One of the biggest blind spots for CROs is assuming their frontline managers already know how to coach effectively. Most don’t. In fact, most managers never progress past firefighting or deal reviews, which creates a ceiling on the organization’s growth. To sustainably scale revenue, you need to mature your managers and give them a system for coaching at scale.
A Lesson on Scalable Coaching
Mark Roberge, former CRO at HubSpot, shared the process that helped his managers consistently develop reps instead of just saving deals. He said:
“On the second afternoon of every month, I’d sit with my directors and go through each rep’s coaching plan. What do you coach? What’s your manager gonna coach them on? How are they gonna coach them? Then what’s the metric we’re gonna look at to know that the coaching worked? Because I had that meeting, the director had that same meeting with each manager that morning, and the manager had their one-on-ones with reps on the first day of the month.”
That rhythm created accountability and structure throughout the organization. Instead of chasing emergencies, every manager and rep knew exactly when coaching would happen, what it would cover, and how success would be measured.
Scale vs. Growth: CROs Need to Know the Difference
Too many CROs mistake growth for scale. Growth means adding more reps, more managers, more headcount. Scale means creating a system where managers become multipliers, developing reps who can carry more load and win more consistently without endless hiring.
You can grow through brute force, but you can only scale when you teach managers to coach at a higher level and give them a repeatable system.
How CROs Can Make Their Managers Multipliers
Here are practical ways CROs can help their frontline managers step up:
1. Run Regular Roster Reviews
Adopt a cadence like Roberge’s. Set aside time monthly or quarterly for directors to review every rep with their managers. Focus on skill diagnosis and capability, not just pipeline numbers.
2. Focus on Data-Informed Decision-Making
Data should point you to the problem area. Observation and conversation should uncover the root cause. Teach managers to combine the two.
3. Plan Learning Interventions
Coaching shouldn’t be ad hoc. Require managers to schedule interventions for diagnosed skill gaps, like role plays, recorded call reviews, or targeted practice sessions.
4. Install a Manager Operating System
Managers need more than encouragement. They need an OS: clear templates, coaching frameworks, dashboards, and scheduled touchpoints that make developmental coaching inevitable.
5. Prioritize Manager Development and Accountability
Hold managers accountable for their time spent on developmental coaching versus firefighting. Invest in their leadership training so they have the skills and confidence to coach at a proactive development level.
The CRO’s Leverage Point
CROs set the tone. If you want scalable revenue, you need scalable coaching. That doesn’t happen by accident. By helping your managers mature, you build a culture where reps develop faster, pipelines get stronger, and growth compounds instead of stalling.
At CoachEm, we believe managers are the multipliers of growth. The question for every CRO is simple: have you given them the tools and structure to scale?
If not, let’s chat.
