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Coaching Questions: They’re Not as Easy as They Look

April 21st, 2008

The skills required to be a great coach and a great salesperson intersect at two critical points: asking great questions and listening fully to what the other person is saying. By now, you probably know the ins and outs of how to listen, but how do you, as a sales manager, transition the questioning skills you once used on prospects to the coaching role? It’s a crucial question since it is “not outside the realms of possibility for a coach to do nothing more than ask questions during a coaching conversation,” say Brian Emerson and Ann Loehr, coaches, consultants, and co-authors of A Manager’s Guide to Coaching (AMACOM, 2008). In their book, Emerson and Loehr offer the following guidelines for asking coaching questions that help move a sales rep to a place of self-awareness, discovery, and change.

Keep questions advice free. Ah, the old ‘advice disguised as a question’ trap. Coaches who know they need to ask questions but can’t let go of their need to fix problems and give advice often combine the two. They’ll ask questions that start with, “Have you tried…?” or “Why don’t you…?” or “What if you…?” This approach fails because it doesn’t allow the rep to arrive at his or her own solution. Instead of “Have you thought about…?” Emerson and Loehr suggest you ask, “What’s the best solution to this in your mind?” and follow it up with, “What would it take to make that happen?”

Keep questions short and simple. The most powerful coaching questions are usually the shortest. Questions of five to 10 words are best because they “typically come from a place of curiosity, are too short to be advice, and keep the coach focused on the employee,” say the authors. If you’re expending mental energy trying to craft eloquent, complex questions, they add, you aren’t devoting enough of your energy to listening. For instance, instead of, “In the end, if it could go perfectly in your mind, how would you like everything to work itself out?” ask, “What do you want?”

Keep questions thought inspiring. Often when an employee has a problem, he or she has already spent a lot of time thinking about the problem and possible solutions and they need you to help them think bigger. The authors cite the example, often used in coaching circles, of teaching someone to kick a soccer ball. Asking the person if they are keeping their eye on the ball will elicit a yes or no answer that doesn’t help them see the problem in a new light. But asking something like, “As the ball comes toward you, which way is it spinning?” or, “Do you see more black or more white on the ball as it approaches?” helps them see things differently while ensuring they keep their eye on the ball..

more at www.sellingpower.com

Filed under: Book Review, Sales Resource — Propeller @ 9:27 am

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Fight Your Fear

April 14th, 2008

When most people find out they have to give a presentation, they usually do 1 of 3 things: try to get out of it, procrastinate, or start working on it. Usually they choose option 3 only after they fail at the first 2.

Fear is the primary motivator for the first 2 responses. Usually we fear things that we’re unfamiliar with.

Use some of listed tips to fight fear before your presentation starts:
• Think of yourself as Olympian in training
• Start you preparation early
• Practise with a video camera
• Practise in a room similar to the one in which you will actually speak
• Exercise briefly before your presentation to eliminate excess adrenaline
• Don’t eat a hearty meal, consume large quantities of caffeine, milk or sugar
• Don’t focus on you fear.

Filed under: Personal Development Resource — Propeller @ 9:01 am

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P.M.A. – Positive Mental Attitude

April 7th, 2008

It is important to have a positive mental attitude at all times. For many sales people this means a change in their thought process. By nature the vast majority of people look on the negative side of life.

“That target is impossible”
Negative. Change to P.M.A.

“What can I do to make that target achievable”
Positive.

“This client has never used us - it’s not worth calling them”
Negative. Change to P.M.A.

“They’ll use us this time in light of the information I have”
Positive.

Filed under: Other, Sales Resource — Propeller @ 1:02 pm

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Get what You Want

March 31st, 2008

“Would you tell me please which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to’, said the cat.
“I don’t much care where…” said Alice.
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the cat.
Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

The more precisely and positively you can define what you want, and the more you program your brain to seek out and notice possibilities, the more likely you are to get what you want. Opportunities exist when they are recognised as opportunities. Ideally you should do this before every call or meeting.

Filed under: Other, Personal Development Resource, Quotes — Propeller @ 11:26 am

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Influencing a Mixed Audience

March 25th, 2008

When presenting, you know that very few audiences are all supportive or all neutral, that’s why it’s important to tailor your presentation to a wide spectrum of viewpoints. However, the key when presenting to a mixed audience is to identify whom in the audience you have to win over.

First, you have to identify which subgroups in your audience have the most power (the numbers) and concentrate your efforts on those subgroups.

Then you need to look for creative ways to influence each subgroup by offering each a different reward. Look at a typical snack food commercial. It promises kids a great taste while reassuring parents the snacks are healthy and nutritious.

- Don’t promise everything to everyone
- Use glittering generalities
- Stress common interests
- Discuss issues not personalities
- Call for positive suggestions.
- Don’t call for a vote

Finally, no matter what type of audience you are presenting to, you must set realistic and achievable goals. If you can, appeal to the different groups in your audience with different parts of your message. Many presenters make the mistake of trying to achieve too much.

