A Coaching Philosophy for Top Sales Performers
Are you a top sales performer, or an average sales performer who knows you can do better?
When we think of coaches we often think of people barking orders and pushing boundaries. And to be fair, there is a place for that in some forms of coaching. Such as with sports. A good coach holds their players accountable, and instructs or guides them on doing better. Sometimes that requires yelling.
I would know. I run a youth soccer program in Southern New Jersey.
In business, however, while we do need motivation, accountability, and having our boundaries pushed, we don’t need an athletic approach from coaches. We certainly don’t need the yelling.
But top sales performers, like top performing athletes, need good coaches and coaching. You need active listening, constructive criticism, and clarity.
Sales & Performance Coaching
A good coach should be a good listener, not necessarily to provide answers, but just to listen. Active listening involves probing into things and asking the right questions. Because letting you talk is often the best way of allowing you to find your own answers.
A good coach also builds a relationship that allows for constructive criticism and encouragement for growth. It takes trust to build a relationship and that trust must build over time. A coach pushes you, but not with a top-down approach. Rather, by finding ways to help you step out of your comfort zone.
Good coaching is about providing guidance and insight. Coaches offer their take from experience and knowledge and they represent a different set of eyes and ears - a perspective that’s different from how you see things. This is difficult to do on your own.
Good coaching can give you a nudge in a certain direction, or a push in your performance and activity. Oftentimes we just need to tweak a strategic or tactical perspective to finally achieve the desired result or objective.
Good coaching also can identify where there is a need for change in things like your behavior or routines. It’s easy to get ourselves into ruts and not realize it. Or realizing it but not knowing how to change. Coaches are able to be more objective about your ideas, your thinking, and your attitude.
Strengths, Weakness, Time & Results
We have been conditioned in the contemporary world to expect instant immediate results with our actions. From delivery services to on demand movies, we are accustomed to getting what we want, when we want it, the way we want it.
Top sales performers understand that change is hard, and that hard work doesn’t deliver in the same timeframe as Amazon and Netflix.
The key is to focus on building up your strengths as opposed to trying to improve upon your weaknesses. Many sales performers struggle with time management and maintaining focus. But maybe you excel at juggling priorities, brainstorming solutions, or seeing the big picture?
Building up your strengths is not only easier than focusing on your weaknesses, it’s less painful. You already have a foundation from which to grow. And besides, your weaknesses, even if improved slightly, don't make that much of a difference. Your strengths, however, especially when enhanced, make a world of difference.
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Are you a top sales performer, or an average sales performer but you know you can do better? Do these ideas and philosophies resonate with you?
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