More Coaching, Please!
Sixty percent of employees are not getting the coaching they need from their managers according to a recent multi-national study by the global consulting firm BlessingWhite. As a Registered Corporate Coach myself, I can certainly agree with their findings based on my own observatoins and abundant anecdotal evidence.
Many people are floundering in today's economic situation and in most cases it is not because they don't have the skills to succeed. It's because the vast majority are not using the skills they possess. Could they be far more successful by assiduously applying those skills? Absolutely! Yes, they could, without a doubt.
Would coaching make a difference? Again, the answer is absolutely! Yes, it would, without a doubt.
The obvious message for managers here is:
A- Take the time and interest to be sure your salespeople:
- Know specifically what is expected of them every day, week and month.
- Insure that they are prepared to do what's expected. In short, insure that they are trained and have demonstrated the skills necessary to achieve their expectations, and
- Confirm that the resources they need are in place. Tip: Your top performers have no more resources than those who are not performing at the expected level, so don't let poor performance use lack of resources as an excuse.
B- Provide the Performance Coaching and Follow Up that will enable your salespeople to perform up to expectations and begin earning what they are worth.
The not-so-obvious message for employees is this:
A- You are responsible for your own career. Do not fall into the entitlement trap that appears to be more and more prevalent in our society today. The only entitlement you have from management is that they abide by the terms of your employment agreement. Count your blessings if you are getting more, and take advantage of every additional learning and earning opportunity your company management provides for you.
B- You are responsible for your oucomes.
- Find out what's expected of you - exactly.
- Insure that you have the skills needed to do the job, and
- Apply them every day by becoming your own coach.
"We recruited players who were intrinsically motivated. We weren't interested in guys we had to 'build a fire' under."
-Marv Levy, NFL Hall of Fame Coach
To your success, always!
Mike Stewart, Certified Speaking Professional, Registered Corporate Coach and author of Close More Sales!
www.mikestewartseminars.com
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