Just Do It!

There was an interesting announcement made the other day in the National Football League. A fairly inexperienced assistant coach was promoted to a key assistant job. This role involves having to coach a future Hall of Fame quarterback. The press corps asked this young man how he was planning to coach the quarterback. The inference was there was no way this coach, who never played as a NFL quarterback, could possibly be of value to a legend. He responded by stating, "I have full understanding of what we are trying to do out there and what is required of the quarterback position. Just because our quarterback is a future Hall of Famer doesn't mean he can't improve on things. There are always things that one can improve. He wants to improve and be coached. That's where I can help." Is this bravado or a young man that understands the essence of coaching leadership?

This coach knows he can help anyone who gets assigned to him. First of all he knows what his team is trying to do and how it is supposed to be accomplished. He understands the fundamental actions required to make the right things happen and how to explain them to others. He has the confidence required to stick to the implementation of those fundamentals regardless of who is being coached, and he wants to help everyone assigned to him. There are countless leadership books out there trying to help readers understand themselves and what it takes to want to be a leader and help others. Many explain how to "move cheese," "fish," and other ways to get in the leadership mode. That is great, but there must be an equal emphasis on developing implementation know-how and skill to help others. Someone helped this young NFL coach learn the essence of getting individuals to perform at maximum performance levels - that's what coaches do. So here are the secrets to driving performance in others:

Know the plays.

It is only possible to help people achieve performance when you know the essentials that must be done to get the job accomplished. Too often managers try to coach without a clear understanding of how performance is to be accomplished. Great coaches describe in detail what is expected and how it is to be achieved. Each fundamental act is understood. Every essential behavior is known. They don't leave out details. They embrace them.

Analyze performance.

The data revolution provides business managers with endless information to analyze. This is an asset for determining performance enhancers and gaps. However, it has led to an overkill of end-game analysis. Sales and service managers are looking at too many reports that tell them what performance was rather than is. Many managers have started to minimize time in the field or on the floor. Often they are analyzing reports instead of assessing behaviors that tell them what is happening in the present. Great coaches know that you have to be there to make on the spot analysis to determine how to change or sustain outcomes. Play directors don't wait for the audience 
to clap to let them know things went well. They watch the performance, listen to each line, look at every planned expression, and observe stage locations and props. They know if it is going as planned and if it isn't, they are positioned to suggest adjustments that get the performance back on track.

Sales and service managers often claim it is too hard to be where the work is happening on a consistent basis. Due to time constraints, many times that may be true. But it is also true that managers can "be there" without "being there" by simply asking timely questions. Great sales and service coaches ask each employee thought provoking questions daily, to assess performance. Interestingly, regardless of where a manager is, technology can also make that easy to do.

Decide the high impact actions that get fast results.

Once coaches have information, they must quickly decide a course of action that provides the best opportunity to achieve the desired outcome. Making the decision is becoming a lost art in sales and service leadership. Managers must be decisive. Often we find managers waiting for someone else to tell him or her what to do. Sometimes managers are waiting to get consensus from others and sometimes they are waiting because they are afraid of being wrong. Sales and service management demands performance outcomes be achieved in very defined time frames. High impact decision-making is the game. If the first two critical factors have been done well, then it is easier to make good decisions. The key is to make the call.

Deploy the critical activities that must be done to get results.

High impact action drives success. Great sales and service managers don't leave good ideas on the table. They make sure every appropriate player does what it takes to achieve the objective. At the same time, sales and service managers employ every required coaching action. Implementation becomes the passion. If it is a good decision, it must be played out in the competitive battlefield. We all have witnessed great comebacks. We have also watched great companies and teams sustain excellence regardless of change. Behind all those business and entertainment success stories are managers who coached implementation.

Every sales and service manager can make leadership execution happen. By doing the above, they can confidently help any one - any time - achieve success. They just need to "Do It" - not once - but every day.