By Michael Lang

Recently I journeyed on a yearly pilgrimage to a congregation of 100 + sales effectiveness experts from around the world.

We talk about many things and without a doubt there is at least one topic we focus on. This year was no different.

The topic was Coaching. A technique most under utilised and yet the most powerful to change/transform people. We all asked each other who leaders do not coach and how we could assist them. So here is why don't leaders coach.

#1: They do not know what coaching is.
Most leaders do not know how to define coaching. Most of the time they think coaching is mentoring or training or it is noun, rather than a verb.

What is Coaching:
When I ask someone to describe coaching invariably they describe a team sport when the "coach" at half time is screaming at the team or demonstrating a play on a board or the ground. Well that is NOT coaching.

Coaching is when you are with a person and you believe they do know what to do or have the answer, they have it within them, they either have not put the pieces together or forgotten. So when we coach we ASK them questions to extract the knowledge they have and assist them to align, focus and utilise the knowledge to the task at hand.

Mentoring is when you are with a person and you believe they do NOT know what to do or have the knowledge. So we need to show/demonstrate and/or explain and then direct.

#2: They do not have the skills
Funny thing when we are conducting sessions on coaching, even when we discuss the difference and then run a role play, everyone goes into the telling mode. They do not know what they do not know.

What are the skill sets required

Just like any activity, coaching requires certain basic skills and attributes.

• Caring enough

• Putting aside the time

• Being Present

• Pre framing the situation

• Asking the right questions

• Listening

• Asking further questions

• Future Pace the outcomes

• Locking in the new learning.
  

#3:The business environment does not support coaching
Coaching takes time and effort. There are organisations we have come across that do not create the space for coaching. They are not interested in sustainable change, only in the instant outcome.

Great coaching environments create:-

• Happier workplaces

• Sustainable change

• Less stress

• Higher retention of talent

• Respect

Now here is the trick.

Rather than stumble around trying to figure out what to coach people on, who to coach them, waste time end energy in the discovery period, SG Partners along with our assessment partners believe evlauting people is the first phase. Not only does that provide invaluable information for you as a leader, it provides valuable information to the employee.

Want to know more:

When it comes to sales people, check our sales assessment tools, click here For a free sample. This tool will confirm that the salesperson has the right skills and potential to allow them to be successful in sales and or sales management