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Training 04

A team is rarely better than its manager. Most companies never invest in making managers better.

Pipeline reviews, deal coaching, forecasting, co-selling, hiring — the recurring activities that determine whether a team reaches its potential or stays permanently below it. I train your managers on every one.

For
Sales Managers and Team Leads
Duration
7–8 hours total (3 sessions of 2.5h)
Group size
Min 3 · Max 10
Format
Remote or on-site
Manager capability — typical client trajectory
Pipeline reviews
3.5
8.2
Deal coaching
2.8
7.9
Forecast accuracy
4.2
8.5
Co-selling
3.1
7.6
Hiring & ramping
3.8
8.0
Before training After training scored 0–10
500+ European SaaS sellers trained · 140+ B2B SaaS & AI teams · 1,400+ calls reviewed
What we cover

Topics built around what I find in your team

Before the training, I review your team's actual data — calls, emails, pipeline, KPIs. Every topic below is adapted to the specific gaps I find. Click each to expand.

1
KPI & Performance Reviews
Most performance reviews report on numbers. This one diagnoses them.

Managers learn to distinguish between leading and lagging indicators and identify whether a performance issue is driven by pipeline volume, conversion rates, or rep capability. Reviews become diagnostic tools, not status updates.

Learning goals
  • Distinguish between leading and lagging indicators and know which to act on
  • Identify whether underperformance is a pipeline, conversion, or capability problem
  • Translate KPI insights into clear, specific actions for each rep
2
Pipeline Reviews
A pipeline review that does not challenge the pipeline is just a status update.

Managers learn to differentiate between strong and weak deals, identify common deal risks — no clear pain, no decision process, weak next steps — and actively challenge reps to improve deal quality rather than accept what they are told.

Learning goals
  • Spot the warning signs of a deal that should be downgraded or removed
  • Ask the right questions to surface deal risk without demoralising the rep
  • Run pipeline reviews that actually increase win probability
3
Deal Coaching
Deal coaching is not the same as pipeline inspection. Most managers confuse the two.

Managers learn to identify key deal weaknesses — discovery gaps, missing stakeholders, lack of urgency — and use structured questions to guide reps to better strategy. The goal is to improve the rep's thinking, not to solve the deal for them.

Learning goals
  • Distinguish between inspecting a deal and coaching on it
  • Use structured questions to surface and fix deal weaknesses
  • Guide reps to define next steps and stakeholder strategy without taking over
4
Forecasting
A forecast built on optimism is not a forecast. It is a wish list.

Managers learn to differentiate between pipeline and forecast, categorise deals into Commit, Best Case, and Pipeline tiers, and identify unreliable deals based on lack of decision clarity or weak qualification. Forecasts should be built on evidence, not hope.

Learning goals
  • Separate pipeline from forecast and apply the right lens to each
  • Categorise deals into Commit, Best Case, and Pipeline with consistent criteria
  • Build a forecast based on deal quality and evidence rather than rep confidence
5
Sales Coaching
Coaching a skill is different from coaching a deal. Both matter. Most managers only do one.

Managers learn to identify individual rep skill gaps — discovery depth, objection handling, demo structure — and conduct structured coaching sessions that follow a Diagnose → Improve → Practice model. Feedback becomes specific and trackable, not general and forgotten.

Learning goals
  • Distinguish between capability coaching and deal coaching and apply both deliberately
  • Identify specific skill gaps per rep and build a coaching plan around them
  • Deliver structured coaching sessions with measurable follow-through
6
Co-Selling
When a manager joins a call to help, they often end up running it. That is not helping.

Managers learn when to join a deal strategically, how to elevate the conversation and strengthen credibility without taking over, and how to debrief effectively afterwards to reinforce the rep's learning rather than just winning the meeting.

Learning goals
  • Identify when joining a deal adds value versus when it creates dependency
  • Add strategic value in customer conversations without sidelining the rep
  • Use post-call debriefs to reinforce rep learning rather than just review what happened
7
Hiring & Talent Development
Hiring is the highest-leverage decision a sales manager makes. Most make it on instinct.

Managers learn to identify the characteristics of high-performing sales reps, conduct structured interviews focused on past behaviour and deal experience, and evaluate candidates consistently. The module also covers onboarding, ramp-up planning, and developing existing team members.

Learning goals
  • Define what a high-performing rep looks like for your specific context and team stage
  • Conduct structured, behavioural interviews that surface deal experience rather than charm
  • Build an onboarding and ramp plan that gets new hires productive faster
Optional add-ons
Included based on team needs
After the baseline analysis I propose which add-ons make sense for your specific team. They are part of the engagement — not extras to upsell.
Compensation & Incentive Design
How to structure commission plans and SPIFs that reward the right behaviours without creating gaming or resentment in the team.
Managing Underperformance
How to have difficult performance conversations, set clear expectations, and manage PIPs in a way that is fair to the rep and defensible to the business.
From 20+ commercial assessments

What 20+ commercial assessments reveal about GTM underperformance

Across 20+ B2B SaaS companies assessed with the 15-P commercial maturity model, a consistent pattern emerges. Static, RevOps-driven elements are the most mature. The closer a capability gets to daily management practice, the lower it scores. Competitive advantages don't come from what you can build once and leave running — they come from what gets reinforced every week.

