Is sales a science for reps and improv for managers?
Take a second and be honest with yourself. Do you expect your reps to follow a process?
- A defined sales methodology
- Clear stages and exit criteria
- Specific behaviors like discovery, qualification, follow-up
- Activity expectations; calls, emails, pipeline creation
Of course you do. Every sales organization says the same thing; we want consistency, repeatability, and best practices.
Now flip it. Do you manage your team the same way?
Do you have:
- A defined structure for your one-on-ones
- A consistent coaching methodology
- A system for identifying what each rep needs to improve
- A repeatable way to track behavior change week over week
Or are you walking into your one-on-ones thinking: “I’ll figure it out when I get there.”
Because that is what most managers are doing. They are not running a system. They are reacting. They are playing whack-a-mole. They are managing like it’s an interpretive art form.
The Double Standard Nobody Talks About
Sales leaders believe selling is a science, but they treat management like jazz. Improvised. Emotional. Unstructured.
If you believe outcomes come from behaviors, and you enforce that belief with your reps, then you cannot abandon that logic when it comes to management.
That is a contradiction, and your team knows it.
The Data Is Clear: Managers Matter
This is not a philosophical argument. It shows up in the data. Research from Gallup found that managers account for at least 70 percent of the variance in employee engagement.
Not tools. Not territory. Not comp plans. Managers.
Now think about that… If managers drive most of the performance variability, and most managers operate without a system, then what you actually have is a performance lottery.
Before this turns into a guilt trip, let’s be clear about something. This is not your fault. Most managers:
- Were promoted because they were great reps
- Were never trained on how to coach
- Are overwhelmed with forecasts, deals, and internal work
- Don’t have a framework to follow
So what do they do? They default to what is urgent. Deals. Pipeline. Firefighting. Not development.
The Real Cost of “Winging It”
When management lacks structure, three things happen:
1. Behavior Doesn’t Change
Reps hear feedback, but nothing sticks. There is no reinforcement loop.
2. Performance Stays Inconsistent
Every manager runs their own playbook; results vary wildly across teams.
3. Attrition Creeps In
Your best reps leave for environments where they can actually develop.
If It’s a Science for Reps, It Has to Be a Science for Managers
If behaviors drive outcomes, then management must be built on:
- Defined structures
- Repeatable coaching cadences
- Clear identification of skill gaps
- Consistent follow-up and accountability
Management is applied psychology plus process. The art shows up in how you deliver feedback. The science shows up in:
- What you focus on
- When you intervene
- How you measure progress
Before your next one-on-one, ask yourself:
- Do I know exactly what this rep needs to improve?
- Do I have a plan for how we will work on it?
- Am I tracking whether it actually changes?
If the answer is no, you are not coaching. You are reacting.
You don’t need to feel bad about this, but you should feel responsible for fixing it.
Because if you expect your reps to be held to a high standard, it is time management is held to one too.
That’s what we help organizations do. Let’s chat.
