Why Great Sales Training Still Fails—and What to Do About It

Sales leaders know the feeling: you invest in a high-impact selling skills training program—maybe even two. The team gets fired up. They leave with notebooks full of insights and big ideas.

And then—not much really changes.

Sure, there’s an initial spike in motivation. But weeks later, reps’ initial motivation turns into frustration as they attempt to put new skills into practice. Sales targets are missed and reps are tempted to revert to what they know. And you’re left wondering: What happened?

Here’s the hard truth: Selling skills training doesn’t fail because it’s bad. It fails because it’s incomplete.

Sales training teaches skills. Leadership activates them.

Selling skills are necessary, no doubt. But when reps return to the field, it’s not a classroom—it’s crunch time. They need coaching and support, but they also require leadership that meets them where they are and stays with them on the road to mastery. If reps don’t get what they need when they need it, it can result in decreased engagement and productivity.

I see it all the time: talented reps underperforming not because they lack knowledge, but because they lack leadership tailored to their development level. New hires flounder. Mid-level performers stall. Top performers being asked to sell new solutions or in new ways are left to figure it out on their own.

What’s missing isn’t more sales training. What’s missing is a framework that turns training into new mindsets, behaviors and, ultimately, performance.

3 Things You Can Do Now to Coach Better

Want to see results right now? Start here:

1.    Diagnose Before You Coach
Don’t assume every rep needs the same thing. Ask: “On this goal, how confident and capable is this person?” Your coaching should flex based on the answer.

2.    Break the One-Size-Fits-All Habit
Resist the urge to give the same advice to all team members, or even the same advice to the same rep in different situations. One situation may require step-by-step guidance while another may just need praising and autonomy.

3.    Make Coaching an Everyday Habit
Coaching doesn’t have to be a formal meeting. Use your daily interactions to praise progress, redirect if necessary, and ask what is needed to move forward in specific areas.

These practices will raise your coaching game immediately. But if you want to go further—and give your entire team a shared language for growth—that’s where SLII^® for Sales comes in.

See It in Action: SLII^® for Sales Live Demo

SLII^® for Sales is built on the world’s most taught leadership model—and tailored specifically for the challenges of sales. In a recent webinar, we explored:

• • Why reps stall (and how to get them unstuck)
  • How to match your leadership to a rep’s development level
  • How tools like the SLII^® App and Conversation Starters make coaching faster and more focused
  • What changes when leaders and reps learn together

Sales doesn’t need another selling skills program. It needs leaders and reps who team together to unlock performance. Learn more, using the link below.

Access our free, on-demand webinar: Turn Reps into Top Performers – The SLII^® for Sales Advantage

About the Author

Judd Hoekstra is a highly sought after thought leader at Blanchard® with over 25 years of experience leading people and organizations. In addition to developing leadership solutions, writing, and speaking, Judd’s role as Vice President of the East US Sales business unit for Blanchard® gives him the opportunity to put into practice the solutions he shares with clients. Judd earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Marketing from Cornell University. He graduated from the Advanced Business Management Program at Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management.

More Content by Judd Hoekstra