In our recent LinkedIn survey on coaching preferences, the majority surprisingly favored the enabling coaching style, where the coach asks questions like “How well did you think the call went? Have you identified any issues we can focus on to build a need for change?”
This inclination towards enabling vs. directive coaching was unexpected, as the narrative in the sales world often emphasizes the need for pragmatic, directive, or guided coaching methods. Sales managers frequently resort to directive approaches, positioning themselves as superheroes swooping in to save the day—leaving little room for developmental, enabling coaching.
How can we explain this result?
The majority of respondents were either sales executives or people who, like us as sales consultants, favor an enabling coaching approach. It was the sales leaders who showed a bias towards directive forms of coaching, while sales executives, especially high performers, preferred enabling coaching..
Two sides of the coaching coin:
1. Coaching as a development and reinforcement tool: This approach focuses on long-term growth and individual improvement. It emphasizes reflection, understanding, and continuous learning, catering to high performers seeking self-discovery and mastery through enabling coaching.
2. Focused feedback for immediate results: On the other hand, some view coaching as a means to achieve short-term objectives and win specific opportunities. It’s akin to running a play in sports—an immediate, situational approach to achieving a goal through directive coaching.
Differing definitions of coaching
Everyone has a slightly different take on what coaching is about, but all are focused on the outcome they are trying to achieve. Definitions from various sources reinforce this point:
International Coaching Community defines it as “helping a person change in the way they wish and go in the direction they want to go… building awareness, empowering choice, and leading to change.”
Mentoring Group defines it as “a method of achieving set goals… the coach asks questions through which the client discovers their own solutions.”
The Cambridge dictionary defines the word “coaching” as “the job or activity of providing training for people or helping to prepare them for something.”
While both enabling and directive coaching styles have their merits, it’s crucial to understand the underlying needs and preferences of sales professionals and be truly adaptable in your approach.
Enabling coaching for high performers
High performers are not looking to be given answers; instead, they want to reflect and build their best practices. If they talk to an “expert,” they want to ask questions, not be told what to do. High performers tend to be driven, show initiative, be great communicators, like clarity of outcomes, be self-developers, and have behavioral awareness of both self and others.
With these traits, high performers want to own their actions, not be told how to do things, even if they are happy to be told what outcomes to achieve. They thrive in environments that foster autonomy, self-discovery, and continuous improvement. Enabling coaching provides them with the tools and support to maximize their potential, creating a culture of talent development and mutual respect.
Directive coaching for immediate results
The reality involves balancing immediate business needs with long-term development goals. Sales managers, driven by targets and outcomes, may lean towards directive coaching to ensure short-term success. This creates a potential disconnect between coaching objectives and the expectations of sales executives.
As a sales manager, the rationale for directive coaching is: “I understand what steps are necessary for us to achieve our goals. I’ll observe your actions, providing feedback on areas that need improvement and guiding you on how to correct them. This process revolves around advancing a sale, where I’ll outline the path forward along with associated timelines. Why do I do this? Because your success directly impacts mine; as a Sales Manager, my achievements are intertwined with yours. I’m invested in your triumphs, not your failures. Therefore, I’ll always provide clear direction to ensure your success.”
In simpler terms: “I am paid by all my salespeople selling enough so that I achieve my team target. I am not necessarily paid to develop you, so I will do that once I am confident we will hit the target.”
Striking the Right Balance
To ensure we deliver the appropriate coaching style, whether enabling or directive, follow this three-step process:
- Define the intent: Differentiate sessions that are about development from those that focus on a specific activity or event.
- Be adaptable: Even if focused on a specific event/activity, be adaptable and let the reality of what you observe dictate whether you direct, guide, or enable. Understand the individual’s needs, their level of knowledge, and tailor your approach accordingly.
- Be aware of business reality: If you, as the coach, are under pressure to achieve specific outcomes, your personal requirements will impact your approach. It’s challenging to focus on long-term development when watching your bonus disappear as pipelines fail to convert.
Consider separating developmental coaching responsibilities from pipeline and opportunity coaching discussions. For example, the Sales Manager focuses on activities directly linked to revenue, while a performance or development coach focuses on long-term growth.
In summary, the survey highlighted a potential disconnect between what Sales Managers think coaching should achieve and what sales executives are looking for. The more pressure Sales Managers face, the more they may resort to directive and guiding coaching to drive immediate results, leaving development for later.
To bridge this gap, organizations should:
- Clearly state the objective of “coaching activities” to separate developmental sessions from “win business” activities.
- Ensure coaches are adaptable and use enabling approaches when appropriate.
- If developmental coaching is imperative, consider having a dedicated coach not linked to the coaches’ performance.
By finding the right balance between enabling vs. directive coaching, organizations can foster a supportive environment that nurtures talent while achieving immediate business goals.
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