Performance Coaching For Salespeople

Charles Warner

Performance Coaching

• Athletic Coaches Must Coach Constantly; Sales Coaches, Too.

• Performance Coaching Focuses On Effective Job Behaviors and Activities.

• Performance Coaching Is Positive and Emphasizes What People Are Doing Right.

Performance Coaching For Salespeople

• The Goals Of Performance Coaching:– To encourage people and teams– To show people and teams how to build on their

strengths– To heighten people’s and teams’ self-esteem and

self-confidence– To enhance cooperation, participation within and

among departments– To stop and correct inappropriate behavior

– To Build Trust Between Management and Team Members

– To Reduce Fear and Increase Risk Taking and Innovation (Security Nurtures Creativity)

– To Align Individual and Team Goals To Organizational Goals

– To Get People To Realize That Their Self Interests and the Organization’s Interests Are Inextricably Bound Together

– To Establish Consequences For Continued Inappropriate Behavior

Performance Coaching for Salespeople

• All Departments Should Conduct Performance Coaching.– Department managers for their departments

(several managers if the department is large)– Higher management for department managers

The Multiple Roles Of Performance Coaching

• Developmental

• Evaluative

• Defensive

• Indoctrinational

Coaching Avoidance

• Most Managers Would Rather Avoid the Anger, Anxiety and Discomfort Involved.

• Timing Of Performance Coaching Sessions Should Be Based On Associate’s, Not Manager’s, Needs.

Coaching Meetings

• Quarterly Departmental Goal-Setting and Strategy Sessions

• Quarterly Individual Performance Coaching and Performance Agreement Sessions– Frequent, daily if possible, feedback

Conducting Performance Coaching Sessions

• Managers Must Know Enough About a Job To Understand How It Should Be Done.

• Managers Must Observe On-The-Job Behavior (It’s Like Watching Game Tapes).

Reactions To Coaching Sessions

• People Often React Defensively To What Are Perceived To Be Negative Comments.

• Don’t Use the Sandwich Approach.

• Criticism Causes People To Become Defensive:– Transfer blame to others (“not my fault”)

Many People Are Defensive

– Ambivalent About Improvement Needs.– See Coaching As a Threat To Self-Esteem

(Especially Highly Ego-Centered Talent Or Creative People).

• Often people see it as a threat to independence.

• Outright denial

Games People Play

– Most Common Rationalization Games:• “Yeahbut”

• “I’ll try.”

– Trying Doesn’t Cut It, Doing What You’re Supposed To Cuts It.

• “That’s great, but what exactly are going to do to solve the problem. Tell me in steps 1, 2 and 3.”

Improvement Memos

– If an Associate Exceeds Expectations, Write a Memo To Upper Management..

– If an Associate Is Not Meeting Standards, Have Him Or Her Write You a Memo--An Improvement Or Performance Agreement Memo.

Performance Coaching for Salespeople

• Yearly Performance Evaluation Or Review Sessions:– Once-a-year reviews at salary review times are

worthless, counterproductive.– Coaches who reviewed players once a year

would be lose all their games and their jobs.

• Quarterly Departmental Goal-Setting Sessions:– Department’s mission, objectives and strategies

are narrowed down to key goals.– Department discusses and jointly agrees on

goals and strategies.– Participation in setting goals leads to a

department’s commitment.

• Brief, Frequent (Daily If Possible) Feedback Sessions:– People need continual encouragement and

reinforcement of the good things they do.– No surprises at quarterly sessions.– Must be open and honest.– “What can I do to help?”

Feedback

• Phrases To Use:– “I know you want to improve, and if it’s OK

with you, I have a few suggestions.”– I know you like to do a good job. Here are

some things for you to think about that might help you do it a little better.”

• “Be Tough On Standards, Not On People.” - Tom Peters

• Before Giving Negative Feedback, Give Positive Feedback

Who Conducts Performance Coaching Sessions:

• All Managers

• Associates Need Feedback More Than Contact With Top Managers

• They Need It Daily

Unleash Associates’ Motivation To Improve:

• Management Hires, Coaches, and Communicates Values and Goals.

• If There Is a Problems, It Is Usually Management’s.– “There are no bad soldiers, only bad generals.”

- Napoleon

Establishing Consequences

• Consequences Laid Out In Advance. If People Do A, B Will Happen--It’s Their Choice.

• Coaching Is Encouragement, Support, Yes, But It Doesn’t Work Unless There Are Meaningful Consequences.– If you hold on to ineffective people too long,

you’re being unfair to your organization and, more importantly, to effective performers.

Discipline Without Punishment

• Performance Problems Can Be Divided Into Three Categories:– Attendance– Performance– Conduct

Discipline Without Punishment

• Traditional Discipline Systems:– Step 1 - Verbal reprimand– Step 2 - Written warning– Step 3 - Suspension without pay/

probation/final warning– Step 4 -Termination

Discipline Without Punishment

• Discipline Without Punishment– Level 1 - Oral reminder– Level 2 - Written reminder– Level 3 - Decision-making leave (paid)– Level 4 - Termination

Discipline Without Punishment

• In Discipline Without Punishment, It’s Up To Associates To Change On Their Own.– There has been enough discussion, they know the

consequences.– Paid leave puts the onus on them.– Managers should view DWP as a technique for

saving people. Each step is an opportunity to correct a problem.

– Dismissal is a failure.

Performance Dimensions For Salespeople (Example)

1 Establishing and Maintaining Relationships With Customers

2 Solving Customer Problems

3 Creating Value

4 Selling Skills

Performance Dimensions For Salespeople

5 Discipline and Organization

6 Positive and Cooperative Attitude

7 Creativity and Autonomy

Performance Coaching

• Coach According To Performance On These Dimensions (or ones that you design specifically).

• Evaluate According To Performance On These Dimensions (or ones that you design specifically).

Be A Coach

• Who Watches Game Films Every Day and Gives Feedback One-On-One Every Day.– Not once a year

• Who’s Motivation Is To Teach the Team How To Win.– By not avoiding a loss.– Without playing himself/herself.