Graham
Back in the day, well the 80s no one mentioned coaching, it was called kerbside training. A coach is a vehicle to take someone from where they are to where they want to be.
Having said that, Michael Neill in his wonderful book Supercoach states that coaching takes place on three levels: –
Level One is where change is needed in a specific situation, and usually based on the GROW model, (my observation not Michael’s.) Here the sales manager is coaching on sales skills and techniques and is just one step up from sales training. It’s simply performance coaching.
Level Two, Michael is where the coach is helping the coach develop more life skills such as confidence, relationship skills etc. This is more about strategies. Now we are starting to coach a more rounded salesperson.
And finally….
Level Three Global Change, where the sales manager creates a pervasive shift in the whole level of being.
To be successful as a coach the question is who is your coach? Are you willing to open up to your own vulnerability, expose your weaknesses and strengths and display you authentic self?
Coaching is not about adding anything to some’s life, it is about helping them find the answers inside themselves. Sales Manager’s who are successful provide inspiration not information.
- How do you inspire your people?
- What about their mindset?
Selling can be a stressful occupation are you mindful of their mental health.
French philosopher Guillaume Apollinaire: Come to the edge,’ he said. They said, ‘We are afraid.’ ‘Come to the edge,’ he said. They came. He pushed them. And they flew. That’s your role when coaching salespeople.
Leigh Ashton in her book Grow Your People, Grow Your Sales has this to say, “To start with, great sales leaders never focus purely on KPIs and numbers.”
Are you coaching on three levels are you focussing on KPIs or are you focussing on mindset, do you really care about your salespeople or the numbers more important. The success lies in your people not the numbers.
Two Books I recommend all Sales Mangers and Sales Leaders need to read, you will find them on Amazon: –
Leigh Ashton. Grow Your People, Grow Your Sales: A leader’s guide to creating a Growth Mindset Culture
and Michael Neill Supercoach
And Finally, finally would like to be coached by a coach who has a coach
Contact me here
