Salesperson coachability: what it is and why it matters

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce the concept of salesperson coachability and to propose potential relationships between it and sales coaching and sales performance. Design/methodology/approach This conceptual paper reviews the sales coaching and sales performance literature to highlight how the knowledge of each may be enhanced by the coachability construct. The concept of athletic coachability is then introduced to explain why it should be adapted and applied to salespeople in a personal selling context. Findings Adapting and applying the concept of athlete coachability to salespeople in a personal selling context may provide sales management practitioners and academics a better understanding of how certain salesperson personality traits combine and interact with certain situational influences to impact sales performance. Research limitations/implications Future studies need to test the propositions advanced. Practical implications Salesperson coachability may be used by sales managers as a screening criterion for sales force recruiting and retention. Social implications Salesperson coachability assessments for recruiting and training may result in lowering job turnover. Originality/value This paper introduces the concept of athletic coachability to the sales literature, argues why the concept should be adapted and applied to salespeople in a personal selling context, and advances testable propositions with respect to its expected relationship with sales coaching and sales performance.

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