How do you get the best results out of your sales organization? Are you working longer days and weeks? Are your sales management efforts getting less sales results than in the past? Should your next sales leader be a sales coach?

Recently, I had a chance to talk with several organizations about their succession plans for their sales leaders. The topic came up because several of their most experienced sales executives were getting ready to retire. They are not alone, estimates are that 3 out of 10 senior sales executives could be retiring in the next five years. How is your organization preparing for the next generation of sales leadership?

I work with many younger sales leaders. I like to believe it’s because I’m a great sales leader. But it’s not. At least, not from what my clients tell me. It’s because I’m a strong sales coach! What would your sales team tell me about your abilities to be a great sales coach?

Sales coaches are becoming more popular with many of my industrial and manufacturing clients. Many are competing to get the best talent on their sales teams. Many of today’s younger sales leaders are expecting coaching and training in their next sales roles. If they don’t get it, they will look for an organization that provides it.

Here’s why I think so many less experienced sales professionals like sales coaching. It’s not sales micromanagement!

I know that none of the sales leaders who read this blog on a regular basis are micromanaging their sales organization. You would never micromanage you sales teams. I also know you’ve never been micromanaged, so why would you be a micromanager? Good sales coaches never micromanage their teams.

Sales managers are being asked to do more and more with less and less. You are managing and developing new people.  You also may be struggling to keep your older superstars motivated and engaged. This sounds like a formula for failure for most sales leaders. Sales coaching could provide you a solution to this and other leadership challenges.

The sales profession is changing rapidly and you’re expected to keep up. It’s not your fault that you have to work at least 60 hours a week just to make your number. Wouldn’t it be exciting to get more done in your week working fewer hours?

Are you taking on the additional responsibilities of beginning to transition your most valuable accounts to new account leadership? What would happen if you lost one of your key accounts during this transition? It happened to a client of mine and it almost put them out of business!

Are your experienced sales professionals sharing what they know with your younger account managers? Have they ever? Sales has always been a highly competitive field. How are you going to get your team members to collaborate?

Many sales leaders are spending less time in the field with their top reps. In the past, sales leaders would invest their time with the top 10% and it showed. These sales professionals would deliver. Many of your best team members are moving towards retirement. How can you leverage their sales experience?

There’s more bad news, some of your younger sales professionals are being recruited to go work for technology organizations to sell their customers this idea called the internet of things. Technology companies have just discovered that your key asset, your sales professionals, have strong relationships with the organizations they want as clients. The war for sales talent is heating up! Its starting with your best sales team members. Can being a sales coach help you retain your sales team?

So why should you become a sales coach? Can sales coaching really give you a competitive advantage in your markets? Next week, I’ll begin sharing how you can begin becoming a sales coach. I know that sales coaching can not only provide you better results, but one that gives you control of your life back.

See you next week when I share how to begin building a stronger sales team through sales coaching.

See you then.