Managers tell me they’re always “coaching” their sales teams. The truth is, most of what passes for coaching isn’t coaching at all. It’s firefighting, mentoring, or deal review. Those things have their place, but don’t develop reps or drive long-term performance. Over the years, I’ve seen four distinct levels of sales coaching. Only one of them consistently builds capability and scales results.
Level 0: No Real Coaching
Many managers default to this approach. They ask, “Where do you need help?” and then roll up their sleeves to fix roadblocks for the rep, chasing down a quote, pushing legal, and escalating an issue. It feels supportive, but it’s firefighting. The rep walks away relieved but not any more skilled than before. If this is your pattern, you’re training your team to depend on you.
Level 1: General Talk or Mentoring
The next level is what I call “coffee chat coaching.” It’s the weekly “How are things?” check-in. It’s about spirits and morale. That’s important. People need to feel seen and heard. But it isn’t coaching. It doesn’t address the skills or behaviors that win deals. Many managers confuse this with actual coaching, and their reps never move beyond today’s problems.
Level 2: Deal Coaching
This is where real coaching starts. The manager sits down with the rep to review specific opportunities and strategize next steps. Done well, deal coaching improves win rates and pipeline hygiene. The problem is it’s still situational. You’re treating the symptom in one deal rather than solving the root cause across all deals. For most managers, this is as far as they ever go.
Level 3: Developmental Coaching
Few managers make it here. Developmental coaching looks upstream. Instead of asking “How do we close this deal?” you’re asking “Why is this pattern showing up across your deals?” You’re blocking time to dig into the rep’s belief system, skills, and process. You’re removing “head trash,” clarifying expectations, and practicing new behaviors. It’s harder and it takes more time. But it’s the only level that builds self-sufficient, high-performing reps who can scale with the business.
Moving Up the Levels of Coaching
If you want to future-proof your team, separate mentoring from coaching, measure how much time you spend at each level, and schedule developmental coaching just like a customer meeting. Reps notice when you invest in them beyond the current quarter.
Coaching at Level 3 is where the compounding effect lives. One hour spent developing a rep’s skills today saves you dozens of firefighting hours later. It turns managers into multipliers and reps into confident, capable producers.
If you’re not sure where you’re spending your time, track it for a week. Ask your reps what kind of coaching they feel they’re getting. Then make a conscious move up the levels. The payoff isn’t just in revenue. It’s in building a culture where people grow, stay, and thrive.
Ready to raise your coaching game from firefighting to future-proofing? CoachEm helps sales leaders build the skills and systems to coach at Level 3 and beyond.
Learn more about how CoachEm transforms managers into multipliers or schedule a quick conversation to see where your team stands today.
