the best coaches…

If you’ve been reading my stuff or worked with me for any length of time, you know I usually don’t use sports analogies.

Mostly because the sports I participate in aren’t necessarily universal favorites… secondarily because I don’t like to watch sports – I’d rather be out playing!

Yet a couple of weeks ago I found myself in a conversation about sales coaching. Which of course makes us all think of sports! YES, even me. Here are the three analogies that came up (not all by me):

1. the best coaches weren’t necessarily the best players – they DO have a great understanding of the game.
2. the qualities that make a great player may well be the opposite of what you look for in a great coach.
3. you don’t coach a baseball team the same way you would a basketball team – know how interdependent your players’ success is and coach appropriately.

Why do you care?

The conversation was around the idea of manager as coach. Sticking with our sports theme – the best coaches don’t make the best team managers AND vica versa.

There are two things I believe need to be considered when you’re looking at your sales managers to coach:

FIRST – when you look at how you’ve set up their role within your organization; have you put them in the position that they will be able to coach AND be successful with everything else you’re asking them to do?

SECOND – have you given them training to be a masterful coach?

Player, coach, manager – in sports and in sales all take very different skill sets. Make sure you’re setting your entire team up for success.