The document discusses coaching and feedback for salespeople. It emphasizes that coaching helps salespeople understand expectations while feedback reinforces or redirects behaviors. Effective feedback is specific, timely, and focuses on critical behaviors. When giving redirective feedback, managers should state facts objectively, get agreement, and help salespeople develop action plans to improve. Resistance to feedback can take various forms like denial, anger, intellectualizing or compliance, so managers must deliver feedback carefully.

1. Coaching and Feedback

2. Coaching and Feedback “ If you really want to demonstrate strong leadership, COACH your people.” Anonymous

3. Territory Plan Coaching and Feedback Coaching and Feedback Sales Performance Coaching and Feedback is a key process link ... Goals & Performance Agreements

4. Learning Objectives Match a coaching style to individual salespeople. Give effective feedback to reinforce desirable performance or redirect undesirable behaviors. Apply the characteristics of effective feedback. Recognize and manage resistance to feedback. Coach for sales effectiveness. By the end of this module, you will be able to…

5. “ My Best Coach” What did this coach do ? (Behaviors) What assumptions did you have about the coach based on this behavior? What was the impact on you? Table Team Exercise Think about the best sales coach you ever had ...

6. Model successful behaviors Clarify (and communicate) assumptions Provide individual, focused, timely feedback Coaching and Feedback Best Coaches ...

7. Helps your salespeople understand their performance objectives by answering these questions: - “What is expected of me?” - “Why?” - “ How will I be measured/evaluated on these expectations?” Coaching and Feedback Coaching…

8. Observing specific behaviors or actions, and … - reinforcing them, or - redirecting them Helping your salespeople answer these questions: - “How will I know whether I am performing well or performing poorly ?” - “How will you help me improve my performance?” Coaching and Feedback Effective Sales Managers utilize both types of feedback! Feedback Is ...

9. Focus on the Critical Behaviors Do I know how to measure it? Is it critical to success? NO YES NO YES GET MORE INFO MONITOR IGNORE IGNORE

10. Feedback to Reinforce Where you want to inspire or instruct salespeople Provides individual recognition for accomplishments and contributions Can enhance the salesperson’s self-esteem and motivation Can be difficult to give and receive: “uncomfortable” “ I don’t want to ‘jinx’ the situation”

11. Feedback to Redirect Begins with informing your salesperson: The “facts” as you understand them. Your perceptions of the situation. If delivered under the right circumstances: Becomes an effective coaching intervention. Welcomed by the salesperson. Effective in initiating change. If delivered under the wrong circumstances: Viewed only as “criticism.” Leads to defensiveness, excuses, rejection.

12. Review of Definitions Coaching helps people to understand expectations Often pre-sales call Feedback reinforces or redirects specific behaviors and actions Post-sales call Feedback can be as powerful a tool in reinforcing desirable behavior or performance as it is in redirecting unsatisfactory behavior or performance! Feedback to redirect requires careful planning--thinking through the situation and the desired outcome, or behavior change, which we want to affect.

13. Only become involved in face-to-face selling when your presence makes a unique difference. Do not make sales calls on a customer unless your salesperson is with you. Before any joint call, agree on specific and clear selling roles with your salesperson. Avoid taking over call. Be an active internal seller for your salespeople. Always have a withdrawal strategy that prevents any customer from becoming dependent on you personally. Delivery of Coaching and Feedback “ Five Fundamental Principles to Guide a Sales Manager’s Face-to-Face Involvement with Customers.”

14. Delivery of Coaching and Feedback Class Discussion Ideally when and where should you coach or give feedback to your sales employees? What if they are remotely located?

15. “ As Sales Managers, what are some of the challenges we face in coaching and providing feedback to our salespeople?” Delivery of Coaching and Feedback 1. __________________________________________________ 2. __________________________________________________ 3. __________________________________________________ 4. __________________________________________________ 5. __________________________________________________ 6. __________________________________________________ Table Team Exercise

16. Coaching and Feedback Challenges Tips for Coaching a Diverse or Global Sales Team There is no such thing as “stereo-typical behavior! Let your team know sexual harassment is taken very seriously, and incidents should be reported. Get H.R. counsel immediately if there is a sexual harassment issue Professional image can be hurt by inappropriate attire Need to provide feedback carefully Be aware that body language differs by country … eye contact, hand gestures, etc. If you want some perspective on cultural norms or behavior patterns for your new salesperson, Zhang Chou, talk to your (Sales Manager) counterpart in Beijing. Read Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands, by Morrison, Conaway, and Borden to learn about business norms in 60 countries.

