Top 20 Reasons Why Sales Managers Suck at Coaching

The latest interview between Jonathan Farrington, CEO of TopSalesWorld, and me is available here.

We discussed why only 17% of all sales managers are effective at coaching and the conversation was very enlightening.

It only takes 15 minutes to listen to the entire Podcast and you won’t be disappointed.

So why aren’t more sales managers effective at coaching salespeople?  Here are my top 19 reasons and I left #20 open so that you could add your two-cents worth.

1. Ego – They know that they know everything.
2. Modeling – They did not report to a sales manager who was effective at coaching.
3. Skills – They have not been trained in the fine art and science of sales coaching.
4. DNA – They don’t have the DNA to support effective sales coaching.
5. Trust – Salespeople don’t trust their intentions.
6. Respect – Salespeople don’t respect their talent.
7. Relationship – They don’t have a strong enough relationship with their salespeople.
8. Time – They don’t invest enough time in coaching.
9. Selling Skills – They never developed the kind of selling skills that would allow them to role-play all of the various scenarios that are bound to come up.
10. Resistance – Their salespeople are resistant to coaching.
11. Self-Centered – It’s all about them, not their salespeople.
12. Misguided – They believe sales management is about closing deals for their salespeople.
13. Expectations – They didn’t know that coaching is 50% of the sales manager’s role.
14. Role Confusion – They spend too much time selling their own and the house accounts.
15. Ignorance – They don’t know what they don’t know.
16. Stink – Their company hasn’t made this a requirement.
17. Motivation – They don’t have the incentive (compensation) to justify the effort.
18. Tired – Coaching is too boring for them to do it consistently.
19. Priority – They have more important things to do.
20. Please contribute your own #20.

If you would like to master the art and science of sales coaching, join me on May 14-15 in Boston for our highly-acclaimed Sales Leadership Intensive.