What comes to mind when you define “coach?” Some guy with a whistle, maybe a memory of someone you played for on a team, or people on the sideline directing their team to play better? Most of us have the context of the sports-type coach. But, unfortunately, this is where the pitfalls of do-it-yourself coaching can trip you up and hurt your team.

What is a performance coach, and what does this have to do with sales?

In simplest terms, a performance coach collaborates in a relationship based on trust and curiosity and includes a structure to experiment and explore new ways of thinking and behaving. Encouraging someone to grow in a way that fosters self-evaluation and action takes more than cheerleading. It requires an agreed-upon plan, an accountability system, and a focus on the coachee. The great thing about adding coaching to your management style is it provides a demonstrable change in how your salespeople perform. Here is a great secret…a study from 1997 found that coaching increased productivity by 88%. So it makes sense to get this right!

So, you want to do coaching, but how could it go wrong?

It can go wrong quickly. Coaching is about paying attention to the person, not just the outcomes. So, if you can skip these pitfalls, you are ahead of the game.

Pitfall #1: Not making the time. It is tough to balance the operational tasks you already have and meetings with making time to coach each of your sales reps. However, by not making the time, you undermine any accountability and steps toward goals, inadvertently perpetuating the perception that your sales rep is merely someone to nag. Instead, regularly scheduled coaching time supports the sales rep in tackling challenging goals (procrastination, fear of the phone, or dealing with demanding customers) while keeping track of how the whole person is growing.

Pitfall #2: Coaching the action. Focusing only on the numbers misses how the salesperson is “being.” This is where the temptation to be the cheerleader or the nag comes in. When you say “good job” or “c’mon, I know you can do better,” this ignores the heart and mind of the sales rep. Is something going on at home that is preventing him from fully performing? Is she frustrated with too many “no’s,” and this is causing a confidence crisis? Asking, “how’s it going?” and wanting to hear the honest answer opens up opportunities for you to support your team member and anticipate potential problems.

Pitfall #3: Doing it for. Maybe you have been a salesperson in the field yourself. Or you are a caring person who doesn’t like to see others struggle when you can help. But…there is help, and there is doing for. Your salesperson has to struggle to learn. For example, if you go out on a sales call and do most of the work of the conversation, how does your salesperson develop her style of selling? Asking questions to deepen your salesperson’s skills and understanding and providing homework will be more potent in the long run.

Pitfall #4: Using accountability to punish your sales rep: Coaching does not have a pass/fail. Some people believe that if you point out how your sales rep is failing, he will be automatically motivated to improve. Recent motivation research finds that negativity kills self-initiative, creativity, and morale. Coaching is always about deepening the learning. Doing accountability right means learning about how your salesperson experiences success and failure, their thinking, and coping styles.

Pitfall #5: Mixing up mentoring, training, and coaching:  Mentoring, training, and coaching all have their place, and it is possible to have all of these roles with your sales team. It is essential to keep in mind that they all have different applications. They are starting with the easiest one…training. Training is teaching someone a new skill or tweaking their skill set educationally. A mentor has a more informal, long-term relationship that includes a personal aspect and guidance. A coach tends to be a more formal, designed, and collaborative relationship that focuses on a specific area or goal the coachee wants to enhance in their life. In your case, your sales rep wants to sell better and meet their goals.

There are more pitfalls for managers who want to coach their salespeople. These are probably the most common ones. Stepping back for a moment to see where you might be tripping up is essential to your development too.

Getting away from the pitfalls

There are some basic ways to avoid the pitfalls of DIY coaching. After taking that step back to assess if you might be tripping yourself up, learning good coaching techniques is crucial. There are two things a good coach does:

1. Listen deeply. Certain words, tone of voice, and body language can let you know what your sales rep is honestly thinking and feeling about his performance. Sometimes it is hard to put into words; this is where you, as a coach, can help articulate concerns, hopes, and goals. By placing your agenda on hold, listening sincerely acknowledges your team member and supports his growth.
2. Ask open questions. There is a concept in the coaching world about using a learner’s mind…even if you have expertise. Asking available questions sparks your sales rep’s creativity and problem-solving. You aren’t the one who has to have all of the answers. You have to be the one who is curious about why your salesperson thinks she will get a deal that she has been chasing for months or why she feels excited about landing a new customer. Good starter questions are “how’s it going?” and “What did you notice?” There are loads of powerful questions that get people looking at themselves from a completely different angle.

These two basic coaching skills are just the beginning. Basing your coaching style on the sports type of coach can lead to missing essential information. For example, sales performance and leadership research indicate that coaching is critical to maximizing performance. But doing it yourself without developing your skills as a coach puts you at risk of tripping over the pitfalls. It is just not worth damaging your team’s morale to do less.

When you think about sales effectiveness at your organization, does it seem like you are close but just missing those unique elements that give you that competitive edge? Looking for a way to understand how your buyer thinks, decides, and reveals information? At The Nova Consulting Group, we believe that professional selling is a craft. With the Advanced Sales Conversation©, you have those missing elements that move your salespeople from competency to mastery. With our deep understanding of what makes and sustains high-performance organizations, we provide integrated solutions that do not replace your sales methodology and yet advance a progressive selling mindset. Be bolder, more insightful, and get results. To learn more about how to master the craft of sales and encourage sustainable high performance, call  (617) 933-7249 or email info@novaconsultinggrp.com.

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