17. Coaching and Feedback Challenges Summary of Challenges Salespeople not co-located with you. Age and experience of the sales team. Different levels of experience. Sales Manager ‘forced’ into role of ‘super-salesperson.’ The diversity of many sales teams. Must be prepared to deal with each of these challenges

18. Coaching Styles III SUPPORT IV DELEGATE I DIRECT II COACH SUPPORTIVE DIRECTIVE

19. SUPPORT Develop mutual goal(s) Mutually develop options Select from options Facilitate, listen, draw out Encourage, support COACH State the purpose and goals Solicit suggestions regarding method Praise behaviors Continue to direct task accomplishment Coaching Styles DELEGATE Articulate the challenge(s) Question, probe Empower the employee to act independently with appropriate resources to get the job done. DIRECT Provide specific directions about roles and goals Teach the employee the task Closely track his/her performance Give frequent feedback on results SUPPORTIVE DIRECTIVE IV II III I

20. Class Exercise Read the five profiles in the Appendix, and determine which coaching style would be appropriate for each profile Direct ? Coach ? Support ? Delegate ? Coaching Styles

21. Coaching and Feedback Initial fact finding - Validate your info Set the stage - Praise what he/she does well Define the challenge or problem - Describe behavior, Don’t judge Get agreement on the facts - Clarify, summarize Search for options Prioritize the options Develop an action plan Define the time lines and get commitment Conclude the session - End on a positive note Follow-up - Monitor the milestones Sales Coaching / Feedback Process

22. Coaching Role Plays Table teams divided into groups of three : One “Salesperson.” One “Sales Manager.” One “Observer.” Use sheets in Appendix for Role Play #1 Observers evaluate how effectively Sales Manager provided baselines against which the Salesperson can measure and monitor their effectiveness. After Role Play #1 switch roles to do Role Play #2. Times: 5 minutes to set up 10 minutes to conduct each coaching session. 5 minutes for Observer de-brief Objective: “How clearly can you communicate your expectations to your salesperson?”

23. Coaching Role Play Checklist Initial fact finding ( Validate) Set the stage ( Praised) Define the challenge or problem ( Described) Get agreement on the facts ( Clarified) Search for options Prioritize the options Develop an action plan Define the time lines and get commitment Conclude the session ( Ended on positive) How well did the Sales Manager do the following steps? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

24. Coaching and Feedback Discuss results versus objective Ask “What was done well?” Reinforce effective behaviors Ask what would be done differently Offer suggestions for improvement Agree on changes to be made Express your confidence Post-Sales-Call Feedback

25. Coaching and Feedback Video of Joint Call With Manager Scenario Calling on CFO, Industrial Customer Objective - get meeting with Manufacturing Action Note “What went well” Note “What should be done differently” Class Exercise

26. Resistance to Feedback Think about a situation where you have to give feedback to re-direct performance …. What was the reaction? Class Discussion

27. Resistance to Feedback S HOCK A NGER R EJECTION / RATIONALIZATION A CCEPTANCE H ELP Resistance because of ... Loss of Control Feelings of Vulnerability SARAH VS. DARYL D ENIAL A NGER R EJECTION Y ELL L EAVE

28. Types of Resistance “ Give me more details.” The salesperson keeps asking for more and more information. No matter how much you provide, it is never enough. Information overload. You ask a simple question. Ten minutes and four examples later you have more and more information which you understand less and less. Impracticality. You keep being reminded that the salesperson lives in the “real world” and faces “real world” problems. “ I’m not surprised.” You have just delivered a very tough message or series of tough messages, and the first response is, “I’m not surprised,” as though being surprised is the worst thing that could happen. Attack With angry words, a red face, pounding a fist, etc,. the reaction to your feedback is negative and forceful.

29. Types of Resistance Silence The toughest resistance. Does not mean consent, and is more likely to mean that the feedback is being blocked. Intellectualizing The salesperson shifts the discussion from deciding how to proceed and starts exploring theory after theory about why things are the way they are. Moralizing Talking about how things should be instead of how things are. “I don’t think I’m being treated fairly.” Compliance Very difficult: the salesperson who totally agrees with you and eagerly wants to know what to do next. May do nothing. Methodology Repeated questions from the salesperson about method(s), or detailed suggestions of alternate action(s).

