The Power of Coaching: How Sales Managers Can Drive Productivity

Sales managers are often the unsung heroes of any successful sales organization. While individual contributors typically receive the spotlight for closing deals, it's the sales managers who lay the foundation for consistent performance and sustainable growth. They are responsible for much more than just hitting targets; they are coaches, mentors, and strategists who empower their teams to achieve their full potential. In this blog post, we'll delve into the crucial role of sales managers and their coaching activities as key drivers of sales productivity, drawing from the insightful experiences of Matt Cohen. We will also explore the importance of a growth mindset in fostering continuous improvement and development within the sales team. This discussion expands upon the ideas shared in our recent podcast episode, "2. Matt Cohen: On bootstrapping sales enablement and onboarding," where Matt shared his expertise on sales enablement and onboarding.

The Undervalued Role of Sales Managers

In many organizations, the role of the sales manager is often viewed through a narrow lens – primarily as a performance monitor and quota enforcer. While these aspects are undoubtedly important, they represent only a fraction of what a truly effective sales manager brings to the table. Sales managers are the linchpin between the company's strategic objectives and the individual efforts of the sales team. They are responsible for translating high-level goals into actionable plans, providing guidance and support, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

Unfortunately, many sales managers are promoted based on their individual sales performance, without necessarily possessing the skills and training required to effectively lead and coach a team. This can lead to a situation where sales managers are more focused on closing deals themselves, rather than empowering their team members to succeed. As a result, the potential for increased sales productivity and overall team performance remains untapped.

To unlock the full potential of the sales team, organizations must recognize the strategic importance of the sales manager role and invest in developing their leadership and coaching skills. This includes providing ongoing training and development opportunities, as well as creating a supportive environment where sales managers feel empowered to take on their coaching responsibilities.

Matt Cohen's Perspective on Sales Enablement

Matt Cohen, a seasoned sales enablement professional, brings a wealth of experience and insights into the importance of sales manager coaching. Throughout his career, Matt has consistently emphasized the crucial role that sales managers play in driving sales productivity and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. He believes that sales enablement should focus not only on providing reps with the right tools and resources, but also on equipping sales managers with the skills and knowledge they need to effectively coach and develop their teams.

According to Matt, sales enablement is not just about technology or content; it's about empowering sales managers to become better leaders and coaches. This involves providing them with the training, resources, and support they need to effectively onboard new hires, provide ongoing coaching and feedback, and create a positive and motivating team environment. In our podcast, Matt highlighted his experience at Dotmatics where sales enablement is viewed as a strategic function within the organization. This recognition underscores the impact of enablement in driving sales success.

Matt also emphasizes the importance of aligning sales enablement efforts with the specific needs and challenges of the sales team. This requires a deep understanding of the sales process, the customer journey, and the skills and knowledge required to succeed in the role. By tailoring sales enablement initiatives to address these specific needs, organizations can maximize their impact on sales productivity and overall team performance.

The Importance of Sales Manager Coaching

Coaching is a critical aspect of the sales manager's role, and it goes far beyond simply telling reps what to do. Effective coaching involves actively listening to reps, understanding their challenges, providing constructive feedback, and helping them develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. It's about creating a supportive and collaborative environment where reps feel empowered to take risks, learn from their mistakes, and continuously improve their performance.

One of the key benefits of sales manager coaching is that it helps to improve individual rep performance. By providing personalized guidance and support, sales managers can help reps identify their strengths and weaknesses, develop strategies for overcoming challenges, and improve their overall sales skills. This can lead to increased sales productivity, higher close rates, and improved customer satisfaction.

In addition to improving individual rep performance, sales manager coaching can also help to foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the sales team. By encouraging reps to seek feedback, experiment with new approaches, and share their knowledge and experiences with others, sales managers can create a team environment where everyone is constantly learning and growing.

To be effective coaches, sales managers need to possess a specific set of skills and qualities. These include:

• Active Listening: The ability to truly hear and understand what reps are saying, both verbally and nonverbally.
• Empathy: The ability to understand and share the feelings of reps.
• Constructive Feedback: The ability to provide specific and actionable feedback that helps reps improve their performance.
• Patience: The ability to remain patient and supportive, even when reps are struggling.
• Positive Reinforcement: The ability to recognize and reward reps for their accomplishments.

Growth Mindset: Fostering Continuous Improvement

A growth mindset, as popularized by Carol Dweck, is the belief that intelligence and abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. This contrasts with a fixed mindset, which is the belief that intelligence and abilities are fixed traits that cannot be changed. Cultivating a growth mindset within the sales team is crucial for fostering continuous improvement and achieving long-term success. Matt Cohen, along with the podcast host, are both big fans of Carol Dweck's book "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success."

When sales reps have a growth mindset, they are more likely to embrace challenges, persist through setbacks, and view failures as opportunities for learning and growth. They are also more open to feedback and more willing to experiment with new approaches.

