I often get asked about coaching millenials—the youngest members of the sales force (under age 34), who are the fastest growing segment in today’s workforce. While sweeping statements about an entire generation can never be 100% true for any individual, there are a few factors that do separate millennial salespeople from both Baby Boomers and … Read full article
When we ask the participants in our training courses what “bad sales coaching” would look like, there is no shortage of answers. “Having inconsistent standards” …. “Tell you the problem but don’t help you work through the solution” … “Care only about results and not how we get them” … “Make you do exactly what … Read full article
A few years ago I delivered a two-day workshop to the senior leadership of a 225-person sales organization. One of the several topics in the workshop was to debrief their individual “behavioral profile” assessments. Interestingly, all 7 executives had a similar profile – high dominance and high task orientation, low relationship-focus. When I pointed this … Read full article
As a sales manager you have a high activity level. You work hard every day to both direct and support the efforts of your sales team to produce sales results. But often, a manager’s high activity level can actually inhibit the development of the sales team. As author Steven Covey says so well in 7 … Read full article
Recently a prospect asked me to explain what I meant when I said that many sales managers would be more effective sales leaders if they used what I call “positive confrontation” with their salespeople. Positive confrontation is the discussion that a sales manager has with a salesperson in a timely manner, regarding an unsuccessful behavior … Read full article
Every sales meeting you deliver is an opportunity to showcase your sales management leadership skills. Here are a few specific suggestions: Set a clear meeting objective. Ask yourself, “One month from now, what will be happening differently as a result of this meeting?” The answer is your sales meeting’s primary objective. Anticipate which salespeople are … Read full article
In the new book Steve Jobs, author Walter Isaacson describes Jobs’ thought process in deciding on the name Apple for his new computer company. His choice was inspired by his association with his newest fruitarian diet and a visit to an apple farm. The concept of an apple farm sounded “fun, spirited and not intimidating,” … Read full article
Here’s a suggestion for you to get more value out of every one of your sales coaching opportunities. When I’m observing a salesperson interacting with a customer, my focus is to listen, observe, keep my mouth shut, and take notes. What “notes”? I make a list of the specific questions that I would have liked … Read full article
The Wall Street Journal’s article on Monday by professor/author Robert Sutton, “How a Few Bad Apples Ruin Everything,” provides a good reminder for sales managers to clearly communicate their behavior expectations of their sales force. As Sutton writes, “Having just a few nasty, lazy or incompetent characters around can ruin the performance of a team … Read full article
Don’t become a “rainbird coach.” I had a neighbor who would wait until his lawn had turned brown, and only then turn on his rainbird water sprinkler. I see a lot of sales managers who act the same way: they wait until there’s a meltdown before coaching their people. Far better for a lawn—and a … Read full article