Jason M. LemkinCEO, SaaStr · Co-Founder of SaaStr AI, SaaStr Fund, Adobe Sign

The Key to Success in Sales? Balancing Coaching and Selling

18 Sept 2023 · 1 min

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0:32

This YouTube video (Jason M. Lemkin, uploaded by Jason M. Lemkin) argues that sales leaders—specifically VPs of Sales—should temporarily carry a sales quota ("carry a bag") for a short period (around one quarter, up to two quarters) to learn the product and the team’s dynamics. Lemkin warns that staying a player-coach for more than two quarters undermines hiring/recruiting effectiveness and team success, since managing and recruiting a larger team is a full-time job.

Chapters

I love to see a stretch VP of Sales carry a bag for a little while, at least a quarter. Close a few deals themselves. It really helps. It helps to learn the product, not just be a coach or someone that turns the knobs and the dials. But if you carry a bag for too long, you'll never hit the plan. You cannot be a player coach more than two quarters. If you've got to hire eight under you, that's a full time job. Just managing them to success. Earn a bag for a quarter is great, two quarters is okay, but after that is too long and you're setting everyone up for failure. And it probably means you're not a good enough recruiter.