Getting Sales Managers to Challenge the Thinking of their Reps—Part 2

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The previous blog post presented the case study of Lisa, a sales manager who conducted one-on-one phone meetings with each sales rep to review top accounts. She asked virtually the same questions of each rep, and each rep supplied her with answers. Although the content uncovered in the meetings had some value, team members—including Lisa—were less than enthusiastic about the process.

The previous blog post presented the case study of Lisa, a sales manager who conducted one-on-one phone meetings with each sales rep to review top accounts. She asked virtually the same questions of each rep, and each rep supplied her with answers. Although the content uncovered in the meetings had some value, team members—including Lisa—were less than enthusiastic about the process.

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Indeed, if the organizational leaders had actually heard the frustration of their sales teams about these meetings, there might be some ruffled feathers and hurt feelings.

Indeed, if the organizational leaders had actually heard the frustration of their sales teams about these meetings, there might be some ruffled feathers and hurt feelings.

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Without question, there would be some self-justifying and explaining. There might even be some managerial dismissiveness: “You know sales people; they think they know it all and always feel the need to complain about something.”

Without question, there would be some self-justifying and explaining. There might even be some managerial dismissiveness: “You know sales people; they think they know it all and always feel the need to complain about something.”

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But none of this settles the truth that the sales reps hated the process. They needed help to improve their question-based approach.

But none of this settles the truth that the sales reps hated the process. They needed help to improve their question-based approach.

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Dig deep

Dig deep 

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The effectiveness of a questions-based approach stems from two primary sources. The first is the process itself. When it comes to persuasion, for instance, questions allow one party to express things from his perspective and point of view.

The effectiveness of a questions-based approach stems from two primary sources. The first is the process itself. When it comes to persuasion, for instance, questions allow one party to express things from his perspective and point of view.

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Essentially, questions allow someone to persuade himself, which is significantly more influential than having someone else tell him what to think or do. Consider the old saying: “If you say it, they can doubt it. If they say it, it’s true.”

Essentially, questions allow someone to persuade himself, which is significantly more influential than having someone else tell him what to think or do. Consider the old saying: “If you say it, they can doubt it. If they say it, it’s true.”

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The second source of the approach’s effectiveness stems from the content of the questions themselves. This is related to how questions are articulated linguistically, as well as to the information they seek. It is really in this second area where the sales managers in this organization were failing.

The second source of the approach’s effectiveness stems from the content of the questions themselves. This is related to how questions are articulated linguistically, as well as to the information they seek. It is really in this second area where the sales managers in this organization were failing. 

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Clearly, presenting a position paper on why and how to ask good questions is beyond the scope of this humble project. But there are some “best practices” about questions that are worth exploring and will help you to be more effective in coaching your sales teams.

Clearly, presenting a position paper on why and how to ask good questions is beyond the scope of this humble project. But there are some “best practices” about questions that are worth exploring and will help you to be more effective in coaching your sales teams.

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Lisa and her sales management peers had the right intention from a process standpoint, but they went awry in the content. The first rule of good questioning is, “never ask the obvious question that you can answer on your own.”

Lisa and her sales management peers had the right intention from a process standpoint, but they went awry in the content. The first rule of good questioning is, “never ask the obvious question that you can answer on your own.”

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For instance, in selling it is unwise to ask a customer about their annual revenue when those numbers can be drawn from a publicly available source (like an annual report). Questions that can be answered without the input of the other party are best left un-asked.

For instance, in selling it is unwise to ask a customer about their annual revenue when those numbers can be drawn from a publicly available source (like an annual report). Questions that can be answered without the input of the other party are best left un-asked.

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This issue was where sales managers were stumbling. The sales teams already knew the answers to the questions—or knew where those answers could be found. What’s worse, their managers could get the answers just as easily (query the database and produce a report).

This issue was where sales managers were stumbling. The sales teams already knew the answers to the questions—or knew where those answers could be found. What’s worse, their managers could get the answers just as easily (query the database and produce a report).

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In strategic opportunity planning, the job of the sales manager is not to play “stump the reps,” but rather to challenge their assumptions and conclusions about what seems to be happening in their accounts and what they are planning to do about it. In other words, it is less “what” and more “so what?”

In strategic opportunity planning, the job of the sales manager is not to play “stump the reps,” but rather to challenge their assumptions and conclusions about what seems to be happening in their accounts and what they are planning to do about it. In other words, it is less “what” and more “so what?”

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Planning is key

Planning is key

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Coming up with the questions that challenge our reps’ thinking requires planning. Just as we expect sales reps to plan their questions before a sales call, top sales managers plan their questions prior to a strategic opportunity planning meeting. And just like in a sales call, we want to ask questions that cause the person hearing the question to stop and think—to consider potential implications and draw inferences.

Coming up with the questions that challenge our reps’ thinking requires planning. Just as we expect sales reps to plan their questions before a sales call, top sales managers plan their questions prior to a strategic opportunity planning meeting. And just like in a sales call, we want to ask questions that cause the person hearing the question to stop and think—to consider potential implications and draw inferences.

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More important, an effective questioning strategy goes deep before it goes wide. That is, effective sales managers dig deeper on an issue before moving on.

