Sales Coach
The importance and benefits of seller certifications w/ Maggie Callahan
Thu Jun 22 2023Description
This episode explores the importance of certifications and coaching in revenue enablement at One Trust. Maggie Callahan, the Global Director of Revenue Enablement, discusses the three pillars of their revenue enablement team and the introduction of a fourth pillar. The role of certifications in setting expectations and delivering a unique buyer experience is highlighted. The episode also delves into building a coaching culture through coaching circles and the involvement of frontline managers. The crucial role of managers in coaching and their ability to identify knowledge gaps is emphasized. Manager meetups and a global manager meeting are mentioned as opportunities for peer-to-peer learning and feedback gathering.
Insights
Certifications Drive Unique Buyer Experience
Obtaining certifications allows reps to deliver a unique experience to buyers by speaking their language and understanding the global regulatory landscape in One Trust's case.
Coaching Circles Foster Learning and Feedback
Coaching circles are used instead of one-to-one certification programs, allowing peers to answer questions and managers to provide feedback. The idea of coaching circles came from the head of global field enablement.
Managers Play a Crucial Role in Coaching
Managers are better positioned to identify specific gaps in knowledge and provide real-time coaching. The accountability for coaching should stay with frontline managers as they are responsible for the end goal.
Chapters
Introduction
00:03 - 08:35
- Maggie Callahan is the Global Director of Revenue Enablement at One Trust, a Trust Intelligence Software Company based in Atlanta, Georgia.
- One Trust has three pillars in their revenue enablement team: field enablement, enablement operations, and sales new hire onboarding. They are also introducing a fourth pillar for go-to-market communications.
- Seller certifications are important for setting clear expectations and ensuring continuous support and coaching from managers.
- Certifications are valuable for organizations selling highly distinct products or services, such as One Trust's trust intelligence platform with multiple clouds.
- Certification is more about stand-and-deliver competence, while signing off is for lower cognitive load tasks.
- Obtaining certifications allows reps to deliver a unique experience to buyers by speaking their language and understanding the global regulatory landscape in One Trust's case.
Building a Coaching Culture
08:08 - 16:07
- Delivering a unique experience for buyers by speaking their language is a significant differentiator
- Sales Coach OS helps build a coaching culture in sales organizations
- New mindset focuses on bringing coaching through frontline managers
- Coaching circles are used instead of one-to-one certification programs
- Coaching circles allow peers to answer questions and managers to provide feedback
- The idea of coaching circles came from the head of global field enablement
- Sales plays are run every quarter to align teams around key initiatives
- Managers receive coaching materials and offer one-to-one coaching during the learning journey
- Manager certification is done at the end of the quarter, followed by coaching circles
- Managers report on team members who need more support or want to participate again
- Effective coaching requires alignment with regional or senior vice presidents
The Role of Managers in Coaching
15:41 - 20:01
- Coaching is pivotal in ensuring that people don't just acquire certifications but actually use what they learn.
- Enablement can certify people, but it will be significantly less effective without the managers' involvement.
- Managers are better positioned to identify specific gaps in knowledge and provide real-time coaching.
- The accountability for coaching should stay with frontline managers as they are responsible for the end goal.
- There is currently no equivalent circle where coaches or managers learn from each other.
- Manager meetups are held biannually to foster peer-to-peer coaching and learning.
- A global manager meeting has been initiated to gather feedback on what's working and what's not.