By: Shari Dalton
Top quality coaches, whether in sales or sports, work with individuals to capitalize on strengths. We see the big picture, like Super Bowl Championships, but we work with individuals or teams to implement the small steps it will take to get there-one play at a time, one game at a time. We listen. We use efficient and high-impact processes to create lasting success.
The most powerful and motivating feeling that people experience is making progress at something that is personally meaningful. As a manager, working with your employees to accomplish THIS should be your sole purpose. With most companies, this isn’t what managers are formally expected to do. In some instances, it may be the goal of the individual manager, but they simply aren’t given the time necessary to accomplish it.
In the eyes of senior management, managers are often responsible for reporting numbers, creating an analysis of the team, helping to improve the accuracy of the forecast numbers and “managing” the day-to-day business of the team. Sound familiar?
It is not uncommon for sales managers to focus interactions with their staff on numbers. Headcount goals, call reports, and a variety of other indices are “usual suspects” when sales managers meet with their employees.
But how often do client managers or recruiters create charts and tables and forecast data. The most likely answer is never. Forecasting and number management doesn’t create growth, nor does it inspire growth for many individuals. Although it is important for establishing goals, the key to creating growth in any sales environment is talent development. Talent development improves the capacity of your sales team members and in doing so directly impacts growth.
Here are just a few reasons to hire a Coach today.
- A study conducted of more than 700,000 salespeople over the last 24 years, concluded that an astonishing 3 out of 4 salespeople aren’t effective at their jobs. The number one reason? NO FORMAL SALES TRAINING OR COACHING! There is no such thing as a sales or recruitment degree. No one ever goes off to college and says, “I can’t wait to be a recruiter for the rest of my life.” Sales and recruitment talent is developed in the field. Some companies offer “training” on their products and services, but no on-going coaching.
- We have all heard of the bell curve in sales. You have your top and bottom 20% and your 60% middle of the road, average salespeople. Harvard Business Review reports that the top and bottom 10% of sales people are not coachable or would have minimal gains with a coach. Either they know what they need to do and are doing it, or they are in the wrong profession altogether. That leaves 80% of your work force. A quality sales coach will boost sales volumes for that middle group by about 20%. I don’t mean to sound presumptuous, but couldn’t your business use a boost like that?
- The use of a coach will create higher retention rates for your sales staff. Nothing says, “I value you and want to see you succeed” like investing in your employees. Offering individual professional coaching is a personal investment towards their individual success. In the words of Richard Bronson, “Train people well enough so they can leave, but treat them well enough so they don’t want to.” And think about what this would do for your culture!!!
- 87% of the knowledge obtained during sales trainings will not be retained if there is not ongoing coaching, reinforcement, and accountability. That means you are wasting 87 cents on every dollar spent for formal training if you don’t continue to work with your employees.
Coaches can provide solutions on all of these areas and bridge the gap from good to great with your teams and individuals. A strong coaching process will provide results that are sustainable over time-not just for the month or quarter. Top quality coaches teach people how to fish, we don’t just feed them for a day.
Did you know that Moxie has a fantastic Coaching Program for Leaders and Recruiters? Call us today for more info!