More important, an effective questioning strategy goes deep before it goes wide. That is, effective sales managers dig deeper on an issue before moving on.

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With this sales team, the process looked more like a perfunctory interrogation. It had a rhythm. And any rhythm repeated over time becomes monotony. An alternative approach is to listen to the answer to the first question, and follow it up with more questions.

With this sales team, the process looked more like a perfunctory interrogation. It had a rhythm. And any rhythm repeated over time becomes monotony. An alternative approach is to listen to the answer to the first question, and follow it up with more questions.

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After working with Lisa and her peers on a more effective and robust questioning approach, we again shadowed them during their weekly calls. Here is a partial transcript of how that played out between Lisa and Kevin, one of her team. Kevin, a solid performer, has just answered Lisa’s question about who the key players were in one account.

After working with Lisa and her peers on a more effective and robust questioning approach, we again shadowed them during their weekly calls. Here is a partial transcript of how that played out between Lisa and Kevin, one of her team. Kevin, a solid performer, has just answered Lisa’s question about who the key players were in one account.

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Lisa: Who do you believe is your top Advocate in this account?

Lisa: Who do you believe is your top Advocate in this account?

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Kevin: I believe its Dr. Kelley.

Kevin: I believe its Dr. Kelley.

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Lisa: What’s been said or done to make you believe Dr. Kelley is an advocate?

Lisa: What’s been said or done to make you believe Dr. Kelley is an advocate?

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Kevin: He has always accepted my meetings and been forthcoming with information

Kevin: He has always accepted my meetings and been forthcoming with information

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Lisa: Does he provide your competitor with the same access and information?

Lisa: Does he provide your competitor with the same access and information?

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Kevin: I’m not really sure.

Kevin: I’m not really sure.

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Lisa: What does Dr. Kelley think about our competitor?

Lisa: What does Dr. Kelley think about our competitor?

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Kevin: I’m not really sure.

Kevin: I’m not really sure.

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Lisa: How can we find out and be sure he is being honest with us?

Lisa: How can we find out and be sure he is being honest with us?

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Kevin: I guess I could ask him his opinion about our competitor and try to find out what he likes best and least about them.

Kevin: I guess I could ask him his opinion about our competitor and try to find out what he likes best and least about them.

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Lisa: That would definitely be helpful. Do you know who our competitors’ advocates might be?

Lisa: That would definitely be helpful. Do you know who our competitors’ advocates might be?

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Kevin: Um, I’m not sure.

Kevin: Um, I’m not sure.

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Lisa: How can we find out? And once we have that insight what might be your next step in neutralizing our competitor’s advocates?

Lisa: How can we find out? And once we have that insight what might be your next step in neutralizing our competitor’s advocates?

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The types of questions that Lisa is asking Kevin are questions that Kevin hasn’t considered in the past—and will help Kevin avoid any painful surprises in the end.

The types of questions that Lisa is asking Kevin are questions that Kevin hasn’t considered in the past—and will help Kevin avoid any painful surprises in the end.

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Moving forward

Moving forward

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In strategic opportunity coaching, the manager’s goal is to challenge their current thinking and fill information voids. The key is to dig deep on the areas where the sales manager can add value or where the rep does not know valuable information.

In strategic opportunity coaching, the manager’s goal is to challenge their current thinking and fill information voids. The key is to dig deep on the areas where the sales manager can add value or where the rep does not know valuable information.

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To learn more about asking smart sales coaching questions, check out Premeditated Selling: Tools for Developing the Right Strategy Every Time . Chapter 8 of this book will provide you with more than 40 different challenging sales coaching questions that managers often don’t think about asking.

To learn more about asking smart sales coaching questions, check out Premeditated Selling: Tools for Developing the Right Strategy Every Time. Chapter 8 of this book will provide you with more than 40 different challenging sales coaching questions that managers often don’t think about asking. 

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This post is adapted from Premeditated Selling: Tools for Developing the Right Strategy Every Time, which provides a scalable five-step process and tools for managing complex sales. The authors also explore strategic elements that exist in every major sales opportunity and use case studies to show best (and worst) practices in action. The end result is a book that gives readers a solid foundation for developing effective opportunity strategies. Download a free chapter of the book!

This post is adapted from Premeditated Selling: Tools for Developing the Right Strategy Every Time, which provides a scalable five-step process and tools for managing complex sales. The authors also explore strategic elements that exist in every major sales opportunity and use case studies to show best (and worst) practices in action. The end result is a book that gives readers a solid foundation for developing effective opportunity strategies. Download a free chapter of the book!

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This post is adapted from Premeditated Selling: Tools for Developing the Right Strategy Every Time, which provides a scalable five-step process and tools for managing complex sales. The authors also explore strategic elements that exist in every major sales opportunity and use case studies to show best (and worst) practices in action. The end result is a book that gives readers a solid foundation for developing effective opportunity strategies. Download a free chapter of the book!

This post is adapted from Premeditated Selling: Tools for Developing the Right Strategy Every Time, which provides a scalable five-step process and tools for managing complex sales. The authors also explore strategic elements that exist in every major sales opportunity and use case studies to show best (and worst) practices in action. The end result is a book that gives readers a solid foundation for developing effective opportunity strategies. Download a free chapter of the book!