Training is not Enough Part 2: Coaching

Training has a purpose; it shares knowledge and defines desired outcomes. Training gives you the who, what, when, where, and why. Coaching gives you the how. Coaching helps the training stick, driving  measurable improvement and better results toward the desired outcomes. 

When you hear the word coach, do sports come to mind? The sports coach model is a good metaphor for what is needed for any sales, service, or BDC team member. 

Let’s use a college basketball coach as an example – men’s or women’s doesn’t matter. Specifically, what they do before, during, and after a game. 

Before the game, and in preparation for the game, the coach starts as a teacher/trainer. The team goes through training together. They learn what to do during the game. But the team doesn’t go straight to the game from the training. 

The coach holds practice, and the team gets coached. The coach will coach players one on one, showing them how to perform a move or a play. And the coach has the player do it over and over until they get it right. The players are now ready for the game. 

During the game, the coach keeps on coaching. This is an important attribute of a good coach. The coach holds players accountable for what they learned and practiced, and if they aren’t getting the move or the play right, he pulls them from the game until he can coach and practice with the player again. 

After the game, the coach reviews the performance and looks at the stats, watches the game film, and gets feedback. Then it’s back to class, practicing and coaching. Rinse and repeat. 

This process is great for the dealership but not common.  

Almost all dealerships conduct training, either internally or by a third-party expert. And many dealerships have processes in place to support the training and supply more training and coaching as needed. 

Dealerships need coaches. It could be a corporate trainer, a QA manager, or a sales or service manager. Without coaching and accountability, the training fades away.