Sales Managers’ Perceptions of Rapport, Adaptability, and Involvement in Coaching

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore how sales managers describe the role of rapport, adaptability, and involvement in coaching sales team members in the financial services sector. The theoretical foundation for the study was derived from the work of Nguyen’s et al. three-factor, 14-item Effective Sales Coaching (ESC) scale. The research questions were constructed to understand how sales managers described the role rapport, adaptability, and involvement play in coaching sales team members in the financial services sector. Semistructured interviews and two focus groups with 20 sales managers, provided insights into best practices for sales coaching in the financial services industry, globally. Braun and Clarke’s six steps for conducting thematic analysis. The findings demonstrated that building rapport and adapting coaching approaches to individual sales team members, as well as active involvement by sales managers, were crucial factors in improving performance outcomes. Sales managers described the role of rapport, adaptability, and involvement, respectively, as having different meanings and identified multiple paths to achieve each. The study enriches both the existing body of knowledge and its practical application in the field of sales coaching.