Is it possible to broaden sales coaching so that it is not just something that managers do? What then would the benefit be and how can this be created?
Talking about our business opportunities internally is important. By doing this, we can be challenged and get ideas from our colleagues. We can further develop our strategic and tactical sales skills.
Some sales organizations describe this as "we talk opportunities...we brainstorm ideas with each other". Others have weekly reconciliations about the customer situation. All the sales organizations talk about business opportunities, but it is done in slightly different ways.
Is enough business being talked about and in the right way? The majority of all salespeople I meet believe that there is too little coaching in business opportunities. There is a desire for internal and real business discussions with height and which really challenge and develop.
Discussions that don't just talk about sales results and sales process/pipeline, but with the aim of developing the salesperson's strategic and tactical sales skills - more coaching.
Sometimes time is a limiting factor for coaching more. The question then is – is it possible to broaden the business coaching to more people than just the line manager?
Broaden the business coaching The benefit of broadening the coaching to more people is increased commitment, motivation and improvements in tactical and strategic sales. The possibility exists to develop business coaching into something that everyone can do, with or without a manager.
This is not about taking responsibility from the line manager, but about using the capacity of more people to drive competence development through coaching, at the same time that the right deals are pushed forward in the sales process.
What is coaching! There are many definitions of what coaching is. But coaching is usually described as a solution-focused conversation that aims to help/guide a person towards improvement - on the recipient's terms.
Coaching is something that is done actively and has a beginning and an end.
Feedback is more of a feedback that the recipient receives, usually in narrative/push form by the person who "sends".
Can everyone business coach everyone? Is it then possible to develop an approach where everyone has the skills to better coach each other in business?
There are a number of components that can facilitate the pursuit of a more coaching (developing) work climate in a sales organization.
Management must believe that coaching is an important component that develops the organization and the individual's competence and skills.
Management must invest in business coaching. Often this is about making time for coaching.
The organization needs a common sales language/sales methodology. It makes it easier if there are tools (models) that everyone knows/understands that enable the description of, for example, a business opportunity or a situation (stakeholder mapping).
The organization needs to train its skill in sales coaching each other.
Management needs long-term support, support and follow-up.
You can increase a sales organization's sales skills by having more people coach each other more often and better in each other's business opportunities.
Good luck with the coaching!
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