Exposing The Down Side Of Executive Coaching And Mentoring Program

Coaching-Mentoring Program Down Side

Here are a few essential things for your takeaway from this post:

Some companies provide coaching and mentoring program to further develop their sales team sales competencies. This program has its advantages and benefits, with proper planning and execution, of course.

And there's always two sides of the same coin...

Sales Coaching And Mentoring Program Smoke Screen

Here's the thing:

The word "smokescreen" is used for a great reason. 

It's not just a thing to hook your attention. 

In total honesty, I personally observe, through almost over a decade of a sales career, that many programs offered were just to fill in the void, the kind that says, "It's better than nothing."

Why?

My short, personal, answer is - the budget was already allocated. 

If it is not spent, then guess who will take the blame? 

I don't think any 'career-centered' person wants to put him/herself into hot soup. 

So, the best option is to spend it on something, anything - as long as it is related to coaching and mentoring. You don't have to agree with me (even though I can see you nodding your head!).

As you can intelligently guess, when people are required to deliver something as part of their Key Performance Index (KPI), they'll just read them, sometimes, without giving much thought to the outcome. 

What matters to them is, they have the answer if they were asked about it (will you stop nodding?).

Don't you think that this is a smoke-screen (you can not now)?

During the old days, I used to blame the sales trainers for not understanding salespeople need but later on, when I, somehow, end up in management, I can see that HR (that's Human Resource by the way), had a role to play in ensuring the success of the coaching-mentoring program.

To me, this is another smoke-screen because, in a big company, HR personnel is significant people.

They take care of the employee welfare and their career path. 

They actually have a direct contribution to the development of an employee, or in this case, the sales personnel.

This situation, however, put the HRD on 2 extremes:

1. They have too much influence or
2. They have way too little.

It is not easy to tell those two apart, and when in time of need, it can lead to 'unfavorable' circumstances for the salespeople.

It's A Potential Bad News For Salespeople

Why?

For one, HRD can start to implement action plans that are considered 'half-cock.' 

From the information that it has or lack thereof, it arrives at a 'misplaced' solution. 

For example, a record from the HR Department shows that a sales rep needs executive coaching. 

It then implements a program, such as '8 Steps Coaching Program', and make that as KPI for the Sales Manager (SM). 

It becomes part of the SM job descriptors, and to score a point, the manager needs to demonstrate that.

This situation was obviously open to mismanagement due to lack of info. A wrong party has the potential of being assessed on a higher-level competency, which according to the record, is accurate.

And who's keeping the score for the HR Personnel and the credibility of the record?

In my opinion, another smoke-screen.

Many companies are testing the best course of action to take, to have a succession plan in place but to the 'immature' organizations, regardless of how long they have existed, this step is a drag. 

Members of the organization who can't tolerate just jump ship. 

Sometimes, competent, hard-working men and women in a Sales Team were the ones to climb.

I don't know how you'd see this, but for me, even after clocking reasonable hours on the field coaching and mentoring Team Members, I still can't really figure out the mechanics of both skills to make them useful.

Conclusion On The Down Sides

So there you have them.

There are 2 downsides, which I've observed, for Coaching-Mentoring Program during those years I've spent with the Sales Management team. 

I just mentioned two big ones and rest assured, they're more than that.

Where do we go from here?

It's evident that I'm going to offer, those who are interested in making this program a success, my Secrets to Successful Coaching and Mentoring Program. 

You won't find these gems anywhere else, and the ONLY way for you to get your hands on them, is to wait for me to pitch my offer, which I don't have the idea when.

Thanks for readin'! I hope I've made your day ...