Picture this: You've just been promoted to sales manager or inherited a new team. You're eager to make an impact, so you dive straight into coaching sessions, offering feedback, and implementing new processes. But instead of improvement, you're met with resistance, eye rolls, and performance that somehow gets worse.
This scenario plays out in sales organizations worldwide, and according to Mo'men Amin, Commercial Director at HSE Contractors, it all comes down to one critical mistake: jumping straight into coaching without earning trust first.
In this article, we'll analyze Mo'men's proven trust-building framework that transforms resistant teams into high-performing sales machines. His approach has helped him successfully scale sales teams across different markets and turn data entry employees into rock star salespeople.
When Mo'men inherits a new team, he sees the same pattern repeatedly. Well-intentioned sales leaders make this critical error: they assume their title gives them the right to coach immediately. They schedule one-on-ones, start critiquing calls, and wonder why their feedback falls on deaf ears.
"You can't coach effectively until your team trusts that you're here to help them succeed," Mo'men explains.
Without trust, even the best coaching advice sounds like criticism. Team members become defensive, coaching sessions turn confrontational, and instead of improving performance, you create a toxic environment where people resist change.
Mo'men developed a systematic four-step approach that builds trust while identifying exactly what each team member needs. This framework ensures that when you do start coaching, your team is ready to receive and act on your feedback. Let's break down each step.
When Mo'men joins any new team, his first month is dedicated to pure observation.
This isn't passive watching - it's active learning designed to understand the current state before making any changes.
During this observation period, he focuses on:
"I need to understand what needs improvement before I can help fix it," Mo'men notes. This approach serves multiple purposes. First, it shows respect for the existing team and their experience. Second, it helps you identify the real problems rather than the obvious ones. Third, it demonstrates that you're not there to immediately tear down what they've built.
During observation, pay attention to both formal and informal processes:
This observation period also helps you understand team dynamics. Who are the informal leaders? Which sellers are influencing others? Understanding these relationships will be crucial when you start implementing changes.
After the observation period, Mo'men's next move might surprise you: group training before individual coaching. This approach is both practical and strategic.
"Instead of wasting six hours on individual coaching for the same basic issue, cover it in one hour of group training," he explains.
Group training sessions allow you to:
This approach also demonstrates your commitment to the entire team's success, not just fixing individual problems. When sellers see you investing in group development, they understand you're focused on collective improvement rather than pointing out individual failures.
During group sessions, encourage participation and questions. Make it clear that everyone brings value and that learning is a team effort. This collaborative approach builds trust by showing that you value input from all team members.
Through observation and group training, Mo'men identifies three distinct types of sellers, each requiring a different coaching approach:
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These sales reps love consuming knowledge. They read books, take courses, and gather resources constantly. They're easily coachable and eager to improve, but they have one significant weakness: analysis paralysis. They can spend so much time learning and planning that they struggle with execution.
These are fresh reps with no preconceptions or bad habits. Mo'men considers them the easiest to coach because they haven't developed resistant behaviors. Interestingly, he notes that some of his most successful transformations involved turning data entry employees into top-performing salespeople precisely because they had no sales baggage.
These sellers bring valuable knowledge and proven track records, but they can be resistant to change. They've seen multiple managers come and go, and they've developed their own methods that have worked in the past. They require a more nuanced approach that respects their experience while introducing new concepts.
Understanding these types is crucial because each responds differently to coaching. What motivates a Learner might frustrate an Experienced Rep. What works for an Empty Cup might overwhelm a Learner.
Now that you understand each person's type and have built a foundation through group training, you can provide targeted individual coaching. This personalized approach addresses specific development areas while building on the trust you've established.
For individual coaching sessions, Mo'men focuses on specific challenges: "This guy struggles with objection handling. This one needs coaching on passing gatekeepers." The key is addressing personal development areas that weren't covered in group training or that require more detailed attention.
Learners present a unique challenge. They love acquiring knowledge but often struggle with execution. Mo'men's approach focuses on pushing them past analysis paralysis:
"Don't let them plan forever," Mo'men advises. "Give them knowledge, then make them execute immediately." This approach leverages their love of learning while forcing them to apply what they've learned.
The key with Learners is creating accountability around implementation. They'll gladly spend weeks perfecting a cold calling script, but they need pressure to actually start making calls. Set clear expectations about moving from learning to doing.
Fresh reps with no preconceptions often become your biggest success stories. Mo'men's approach focuses on building confidence through clear direction and quick wins:
Mo'men shares a real example of transforming data entry employees into rock star salespeople. "They had no bad habits to unlearn," he explains. Their lack of sales experience actually became an advantage because they followed instructions without resistance.
Empty Cups require patience and structure. They need clear steps to follow and regular check-ins to ensure they're on track. But when guided properly, they often outperform more experienced reps who are set in their ways.
Experienced reps require the most delicate approach. They bring valuable knowledge but can resist change if they feel their experience isn't valued. Mo'men's strategy focuses on earning their respect before introducing new methods:
The key insight: make them feel valued before asking them to change. When experienced reps feel respected and heard, they become your strongest advocates for new processes.
These sellers often have valid reasons for their current methods. Take time to understand their approach before suggesting changes. You might discover valuable techniques that benefit the entire team.
Start implementing this framework immediately:
Week 1-4: Observe
Week 5-6: Group Training
Week 7: Identify Types
Week 8+: Individual Coaching
Building trust before coaching isn't just good leadership but also an essential for creating lasting change in sales teams. Mo'men's framework provides a systematic approach that respects people while driving results. By observing first, building foundation through group training, identifying seller types, and then providing customized coaching, you create an environment where feedback is welcomed rather than resisted.
Remember, you can't coach effectively until your team trusts that you're there to help them succeed. Invest the time upfront to build that trust, and you'll see not just better performance, but a team that actively seeks your guidance and supports each other's growth.
The framework takes patience, but the results speak for themselves: engaged teams, improved performance, and sustainable change that continues long after the initial coaching period ends.
In this episode of SellMeThisPen Podcast, Michael and Mo'men dive deep into the trust-building framework that transforms resistant sales teams into high-performing units. They discuss the common mistakes sales leaders make when inheriting new teams and provide actionable strategies for building trust before coaching.
Mo'men Amin is the Commercial Director (Sales & Marketing) at HSE Contractors and an active startup mentor in Egypt, helping build successful sales teams. He's also a sales vlogger and author of "Can't Sell? Read This Book," bringing years of experience in scaling sales organizations across different markets.
