When it comes to developing talent, the choice between coaching and training is often debated. While each has its merits, we firmly believe coaching should take precedence.

We have created the Bold & Sharp Coach & Develop Index. You can download a limited version here.

It allows leaders to complete a thorough self-assessmentants and those of their leaders in 100 questions. Here is why.

Training is useful but its impact is limited:

Training is undoubtedly valuable. In the highly competitive world of B2B, knowledge is an essential asset. Companies invest in continuous training as part of strategic initiatives aimed at maintaining a competitive edge.

However, the reality is as follows: not all talents are equal. While some employees easily absorb new concepts and put them into practice immediately, most retain only 15% of the content four weeks after training. In our Success Factor methodology, we observe that the highest-performing sales professionals can assimilate large amounts of information quickly. Yet even they face the challenge of retention.

Coaching is the Winner:

Coaching is the essential follow-up to training. Unlike training, which is often a one-time, top-down event, coaching is a continuous support process. It enables managers to work closely with their employees and help them apply new skills and achieve their goals. Research suggests that coaching can improve an organization’s performance by 10% to 20%.

In theory, coaching should be an integral part of every manager’s role. This is not always the case. That’s why we emphasize coaching leaders in the Talent Management section of our operational and commercial excellence improvement offerings.

Coaching and Common Managerial Challenges

Our discussions with clients have allowed us to identify several obstacles that prevent coaching from becoming a daily practice:

• Managerial Skills: Coaching requires specific skills that many managers have not yet acquired.
• Confidence: Some managers lack confidence in their coaching abilities and influence.
• Lack of Actionable Tools: Without the right tracking tools, coaching can seem abstract and ineffective.
• Methodology: A structured framework for measuring coaching effectiveness and impact is often missing.
• Time Constraints: Daily demands can push coaching to the background.

The Bold & Sharp Index: A Practical Solution:

To help managers excel in coaching, we developed a comprehensive evaluation index with 100 targeted questions.

Inspired by our experiences and reference works such as The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle and Strengths-Based Leadership by Tom Rath and Barry Conchie, the Bold & Sharp Coach & Develop Index allows leaders to evaluate themselves and their managers, discover new approaches, and implement effective workshops and strategies. It covers three key areas:

• Coaching and Feedback: This section addresses aspects such as personalized coaching, individualized feedback, and managing critical conversations.
• Impact and Development: This section focuses on ingenuity, problem-solving, performance, and creating lasting impact on talent.
• Talent and Culture: This section includes elements like self-awareness, understanding employees’ personal drivers, shaping company culture, and building high-performing teams.

Looking for Creative Solutions to Enhance Your Sales Performance?

Contact us to conduct your self-assessment on coaching and turn it into a performance lever. Follow us on LinkedIn.

Think. Good selling.