By Steve Jensen
7 min read
When we founded Xvoyant over three years ago, we started most of our conversations with sales leaders on the “Case for Sales Coaching.” We would share data on the importance of coaching and why a sales leader needed a structured plan for how their managers would help each salesperson intentionally improve through great 1:1 coaching.
Today, we never have that conversation. The reason is simple. The case for coaching is so strong that I rarely hear a contradictory opinion on whether 1:1 coaching is an important part of a sales leader’s role.
In fact, in a study conducted last year by Keenan, 83% of sales leaders in a worldwide study claimed they were “Awesome” at coaching. And yet, 48% of the reps working for these leaders claim they NEVER get coaching, and when they do, the 1:1 experience was only “helpful” 13% of the time.
This is a MASSIVE gap…and worse; this is an indicator of a Sales Coaching Crisis:
I’ve spent a lot of time trying to figure out what is driving this coaching gap. I have the opportunity to speak with sales leaders in 52 countries around the world. I also have the opportunity to shadow some of these leaders as they do 1:1’s. As I’ve dug into this problem, I’ve sat in on 1:1s (both live and via phone call), and I’ve paid close attention to what makes for a 1:1 that helps a salesperson improve.
I’ve listened in with the best sales leaders for iconic companies around the world, and I’ve also seen what some of the least impactful leaders do in 1:1s. They are different in many ways.
But there is one way that sales leaders in both camps are very similar.
One thing that the best AND the worst leaders don’t do instinctively.
One of the 1:1s I sat in with a fantastic sales leader highlights what is missing most of the time and the fuel for the ever-widening “Coaching Gap.”
One of the best sales managers I’ve ever worked with was having a 1:1 with a high performer. They identified that this rep needed a few more “at-bats” or new opportunities. This leader asked her rep what he was going to do to solve this challenge.
His response: “I will try to get 2 new opportunities started this week.”
Her response was telling: “Are you going to TRY, or are you going to DO?”
His response was insightful: “I will TRY to DO my best to get it done.”
They both laughed. And both were ready to just move on. There was not any more than just the coaching conversation on the need for a few more new opportunities.
I have found that most leaders enjoy having the “coaching conversation.” They review pipelines, discuss stack rankings, and evaluate activity reports. They like making suggestions… “consider this,” or “you might want to do…” as they help chase opportunities or find ways to be “helpful.”
However, my observations have shown me that most managers don’t instinctively want to set Coaching Goals. They like to have the conversation but stop short of creating commitment.
In the story I shared earlier, this manager asked me, “Rob, what do you suggest we do here?” This led to an insightful conversation around the activities that would most likely lead to the needed two new opportunity starts for this salesperson.
We “unpacked” the activities and skills required to get this done and ultimately set a Coaching Goal to give the salesperson a clear understanding of what he would do more of or do differently to accomplish this important result. The leader and rep set a Coaching Goal in Xvoyant to this end, and the salesperson became noticeably more positive and engaged with the clear understanding of why the activity mattered and what he needed to do to succeed with this plan.
I wasn’t surprised to get an update two weeks later that all the Coaching Goals set in that 1:1 were accomplished, and the rep now had a stronger pipeline…even though he had closed business along the way.
Using Coaching Goals in the 1:1
I don’t know for sure why managers seem hesitant to set Coaching Goals as part of a 1:1. But I am confident this is something managers don’t do instinctively. It might be a fear of micromanaging. It might be a fear of not knowing for sure if the “right” goal is being set.
Whatever the reason, I have found in my experience that if there is no commitment to change, then the behaviors of the rep will not change.
As salespeople, we learn early on that if we can’t get our prospects to make and keep commitments with us, we will have a difficult time winning their business.
The same is true as a sales leader: If you aren’t able to get your salespeople to make and keep commitments to change, you will have a difficult time developing them and their careers.
Every 1:1 should have at least one Coaching Goal. A salesperson must leave the 1:1 with a clear understanding of what they will do more of or what they will do differently, and why it matters.
A Coaching Goal is different than a Sales Goal. A Sales Goal requires a customer to say yes. A Coaching Goal only requires a Salesperson to say yes. A Coaching Goal is a commitment to completing activities or developing skills unique to each salesperson.
Here are three types of Coaching Goals I have found helpful in creating powerful 1:1s:
Pro Tip: Pick 2-3 deals and have goals around achieving verifiers that win business, advance business, or start new business. I’ve seen great leaders adopt this mindset and always have an activity goal around getting a verifier that will get something closed, getting a verifier that will advance a deal, and getting a verifier that will get a new deal started. These are easy ways for salespeople to commit with confidence and understand why the goal is important to their success.
Pro Tip: Only have a single performance coaching goal at a time. These may have slightly longer time horizons. Instead of a two-week goal, these may be a 2-3 month goal. In addition, use the “What If” calculator in Xvoyant to make sure you are finding ways to help each rep improve by at least 10%. If you can have a forward-looking conversation with each rep that results in them committing to make changes that help them improve by very specific, predictable amounts, you’ll find the willingness to commit to change improves almost immediately.
Pro Tip: Take the time to know the career ambitions for each member of your team. Don’t assume they all want what you want. Your job is to help your reps solve problems they care about and achieve results in their careers that matter to them. Make sure the 1:1 is not just “Your Time,” make sure it is “Our Time.”
A Coaching Goal Warning
Coaching goals are a difference-maker. But start slowly and learn to use them effectively. (See the ebook, 7 Deadly Sins of 1:1 Sales Coaching.) Here are three things to watch for as you add Coaching Goals to your 1:1s:
I just met with one of our Enterprise customers that showed me a $1MM+ deal that will close before the year ends. In February, they had a coaching goal to get this deal out of the first stage and to become an active pursuit. In August, they had another coaching goal to “Unstick the XYZ Deal” (I loved this goal name!!!). And now, they have a goal to get the final verifier complete so the deal can close by year-end. This is a great example of not confusing Coaching Goals with Sales Goals.
When a salesperson leaves the 1:1 with a clear sense of what she will do more of or do differently as a result of meeting with you, you are on the road to having 1:1s that will close that massive Coaching Gap.
Here’s the good news…you are 100% in charge of how you make the 1:1 valuable to the members of your team. So have collaborative conversations. Identify the key ways a rep can get intentionally better at what they do.
And help them commit to their year-end future.
Conversations without commitment are NOT coaching. They are just another conversation.
Make your 1:1s matter and start including Coaching Goals as part of every single 1:1.
You’ll thank me later.
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Steve Jensen is VP of Marketing at Xvoyant