30. Feedback Role-Plays Think of a tough piece of performance feedback that you either had or will have to give (Feedback to Re-direct) Make notes about the specific underlying behaviors or actions. Make notes to remind yourself of key points and examples you want to remember. At the individual tables: A volunteer explains their scenario to the table team Two people role play the scenario: one person is Sales Manager the other is the Salesperson and one is Observer Select a type of Resistance to be used by Salesperson Sales Manager delivers feedback to Salesperson Sales Manager tries to work through defensiveness and ensure message is received Observers use Feedback Checklist to assess 20 minutes to conduct the First Round, 5 min. for debrief 5 minutes to rotate to Second Round - then repeat

31. Feedback Role Play Checklist How well did the Sales Manager do the following steps? Initial fact finding ( Validate) Set the stage ( Praised) Define the challenge or problem ( Described) Get agreement on the facts ( Clarified) Search for options Prioritize the options Develop an action plan Define the time lines and get commitment Conclude the session ( Ended on positive) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

32. Module 3 Appendix

33. Coaching and Feedback “ Why Our Salespeople May Not Perform the Way We Want Them To.” Salespeople unclear about expectations Priorities not clear Goals and expectations not clear Salespeople unaware or only partially aware of problem Feedback not specific, so is ineffective in changing performance Feedback untimely, so is ineffective in correcting performance Salespeople do not know how to perform as expected Training has been unfocused or irrelevant, or not provided Salespeople have not had enough opportunities to practice/apply the training Salespeople feel discouraged or blocked by obstacles Do not have right tools: up-to-date information, relevant technical or commercial information Do not have access to critical resources Salespeople do not feel supported or helped to improve Coaching is too general or unspecific to be useful Coaching is so negative that salespeople avoid or ignore it Salespeople don’t feel they are recognized or rewarding for performing as expected Desired performance appears to be ignored or discouraged Undesired performance appears to be rewarded

34. Coaching Effectiveness Model Describe the unsatisfactory performance or behavior. Make sure you have facts. Is it a critical behavior? Does employee understand what is expected? Have you given feedback? YES Live with it ! Agree on expectations Give feedback YES YES NO NO NO (cont’d)

35. Coaching Effectiveness Model Does he/she know how to do what is expected? Have obstacles outside his/her control been removed? Could he/she do it if he/she really wanted to? YES YES YES NO NO NO Remove obstacles Provide training Transfer or terminate Re-direct performance with feedback & coaching

36. PROFILE 1 George Landgrabe Seasoned sales veteran. Your most experienced employee. Consistent sales performance, but little evidence of real [sales-volume] growth. Jokes with the newer members of the sales team at the sales meetings: “ If you want to know how it’s done around here, just ask Ole’ George.” When you invite him to participate in the B.S.T. / All Sales Days, he “had a cannot- miss meeting with his best customer.” When you asked him last month if he was interested in attending training on ‘ Understanding Customer Financial Analyses’, he declined, remarking mildly, “ My customers buy from us because they know me and trust me.” Coaching Styles

37. PROFILE 2 Walter Christoforo On the sales team for three years, the last two as Account Manager. Very consistent performance growth. As a result of this, Walter has taken on increased responsibilities in addition to his regular account management responsibilities: chaired the local B.S.T., put together a “Stand Up and Win” reception for key customers . Two recent rumblings about “missed deadlines” lead you to believe that “things are starting to slip.” Following your last joint sales call with Walter, you reviewed these missed deadlines. His reply, “ Not a problem….you’re right….I screwed up…. won’t happen again.” Coaching Styles

38. PROFILE 3 Helen Foster On the sales team for less than one year. Transferred from GE ________, where she had been a Sales Engineer for four years. Had a great track record at her former GE Business. Her former boss told you, “ Helen worked very effectively with her customers….highly reliable….a real customer ‘advocate’.” Her past sales experience was with a different customer base (than her current assignment), selling different products and services to different markets. Your Sales Support person tipped you off that “ Helen is really struggling with our Order Entry System. I give her “A” for effort, but I know it’s frustrating her.” Coaching Styles

39. PROFILE 4 Deebolena Bose Joined the sales team late last year from GE International. Has been doing an outstanding job in reviving the “deadest” territory. Very positive feedback from customers. Your assessment to date: perhaps the highest-potential member of the sales team. To give her some top-level exposure, you have asked her to “host” next month’s visit by the Vice President-Sales. This will include two visits to her Key Customers, and a review of the Customer CTQs and Dashboard Metrics. She has not complained (or asked for detailed guidance) concerning this visit, but you sense that she is somewhat overwhelmed by the task. You are determined not to let her fail. Coaching Styles

