We all know a sales manager or two like Brad Hutchinson, the main character in Brian Souza’s new book. Seems like they always have three things:

Image credit: Evolve Publishing

1. amazing numbers,
2. endless confidence,
3. and no clue how to manage people.

But how do you break it to them that they should be more concerned about leadership than their own leads?

Buy them this book.

In The Weekly Coaching Conversation: A Business Fable About Taking Your Game and Your Team to the Next Level, Souza has created an short, breezy tale in order to teach such managers how to become true leaders. The story begins with Brad heading out to a local bar to toast his “Sales Leader of the Year” award, as well as his general awesomeness. He invites his whole team out to celebrate, but when he gets stood up by the lot of them, he’s forced to question all that he set out to celebrate. Luckily, “Coach” Mick Donnelly is at the bar and easily explains why Brad’s all alone.

“You said that you crushed your number, right? Well… how many people on your team crushed theirs?” Coach asks. Continue reading »