Even Top Performers Need Coaching
High performance doesn't mean coaching stops. It means it evolves. Here's how to help your top performers continue to grow and stay engaged.
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If you prefer to read - here is the transcript:
So I get into friendly discussions, arguments, with sales VP's all the time and often on social media, sometimes in person, who say Colleen, I don't need to coach. I only hire experienced sales reps. And I got to tell you, there is no such thing as a seller or a professional anywhere in the history of the universe who is so good that they don't need coaching? I mean, that's like saying, Hey Colleen, I only hire really experienced football players, and so I don't need to hire a coach because they'll just know exactly what to do on the field at all times. Could you imagine what would happen to any national sports team or your favorite NFL, NHL, or World Series team if there wasn't a coach analyzing and strategy, strategizing and improving players?
So I don't know what's going on with those sales reps. They're either lazy, or they don't know how to coach, or they don't want to coach, or they're scared of their top performers. And so they use it as an excuse not to coach. Well, you know, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
How do you know that that sales rep that gets 100% of target every year shouldn't be getting 110%, 120%... Your own income and the company's revenue could be at jeopardy because you refuse to coach.
So let's stop this mindset. Everybody can improve.
And coaching, even a team of top performers, doesn't have to be about pointing out weakness. It can actually be showing them why they're good so that they can do more of that good stuff, more often. That's the secret to really driving to top performance. It's not always about correcting weakness. Sometimes it's about improving what they do well.
And if you've got a team of super experienced, maybe slightly arrogant, maybe kind of diva ish sales reps, start there with coaching. Don't think you have to go in and tell them that they're not doing what you want them to. Think about coaching in terms of improvement.