40. PROFILE 5 R. L. “Bob” Sharp Has been on the sales team for four years. Has let it be known (privately) that “ I should have been promoted to Sales Manager [your job].” Good, solid--not spectacular--sales performance. No customer complaints. No evidence of a desire to transfer to another GE Business, or to accept another assignment within your Business. Says (publicly), “ I’ve put down some roots in the community…. I like it here.” You would be VERY hard put to classify Bob as a low performing (L10) player! In easier times, you might opt for a less pro-active stance with Bob, BUT, you are getting top-level pressure to increase Orders and Sales to Bob’s accounts. Coaching Styles

41. Sales Coaching and Feedback Processes 1. Initial fact finding ... “Have I got it right?” What was covered in previous sessions? What goals were set? Were they met? Have I personally quantified the results? Am I basing this on second-hand or third-hand information? Am I being objective? Do I have a current evaluation of this salesperson? Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities. Have I talked with others as a reality check? What are the goals for this session? What action(s) would I like to have occur as a result of this session? 2. Set the Stage Praise what the salesperson does well. Briefly describe the opportunity for change/growth as you see it. Communicate your expectations for the session. Coaching / Feedback “In the Office:”

42. Sales Coaching and Feedback Processes 3. Define the challenge or problem. Listen actively. Ask questions. Your salesperson is best to define the challenge/problem. Reflect and paraphrase their perceptions. Let your salesperson vent. Let them finish before you talk. Manage your reactions. Offer your perceptions as a guide if they go off track. Describe their behavior only. Be objective, descriptive, and specific. Do not be judgmental. 4. Get agreement on the facts. Clarify Summarize 5. Search for options. Ask questions and listen. Do not just offer your solutions. Encourage them to come up with solutions. Guide them to other options if their solutions are not adequate or practical. Coaching / Feedback “In the Office:”

43. Sales Coaching and Feedback Processes 6. Prioritize the options. Evaluate the consequences of each one. Rank in descending order of preferred solutions. 7. Develop an action plan Determine the specific steps that need to be taken. Define the activities. 8. Define the time lines. 9. Conclude the session. Let them know you appreciate their contributions to the sales team. Let them leave on an “up” note. 10. Follow-up. Monitor the milestone. Evaluate performance against standards agreed to in the action plan. Redirect and reassess. Begin the coaching and feedback cycle again. Coaching / Feedback “In the Office:”

44. Coaching and Feedback Pre-Coaching Components might include: Select the account because it is important...not because it is easy! Do I have relevant business knowledge my salesperson lacks? Do I understand the customer’s market better? Have I dealt with this kind of buying process before? As a result of my coaching involvement can I teach my salesperson something new? Can I help develop a capability that will be useful in salesperson’s other accounts? Coaching Components might include: Goals for this account Objectives that make up the overall Goal. Activities to achieve an Objective. Link objectives to actions to advance the sale. Develop a timeline to organize sales actions in a logical way. Use the timeline to link sales actions to customer’s decision process. “ Setting Up Sales Calls for Skills Coaching.”

45. Coaching and Feedback “ Setting Up Sales Calls for Skills Coaching.” Your People Will Set Up: Closing calls Tough selling situations Calls with high business potential Calls where you will sell for them Relationships or friends But, For Coaching, You Need: Calls earlier in the cycle Low business risk selling situations Calls with moderate business potential Calls where they sell and you coach Appropriate level in the organization

46. ROLE PLAY #1A SALESPERSON ROLE Your name is Aimee Fitzpatrick - Outside Sales Person First year on the sales team. Bright, high-energy, high-potential. You took over C.J. Strife’s accounts when C.J. retired after 35 years of great GE service. You have just returned from your first call on Midwest Industries, your second highest-potential / highest-volume account. You are depressed ! When your Manager asked how the call went, you replied that Karl Schimerhorn, Executive Vice President, had agreed to meet you “because we have a great relationship with GE ______.” Virtually the entire scheduled time was taken with Schimerhorn lamenting the retirement of C.J. Strife. “We had a great relationship with C.J…..It is because of C.J. that we’re probably one of your largest customers…..C.J. really knew our people and our needs ….and on and on.” Although Schimerhorn did NOT make any inappropriate remarks or statements, your impression is that nobody -- in Schimerhorn’s mind -- can “fill C.J.’s shoes. Coaching Situations

