“Soft skills get very little respect but will MAKE or BREAK your career.” – Peggy Klaus.
You will be surprised to learn that employees with superior soft and other critical skills grow 11% faster than their counterparts! No matter how technically cognizant or proficient you are in your field, if you lack these skills, you are likely to face significant stumbling blocks in your career growth.
This is the story of John, a sales executive, who uncovered his true potential with Numly’an AI-Powered Sales Coaching!
How Lack of Critical Skills Affected John’s Professional Progress
John had always been a hard worker. As a sales executive for a mid-sized company, he knew his product inside and out. His technical knowledge was top-notch! Yet, despite his efforts, his promising deals often stalled, lingering in the sales pipeline without progressing.
His frustration grew daily. Even with his strong technical background, he couldn’t close deals as effectively as some of his peers. When he approached his sales manager for help, he was advised to “try harder” and “be more persuasive,” advice that didn’t really address the deeper issue.
What John failed to recognize was that the true barrier was the critical skills he had never really mastered.
Lack of Critical Skills – The Invisible Barrier For Sales Teams!
Many sales representatives like John, particularly those focused on product knowledge and features, face similar hurdles.
The fact is, 85% of career success stems from soft skills—traits like emotional intelligence, communication, and empathy. For John, it wasn’t just about pitching a product; it was about building relationships, understanding client pain points, and showing genuine care for their needs. His lack of consultative selling skills was holding him back.
Like many of his peers, John had never received formal training in these areas. Traditional eLearning content helped him brush up on hard skills, product knowledge, and company protocols, but it didn’t cover consultative selling skills such as critical thinking or leadership.
As a result, there was a significant gap in his ability to read clients’ emotional cues, handle objections with empathy, or build trust over time. His deals often stalled because he failed to connect with clients on a deeper emotional level.
Even in today’s business environment, where these critical skills are increasingly essential, only about 15% of employees receive coaching on such critical skills, and a mere 2% receive executive leadership coaching.
His sales manager, already stretched thin with short-term targets and endless meetings, lacked the time, confidence, and resources to coach him.
And HR? They were too focused on compliance training and technical development to offer the consultative critical skills coaching John needed.
The shift to remote work only exacerbated the situation. Like many others, John experienced a steep decline in coaching opportunities.
Without the casual interactions and spontaneous feedback that the office environment provided, he felt even more disconnected from his team and mentors. Sales managers were less accessible, and John’s development was left to stagnate.
Enter Numly – A Ray of Hope for John and Million Other Sales Reps
Desperate for a solution, John finally decided to talk to his manager, who after an extensive search discovered Numly – An AI-powered platform for Sales Coaching & Development. Unlike any other traditional learning solutions John had encountered before, Numly was not really filled with generic lessons on communication or long training videos.
Rather, it focused specifically on the soft, consultative sales skills John needed to thrive.
Numly’s AI-powered Co-Pilot was a game-changer and here’s how it helped John transform his sales journey –
- AI-Powered Co-Pilot for Sales Managers: Numly introduced an AI-powered Co-Pilot that helped John’s sales manager quickly assess his skills gaps. It allowed John to immediately start on a customized coaching pathway without waiting for lengthy approvals.
- Dynamic Skill Assessments: Numly’s AI-driven surveys and assessments pinpointed exactly where John needed to improve. It provided real-time insights, helping him focus on specific consultative critical skills to unblock stalled deals.
- Micro-Learning Content Powered by Generative AI: Numly generated bite-sized, tailored learning content specific to John’s challenges. With easy-to-consume micro-lessons, John could immediately apply new skills, improving his client relationships.
- AI-Powered Coaching Pathways: The platform connected John with relevant learning pathways and even live coaches. This support gave him hands-on advice on critical thinking, empathy, and negotiation, enhancing his performance in real-time.
- Comprehensive Coaching Network: Numly’s AI Chatbot assessed John’s skills and connected him with a network of coaches and peers. It provided step-by-step guidance, ensuring John’s progress wasn’t just theoretical but practical and impactful.
- Simple Tools & Dashboards: Numly’s user-friendly dashboards allowed John’s manager to track his progress without heavy administrative work. With less burden on his manager, John received continuous feedback and could focus on his growth without delays
Unlike traditional coaching reserved for the top 15%, Numly makes AI-powered coaching accessible to 100% of your sales team, improving the performance of the middle 80%.
Upskill Your Sales Team with Numly’s AI-powered Sales Coaching & Development!
John’s story is a powerful reminder that lacking critical skills can seriously hold sales reps back. With Numly’s game-changing solutions powered by AI, John is now in control of his career trajectory.
If your team is facing similar challenges, don’t wait! Don’t let a gap in soft skills stand between your team and company’s breakthrough success.
Unlock the power of executive sales coaching for every rep with Numly’s AI-Powered Solutions!
Book your FREE Consultation!
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