Talha Mumtaz ✔️'s Key Ideas from Coaching Salespeople into Sales Champions
by Keith Rosen

Do you know that managers and coaches are not the same despite the contrary belief. While managers are focused on identifying and solving problems by guiding their teams, coaches are more focused towards nurturing their teams' mindsets and perception so they can solve the problems on their own.

While the coaches need to be experts in their domains as well as skillfully coaching their teams, they should also have access to coaches of their own so they can always recieve feedback and help keeping themselves accountable.

If you're a manager, chances are that you may be spoon feeding your team whenever they'd come with a problem to you. However, rather than giving answer, a coach will ask the right questions so the team can find the solutions by critically thinking about the questions and the link to the problem. This helps the team nurture rather than feel submissive to the orders.

While managers are more focused on the outcomes, deadlines and efficiencies, coaches fully focus on the present. They work with their teams towards improving the current processes so they can achieve triumphs which leads to the desired outcomes.

Traditional management styles often relyed on consistently pushing their teams through unhealthy competition, irrelevant rewards, micromanaging, coercion and other unhealthy ways. However, an effective managers works alongside his team and supports them in the face of success or adversity. This helps you build trust with your team. Managers who are more open with their teams get better understanding of their teams and can help them accomplish feats more efficiently.

A proactive manager relies on asking questions rather than assuming what may be wrong with the team. By asking questions, focusing on the insividual answers and not assuming any implied meaning, you can earn that individual's trust and commitment.

While you may be doing your best to keep everyone trained, nurtured and progressive, there will be individuals who may not let you help them out of arrogance, toxicity, or even agression. Such individuals may not be coachable and you should end the prpfessional relationship with them if their negative traits are bringing the morale down and there is a lack of results.

Do you know the difference between postivie reinforcement and threats / fear tactics? While the former helps keep the morale high for a long time, the latter can actually destroy your reputation, morale of your team and eventually the sales goals.

Once an individual starts earning enough, monetary rewards may not be too useful to motivate them. Rather, they would want to be heard, to be listened to and to be appreciated as an individual rather than being some employee who can be coerced by offering more money.

In such cases, your role as the coach would be to understand the individual needs of your team. Maybe one wants a higher salary but the other member wants to achieve respect as the best salesman. Some salespeople would prefer training workshops rather than getting monetary bonuses. You should try to understand the gap and work with your team to help them achieve their desired outcomes so they can help you achieve yours.