47. ROLE PLAY #1A MANAGER ROLE You are Aimee Fitzpatrick’s Manager. This is Aimee’s first year on the sales team. Bright, high-energy, high-potential. She took over C.J. Strife’s accounts when C.J. retired after 35 years of great GE service. Aimee has just returned from her first call on Midwest Industries, her second highest potential / highest-volume account. She is depressed ! When you ask how the call went, she replies that Karl Schimerhorn, Executive Vice President, had agreed to meet her “because we have a great relationship with GE ______.” Virtually the entire scheduled time was taken with Schimerhorn lamenting the retirement of C.J. Strife. “We had a great relationship with C.J…..It is because of C.J. that we’re probably one of your largest customers…..C.J. really knew our people and our needs ….and on and on.” Although Schimerhorn did NOT make any inappropriate remarks or statements, Aimee’s impression is that nobody -- in Schimerhorn’s mind -- can “fill C.J.’s shoes.” As her Sales Manager, you need to coach her to restore her self-confidence and help her address this obstacle. Coaching Situations

48. ROLE PLAY #1A OBSERVER ROLE Observe how the Sales Manager coaches Aimee Fitzpatrick, and use the Coaching Checklist to take notes about this discussion. This is Aimee’s first year on the sales team. Bright, high-energy, high-potential. She took over C.J. Strife’s accounts when C.J. retired after 35 years of great GE service. Aimee has just returned from her first call on Midwest Industries, her second highest potential / highest-volume account. She is depressed ! When her Manager asks how the call went, she replies that Karl Schimerhorn, Executive Vice President, had agreed to meet her “because we have a great relationship with GE ______.” Virtually the entire scheduled time was taken with Schimerhorn lamenting the retirement of C.J. Strife. “We had a great relationship with C.J…..It is because of C.J. that we’re probably one of your largest customers…..C.J. really knew our people and our needs ….and on and on.” Although Schimerhorn did NOT make any inappropriate remarks or statements, Aimee’s impression is that nobody -- in Schimerhorn’s mind -- can “fill C.J.’s shoes.” Her Sales Manager needs to coach her to restore her self-confidence and help her address this obstacle. Coaching Situations

49. ROLE PLAY #1B SALESPERSON ROLE Your name is Harry Barlow, very experienced outside salesperson. Some call you a “Lone Ranger”. The reality is that you work very hard, meet (and exceed) your numbers, and have enviable respect and rapport with his customers. Frankly, why not … you’ve had this same territory for twelve years. Your “hit-list” or “to-be-avoided-at-all-costs” list includes: (1) any type of sales skills training; (2) quarterly team meetings; (3) Customer CTQs and Dashboard Metrics; (4) Boundaryless Selling Team meetings, etc. You detest administrative tasks and feel that Account Plans, Call Reports, etc is an absolute waste of valuable selling time. Coaching Situations

50. ROLE PLAY #1B MANAGER ROLE You are Harry Barlow’s Manager. Harry is the classic Lone Ranger. Your predecessor Sales Manager’s parting words as he handed you the keys were, “Lots of luck with Harry. He’s out of control!” The reality is that Harry works very hard, meets (and exceeds) his numbers, and has enviable respect and rapport with his customers. Frankly, why not … Harry’s had this same territory for twelve years. Harry’s “hit-list” or “to-be-avoided-at-all-costs” list includes: (1) any type of sales skills training; (2) quarterly team meetings; (3) Customer CTQs and Dashboard Metrics; (4) Boundaryless Selling; etc. Harry’s reports are consistently submitted one minute before the deadline. You suspect that this might be some games-playing designed to drive the hapless Sales Manager (you) crazy. Your significant issue with Harry is his “shielding” of his customers from contact by you. Whenever time is available to make a joint sales call with Harry, the “Key Customer Decision Maker” is mysteriously (and consistently) unavailable. As his Sales Manager, you need to coach him on these performance issues. Coaching Situations

51. ROLE PLAY #1B OBSERVER ROLE Observe how the Sales Manager coaches Harry Barlow, and use the Coaching Checklist to take notes about this discussion. Harry is the classic Lone Ranger. The previous Sales Manager’s parting words to the new Manager were, “Lots of luck with Harry. He’s out of control!” The reality is that Harry works very hard, meets (and exceeds) his numbers, and has enviable respect and rapport with his customers. Frankly, why not … Harry’s had this same territory for twelve years. Harry’s “hit-list” or “to-be-avoided-at-all-costs” list includes: (1) any type of sales skills training; (2) quarterly team meetings; (3) Customer CTQs and Dashboard Metrics; (4) Boundaryless Selling; etc. Harry’s reports are consistently submitted one minute before the deadline. This might be some games-playing designed to drive the new Sales Manager crazy. A significant issue with Harry is his “shielding” of his customers from contact by his new Manager. Whenever time is available to make a joint sales call, the “Key Customer Decision Maker” is mysteriously (and consistently) unavailable. His Sales Manager needs to coach him on these performance issues. Coaching Situations