The ONE Thing Sales Leaders DON'T Do That's Killing Sales

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, host Kelly Riggs tackles a pervasive issue in sales management: the lack of active, on-the-field engagement between sales leaders and their teams. Riggs emphasizes the critical need for sales managers to step away from their desks and directly participate in sales calls with their representatives. He reminisces about his early days in sales management, highlighting the importance of "ride-alongs," where managers would accompany salespeople on client visits to observe and coach in real-time. Riggs argues that these face-to-face interactions are essential for understanding the realities of the sales process and for providing meaningful, situational coaching.

Riggs expands on the theme by discussing the concept of "curbside coaching," where managers and salespeople debrief immediately after client meetings to analyze what went well and identify areas for improvement. He stresses that sales coaching should be an ongoing, interactive process that helps salespeople refine their strategies and tactics based on actual experiences rather than assumptions. Through anecdotes and personal experiences, Riggs illustrates how active engagement helps uncover the truth behind sales performance, revealing that what is often reported in CRM systems or sales meetings may not fully capture the on-ground realities. The episode concludes with a strong call to action for sales leaders to be more involved in the field, ensuring they provide the hands-on guidance and support necessary for their teams to succeed.

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Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don’t and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.

Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.

Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes’ Coaches Council since 2019.

Music and Editing by Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions