Life teaches you things that you just can’t learn by being told or by reading in a text book. I believe very much in coaching salespeople to their fullest by utilizing their natural strengths. It doesn’t mean we ignore their weaknesses; it just means that we have to find other ways to get things accomplished sometimes.
I have an 18 month old daughter who has taught me this more than ever. She has Down Syndrome and struggles to learn the basics like sitting up. She can learn how (and has)—it just takes longer than it would with most children. We have to break it down, be more repetitive, and teach it step by step. So, you may be wondering how this affects you as a manager.
Do you coach a seller who has the natural talent to do the job, but doesn’t have the experience or skills to execute it? That is where it is your job as a manger to coach this person step-by-step... to help them learn how to fully do their job and maximize their natural talent... just as it is my responsibility as a parent to break down the process of learning to sit up into smaller steps by developing small muscle groups.
All children are different, as are the sellers we coach. As a manager, it's your job to recognize the talent and develop ways to tap into the potential that is already there.
Would you like some tips that will help you deliver powerful feedback to your sellers? Check out "10 Steps to Delivering Powerful Feedback."
Stephanie Downs is a VP / Senior Consultant at The Center for Sales Strategy.
