Sales coaching 1:1 template
Most sales 1:1s turn into a deal-by-deal pipeline review, because pipeline is urgent and the manager has a forecast call on Thursday. Skill coaching and development get squeezed into the last five minutes or dropped. This template splits the 1:1 into timed blocks, keeps deal inspection short and focused on risk, and gives skill coaching a fixed slot tied to one behavior at a time.
Download it
What you get
- A 45-minute weekly 1:1 agenda with timed blocks for pipeline, skills, and development
- A pipeline block limited to deals with a risk or a decision, not every open opportunity
- A skill coaching log that tracks one behavior at a time across weeks
- A monthly development check-in and a commitments tracker
Who it's for
- Frontline sales managers running weekly 1:1s
- New managers promoted from a quota-carrying role
- Sales leaders standardizing coaching across a team
What's inside
6 sections, each listed with its own size. The first is previewed below; the remaining 5 come with the download, with blank rows ready to fill in.
| Section | Size | Previewed |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly 1:1 agenda (45 minutes) | 5 columns, 5 worked example rows | Below |
| Pipeline block: deals to discuss | 6 columns, 2 worked example rows | In the download |
| Skill coaching log | 6 columns, 3 worked example rows | In the download |
| Monthly development check-in | 5 fields to complete | In the download |
| Manager's 1:1 habits | 7-point checklist | In the download |
| Why 1:1s collapse into pipeline reviews | Guidance notes | In the download |
Preview of section 1
Weekly 1:1 agenda (45 minutes)
Blocks total 45 minutes: 5 + 15 + 15 + 5 + 5. Keep them in this order so skills and development are not dropped.
| Block | Minutes | Led by | What happens | Output |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rep's topic | 5 | Rep | Anything the rep wants to raise first | Decision or action on the topic |
| Pipeline: risks and decisions | 15 | Rep | Three to five deals where something must change | One next action per deal |
How to use it
1. Let the rep set the first five minutes
The rep brings their own topic first: a blocker, a question, a deal they are stuck on. If the manager always sets the agenda, the rep stops bringing problems until they are too late to fix.
2. Inspect only deals with a risk or a decision
The rep lists the three to five deals where something needs to change: a slipping close date, a missing stakeholder, a pricing decision. Everything else is covered in the forecast process, not the 1:1.
3. Coach one skill for at least three weeks
Pick one behavior from a call scorecard (for example, asking about decision process) and work on it until the rep does it without prompting. Switching skills every week produces no change.
4. Protect the development block
Five minutes weekly and a longer conversation once a month. If you cancel a 1:1, move it; do not merge it into a team meeting.
5. Close with written commitments from both sides
Two or three commitments, each with an owner and a date, written in the shared document. Start the next 1:1 by checking them.
Frequently asked questions
What should a sales 1:1 cover?
A topic the rep chooses, the few deals with a risk or decision, one skill the rep is working on (reviewed from a call recording), their development goal, and written commitments. Full pipeline inspection belongs in the forecast process.
How long should a sales coaching 1:1 be?
30 to 45 minutes weekly works for most teams. Shorter meetings usually lose the skill block; longer ones drift back into pipeline.
How do you coach a sales rep on skills?
Pick one observable behavior, review a recording together, ask the rep what they would change, practice it, and check the next recording. Stay on the same skill for several weeks until it sticks.