Sales managers play a crucial role in fostering a growth mindset within their teams. They can do this by:

• Encouraging a Focus on Learning: Emphasize the importance of continuous learning and development. Provide reps with opportunities to attend training sessions, read industry articles, and participate in online courses.
• Providing Constructive Feedback: Focus on providing specific and actionable feedback that helps reps improve their performance. Avoid using vague or judgmental language.
• Celebrating Effort and Progress: Recognize and reward reps for their effort and progress, not just their results. This helps to reinforce the message that hard work and dedication are valued.
• Creating a Safe Environment for Experimentation: Encourage reps to experiment with new approaches and take risks. Let them know that it's okay to make mistakes, as long as they learn from them.
• Sharing Success Stories: Share stories of reps who have overcome challenges and achieved success through hard work and dedication. This can help to inspire and motivate others.

Key Takeaway 1: Sales Enablement Charter

One of the key takeaways from Matt Cohen's experiences is the importance of having a strong sales enablement charter. A sales enablement charter is a document that outlines the purpose, scope, and objectives of the sales enablement function. It serves as a roadmap for the sales enablement team, ensuring that their efforts are aligned with the overall goals of the organization. A strong sales enablement charter informs prospective stakeholders of your focus and potential impact. It also keeps the sales enablement team from becoming the task "trash can."

A well-defined sales enablement charter should include the following elements:

• Mission Statement: A clear and concise statement of the sales enablement function's purpose.
• Scope: A definition of the specific areas of the sales organization that the sales enablement function will support.
• Objectives: Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for the sales enablement function.
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Metrics that will be used to track the success of the sales enablement function.
• Stakeholders: Identification of the key stakeholders who will be involved in the sales enablement process.

By having a strong sales enablement charter in place, organizations can ensure that their sales enablement efforts are focused, aligned, and effective.

Key Takeaway 2: People Before Task

Another important takeaway is the importance of prioritizing people over tasks. This means taking the time to get to know your team members, building relationships, and understanding their individual motivations and goals. As Matt mentioned, "get to know people, build the relationship and understand their 'why' before you engage in the tasky stuff." This approach is inspired by Scott Sinek's teachings on the importance of understanding your "why" in order to achieve success.

When sales managers focus on building strong relationships with their team members, they are more likely to create a positive and supportive team environment. This, in turn, can lead to increased employee engagement, higher productivity, and improved retention rates.

Some specific ways that sales managers can prioritize people over tasks include:

• Holding regular one-on-one meetings with team members.
• Providing opportunities for team members to share their ideas and feedback.
• Recognizing and celebrating team members' accomplishments.
• Providing support and guidance when team members are struggling.

Key Takeaway 3: Crawl-Walk-Run Approach

Matt also emphasizes the importance of taking a "crawl-walk-run" approach to implementing new sales enablement initiatives. This means starting small, focusing on the basics, and gradually scaling up as you gain experience and confidence. Crawl-walk-run is better than "boil the ocean." Focus on the basics...a few basics... Take on a smallish project with good potential for impact. Ensure that it's successful, then use that success to build support for the next project.

Trying to implement too many changes at once can be overwhelming and lead to failure. By starting small and focusing on a few key priorities, organizations can increase their chances of success and build momentum for future initiatives.

Some examples of how to apply the "crawl-walk-run" approach to sales enablement include:

• Starting with a pilot program: Before rolling out a new sales enablement initiative to the entire sales team, consider starting with a pilot program involving a small group of reps. This will allow you to test the initiative, gather feedback, and make adjustments before launching it more broadly.
• Focusing on the basics: Don't try to implement too many fancy features or complex processes at once. Focus on the basics, such as providing reps with the right training, tools, and resources.
• Gradually scaling up: As you gain experience and confidence, you can gradually scale up your sales enablement efforts by adding new features, processes, and technologies.

Key Takeaway 4: Solutions-Oriented Problem Solving

Finally, Matt emphasizes the importance of being solutions-oriented when addressing problems. This means not only identifying the root cause of a problem, but also developing and proposing potential solutions. Never bring up a problem to management without having a proposed solution in mind.

By taking a solutions-oriented approach, sales managers can demonstrate their leadership skills, build trust with their team members, and contribute to the overall success of the organization.

Some specific steps that sales managers can take to become more solutions-oriented include:

• Actively listening to team members' concerns: Take the time to understand the challenges that team members are facing.
• Identifying the root cause of problems: Don't just focus on the symptoms of a problem; dig deeper to identify the underlying cause.
• Brainstorming potential solutions: Generate a list of potential solutions to the problem.
• Evaluating the pros and cons of each solution: Weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each potential solution.
• Proposing a recommended solution: Based on your evaluation, recommend a solution that you believe will be most effective.

Conclusion: Empowering Sales Managers for Productivity

In conclusion, sales managers are crucial drivers of sales productivity, and their coaching activities play a vital role in fostering continuous improvement and development within the sales team. By investing in their leadership and coaching skills, organizations can unlock the full potential of their sales teams and achieve sustainable growth. Embracing a growth mindset and prioritizing people over tasks are also essential for creating a positive and motivating team environment. Remember the key takeaways: establish a sales enablement charter, prioritize people, adopt a crawl-walk-run approach, and be solutions-oriented. By empowering sales managers to become better coaches and leaders, organizations can create a winning sales culture that drives results. We hope this blog post has provided you with valuable insights and actionable strategies for improving sales manager coaching and driving sales productivity. Be sure to check out our related podcast episode, "2. Matt Cohen: On bootstrapping sales enablement and onboarding," for more in-depth discussions on sales enablement and onboarding with Matt Cohen.