0.52
Lowest score — management capabilities and structures. The hardest capability to build, the easiest to neglect.
1.56
Average score for static, RevOps-driven elements. Build it once, and it scores well — but it's not where competitive advantage lives.
0%
Of companies analysed had formal management training in place. Reps get enablement. Managers get a title.
Promotion
Pages (CRs)1.67
Planned geo exp.1.18
Personas1.09
Avg 1.31 — strongest pillar
Proposition
Product1.52
Prices1.50
Prof. Services0.91
Perception1.12
Avg 1.26 — second pillar
Processweakest
Payment1.31
Prof. Equipment1.29
People0.93
Perf. Analysis0.90
Playbook0.73
Process0.75
Practice0.52
Avg 0.84 — weakest pillar
The pattern is clear

Companies score well on things they can build once — product, pricing, pages, tooling. They score badly on things that require humans to do the right thing every day. The more a capability depends on management quality and human consistency, the lower it scores.

What it means for your team

Most GTM problems get blamed on market conditions or the product. The data points consistently to process discipline, coaching quality, and management cadence as the real bottleneck — and those are exactly what this training addresses.

Scores from the B2B SaaS Commercial Maturity Report — assessments of 20+ B2B SaaS companies across the Netherlands, Belgium, and the DACH region, conducted between 2019 and 2026. Scale: 0 to 2.

Outcomes

What your team walks away with

A repeatable management system

A shared framework for pipeline reviews, deal coaching, and performance conversations that every manager on the team runs consistently.

Better forecast accuracy

Managers who can separate genuine pipeline from wishful thinking and build forecasts the business can actually rely on.

Reps who improve

Structured coaching sessions that develop rep capability over time — not one-off feedback that is forgotten by the next call.

Is this for you?

This training is for you if any of this sounds familiar

Your managers have never had formal management training
Most companies invest in rep enablement and almost nothing in developing the people responsible for making every rep better.
You have process, playbook, and tooling — but none of it sticks
Docs exist, CRM stages are defined, call recordings are available. But without management reinforcing them daily, they stay unused.
Pipeline reviews are status updates
Managers ask what is happening in deals rather than challenging quality, removing noise, or driving next steps.
What looks like a rep problem is often a management system problem
Reps are operating without clear standards, consistent coaching, or strong inspection — and the business blames the market or the product.
Every manager runs their team differently
There is no shared system, making consistency impossible and turning every new hire into a lottery on which manager they land with.
What clients say

Results that speak for themselves

"
Nils has supported us in building a data-driven outbound process that fuels the growth of our business.
MK
Mike Keyzer
Scalability & Growth Manager · Taxibutler
"
Nils brought an external lens to our team that turned vague observations into concrete coaching priorities. The change in how managers ran pipeline reviews was visible within weeks.
TB
Tom van Berkel
CRO · Easygenerator
"
I really loved how real world examples were brought forward in the training.
MW
Matthias Wolf
CCO / Co-Founder · Firstbird
Why Nils

How this training is different

AreaMy approachTypical training providers
GoalBuild a repeatable management system across every core activity — pipeline, coaching, forecasting, hiringGeneric leadership skills that do not connect to daily management work
Starting pointAnalysis of your actual team structure, management cadence, pipeline data, and performance patternsStandard curriculum delivered the same way regardless of context
Training designModules built around your real pipeline, your actual team situations, and your management gapsStandardised content with case studies from other industries and markets
What it fixesThe daily management work — process discipline, coaching quality, forecast accuracy, playbook usageFocuses on strategy and frameworks, rarely on the operational cadence that determines outcomes
Audience fitBuilt specifically for B2B SaaS and AI sales management in European marketsPositioned for all managers regardless of sales model or market
GeographyDesigned for European teams and their market realitiesMostly American approaches that do not always translate to Europe
LanguagesGerman, Dutch, and EnglishEnglish only
Examples usedYour team's own pipeline, deals, performance data, and management situationsGeneric examples and abstract frameworks disconnected from the team's reality
FAQ

Frequently asked about this training

Who is this training for?
Sales managers and team leads who are responsible for a team of reps and want to build or sharpen their core management competencies — pipeline reviews, deal coaching, forecasting, co-selling, and talent development. It is most effective for managers who have never had formal management training, regardless of how long they have been in the role.
How are the sessions structured?
Remote training is delivered across three sessions of 2.5 hours each, typically spread over two weeks. On-site training is split into two blocks of 3.5 to 4 hours. Between sessions, participants complete practical assignments using their own pipeline and team situations.
How many participants can join?
The minimum is 3 and the maximum is 10. Management training works best in small cohorts where discussion is candid and every situation gets proper attention. For larger groups, I split into separate cohorts.
Does this work alongside an existing sales methodology?
Yes. The management activities covered in this training — pipeline quality assessment, structured coaching, evidence-based forecasting — are compatible with any sales methodology your team uses. MEDDIC, SPICED, SPIN, or your own framework. We build on what is already in place rather than replacing it.
Are sessions recorded?
Yes, upon request. Recordings and all training materials are shared with participants at the end of the programme.
Can I get an untailored training, or as an individual rep?

If you're a sole rep looking to sharpen your craft, that's admirable — and there are great open courses out there for you. My training philosophy considers the reality you're selling in (your company, your buyer, your data) as a whole. Best technique in the world won't carry you if you're operating in a misaligned environment. This training tackles both. So I only run it for teams within a single company.

What does it cost?

Investment scales per team and duration. Day rate is independent of how many reps participate (up to the cap of 12). Minimum engagement is 2 days — one for preparation and tailoring based on your actual calls, one for delivery. Reach out for a tailored quote based on your team and goals.

Let's find what's holding your team back

Send me one call from your top rep and one from a mediocre performer. I'll show you the exact gap and how to close it.