Harry Mills, Power Points! How to Design & Deliver Presentations That Sizzle and Sell

Filed under: Book Review, Personal Development Resource — Propeller @ 1:47 pm

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Behaviour Patterns of Leadership

March 14th, 2008

Initiation - The leader initiates and facilitates new ideas and practices.
Membership - The leader mixes with the entire group and encourages members to approach him informally.
Representation - The leader defends the group against attack and advances the interests of the group.
Integration - Leader initiates team atmosphere, reduces conflict, subordinates the individual need to the group need.
Organisation - The leader structures and defines the work effort of the team.
Domination - The leader restricts the behaviour of individuals or the group.
Communication - The leader provides information to members and seeks information from them, also facilitates the exchange of information.
Recognition - Expresses approval or disapproval of the behaviour of a group member.
Production - Sets levels of effort and achievement.

Filed under: Management Resource — Propeller @ 11:04 am

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Don’t Give Up

March 10th, 2008

Statistics reveal that, on average, 80% of sales are made after the fourth call on a prospect.

Funny thing is, approximately 75% of salespeople stop calling the prospect after three attempts. Which is sad, because they are missing a ton of business that is only one more contact away.

In the world of selling, you simply cannot afford to throw in the towel too soon. You have to remain persistent, positive, and persuasive until you get the sale. If you don’t, your competition may earn the sale that should have been yours.

The message is clear: don’t give up!

Remain consistent and steadfast in your efforts, because you never know when those efforts will pay off.

Filed under: Sales Resource — Propeller @ 2:40 pm

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The Sweet Smell of Interview Success

March 7th, 2008

Candidates are apparently so blase about job interviews these days that some don’t even bother showering first…

Although we’re constantly hearing about the UK economy going to hell in a handcart, nobody seems to have told jobseekers, says the Recruitment and Employment Confederation. According to the recruiters’ trade body, candidates are so firmly in the driving seat at the moment that they’re not even bothering to prepare properly for interviews. Most offensively of all, some aren’t even bothering to wash – 47% of recruiters said they’d had complaints about their candidates’ personal hygiene. So it’s not surprising employers are kicking up a stink.

And the deplorable complacency doesn’t end there. Almost every recruiter surveyed said they’d had complaints about their candidates’ appearance, usually because they were inappropriately dressed. Some showed up in casual clothes, others were displaying far too much flesh, and bizarrely one girl even turned up in a ball-gown. We’ve heard it said that it’s better to be over-dressed than under-dressed, but that’s ridiculous.

‘The findings indicate that some job hunters are in desperate need of a makeover,’ says REC director Tom Hadley. ‘Candidates often feel nervous before and during interviews, which can explain odd clothing choices and erratic behaviour but by taking the time to prepare, job hunters are much more likely to be comfortable and confident during interviews’. Fair enough – though we’re not quite sure how exactly this fits with the overriding ‘jobseekers are getting complacent’ theme…

Indeed, the REC’s release (thoughtfully entitled ‘Smelly job-hunters need a makeover’) soon gets bored of this idea and moves onto that ever-reliable comic staple: interview clangers (it tries to claim these are also a sign of complacency, but it sounds more like basic stupidity to us). For instance: the candidate who nominated ‘dishonesty’ as his biggest weakness; another who put ‘Sony Playstation ‘down under IT skills, and a girl who was too vain to wear her glasses and walked into a cupboard on the way out.

But what can we deduce from all this? Well, some candidates may be complacent, others may be nervous, and some or all of these might smell. So perhaps the best solution is just to open the windows, stock up on air freshener, and console yourself with the thought that if someone’s really bad it’ll make a funny story next time you take your team for a drink…

www.managementtoday.co.uk

Filed under: Just for Fun, Personal Development Resource — Propeller @ 12:10 pm

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A Joke for Your CEO

February 29th, 2008

A young executive was leaving the office late one evening when he found the CEO standing in front of a shredder with a piece of paper in his hand.

“Listen,” said the CEO, “this is a very sensitive and important document here, and my secretary has gone for the night. Can you make this thing work?”

“Certainly,” said the young executive. He turned the machine on, inserted the paper, and pressed the start button.

“Excellent, excellent!” said the CEO as his paper disappeared inside the machine.

“I just need one copy.”

www.realbusiness.co.uk

Filed under: Just for Fun — Propeller @ 2:54 pm

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Hints for Delivering Feedback, Part II

February 25th, 2008

Today we’re coming back with the final three elements which will help you make your feedback constructive.

MANNER
• Own the feedback. Use “I” not “we”
• Be direct. Don’t embroider around the issue or it may be misunderstood.
• Don’t say, “you need to…”. This is directive. It is much more effective to ask the individual to come up with a solution to the issue themselves.
• Be sincere and supportive
• Avoid mixed messages (You’ve worked hard, BUT…). The attempt to be nice is negated and the message diluted
• Express appreciation when giving positive feedback, along with the
• specifics
• Express concern when giving negative feedback. Sarcasm, anger or disappointment cause emotional reactions.
• Give feedback face to face or if necessary on the phone.
• State observations, not interpretations. Not “you’ve been moody and uncooperative” but “I am concerned that you have not been contributing in meetings today”

TIMING
• Generally constructive feedback should be provided as soon as possible while the incident is still fresh
• When providing negative feedback a delay can allow you to cool off and get your thoughts together

FREQUENCY
• Provide feedback on an ongoing basis. This makes it more valuable.
• Try to ensure that you comment on your team getting it right more often than you do them getting it wrong!

Filed under: Management Resource — Propeller @ 10:53 am

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