What happened?

In your head “what happened?” probably sounds like an innocuous question to ask a salesperson.

My experience is, most people hear “what happened?” with a tone of disappointment or concern. It’s the tone you heard that time you had to call your parents after getting into a car accident.

In sales we talk a lot about: the information we want to know vs. the question we’re going to ask.

I recently realized in sales leadership and management some how that translation step is often missed.

What happened? is what we want to know.

Here are a few translation options into the question we’re going to ask.

1. I’m curious, how did that ________ go?
2. Great job on ________, do we know their final decision yet?
3. I’d love an update on ________.
4. Tell me more about…
5. I was wondering, what’s up with ___________?
6. I’d appreciate it if you would share how _________ is going.

It is as important when leading and managing a sales team to as insightful questions as it is with prospects and customers.

This week make the effort to PAUSE, think, and translate what you want to know into an insightful question.