All playbooks
Conversation Playbook
Sales Team Coaching — Leader
Better Conversations | Stronger Relationships | Better Outcomes
Before the session
- Frame it as coaching, not surveillance: Clarion listens for patterns across four EI domains to build sales team health — it's not a scorecard or conduct-risk tool.
- Let the rep talk through real deals and real conversations. Authentic detail beats a polished recap.
- Pull up last session's Clarion report for 2–3 min before starting — close the loop on prior commitments and coaching notes.
Rotate through all four domains each session
Self-Awareness
- “What's a moment this week where a call or client reaction caught you off guard?”
- “When did you notice yourself feeling most confident on a call — and what triggered that?”
- “Was there a moment you felt frustrated or rattled mid-call? What set it off?”
Self-Management
- “Where did you stay composed under pressure — a tough objection, a stalled deal — differently than you would have before?”
- “How did you reset after a call that didn't go your way?”
- “What's one thing you did this week to keep a deal on track when it started slipping?”
Social Awareness
- “Tell me about a call where you picked up on hesitation or unspoken concern from the buyer.”
- “How could you tell when a prospect's priorities shifted mid-conversation?”
- “Was there a moment you sensed the room — or the call — differently than you expected going in?”
Relationship Management
- “Walk me through a hard conversation with a client or prospect, and how you tried to build or repair trust.”
- “What did you do this week to strengthen a relationship with a stalled or at-risk account?”
- “How did you handle a moment of pushback or disagreement with a buyer?”
Getting a stronger report out of it
- End with commitments: each rep states one specific “I will…” for their next call or deal — this feeds commitment-risk scoring and gives you something concrete to track.
- Use LCD (Likeable, Credible, Dependable) as a coaching lens: ask where the rep felt more/less Likeable, Credible, or Dependable with a prospect or client — this maps straight to buyer trust and deal risk.
- Avoid generic “how's the pipeline?” — it gives Clarion little to map to the model. Ask about one specific call or client interaction instead.
Leader reminders
- Keep it developmental, not evaluative — reps open up about lost deals and rocky calls only when it feels safe.
- Redirect vague answers with a follow-up: “Walk me through exactly what the client said, and what you said back.”
- Close every session the same way: recap commitments out loud so the rep hears them stated, not just logged.
