How do I actually coach my reps on their deals?
You call it coaching when you review the pipeline and tell them what to do. That is managing. It is not coaching, and some part of you already knows this — that is why it bothers you. Here is what happens next: the rep nods, agrees with your plan, and does something else next week. It was your plan, not theirs. They never had to think. You did the thinking, and they just carried your bag. There is no hidden system here. There is one discipline: ask before you tell. Make the rep say out loud what they know, what they do not know, and what they will do about it. Then hold them to their own words.
Stop reviewing the deal. Start questioning the rep's thinking. Ask what the customer actually said, not what the rep assumes. Ask what they will do next, and why. Your task is not to solve the deal for them. It is to make them think clearly, out loud, in front of you.
What changes unlock by starting
- You stop doing the rep's thinking for them in every meeting.
- Reps bring you sharper answers, not just status updates.
- Deals move because the rep owns the next step, not because you pushed it.
- You catch a weak deal earlier, from their answers, not your guesswork.