It’s no longer a mystery.
Most leaders in Asia know what’s wrong with sales training.
They’ve seen the patterns. They’ve heard the feedback.
They even know the so-called “fixes” by heart.
Still, the same problems keep happening.
Training doesn’t stick. Coaching gets skipped.
People go back to their old ways.
This isn’t about pointing fingers. It’s about unpacking why that knowing rarely turns into doing.
Let’s look at what’s really going on.
1. The real issue isn’t awareness. It’s ownership.
The problem is not that organisations don’t know what to do.
It’s that they’re not doing it.
Teams know that sales coaching should be consistent.
They know training should be reinforced.
They know managers should coach, not just manage.
So the issue isn’t awareness. It’s commitment.
Because knowing what to change is one thing.
Taking the lead to change it? That’s where many hesitate.
2. Everyone’s busy, but some things just don’t get dropped.
Sales teams are always chasing targets. There’s always a month-end push, a new promotion, or a fire to put out.
So coaching gets postponed. Training follow-up gets delayed.
The reason? “We’re too busy right now.”
But let’s be real. The business will always be busy.
If coaching only happens when things slow down, it will never happen at all.
High-performing teams make space for the things that matter, even when it’s inconvenient.
3. Sales Managers are expected to coach, but not prepared.
In Asia, many Sales Managers are promoted based on performance. They’re strong sellers, but that doesn’t mean they’re skilled coaches.
And when these managers are told to “coach your team,” they often don’t know how.
Some give advice. Some micromanage. Others avoid the conversation completely.
It’s not that they don’t want to coach. It’s that they were never shown how.
Without tools, support, and regular practice, coaching becomes inconsistent and ineffective.
4. Senior Leaders say the right things, but rarely stay involved.
This is a sensitive one.
Many Business Leaders talk about the importance of coaching and development.
But after the opening speech or the kick-off meeting, they disappear.
If the Head of Sales or General Manager doesn’t stay engaged, the team gets the message: “This is important in theory, but not in practice.”
And once leaders stop paying attention, so does everyone else.
5. Feedback culture stays polite, not real.
In many Asian organisations, feedback is often filtered.
People stay respectful. They avoid discomfort.
They focus on keeping harmony instead of having honest conversations.
That’s culturally understandable, but it makes coaching difficult.
If salespeople feel they can’t speak openly, and managers avoid tough topics, growth stalls.
The coaching session becomes a formality, not a space for real change.
6. Training content often feels out of touch.
Salespeople are quick to sense whether something is relevant.
And many training programs don’t feel grounded in local realities.
Western models, idealised buyer journeys, and polished role plays don’t reflect the challenges faced in local markets and industry-specific.
Here, it’s often about navigating price wars, building relationships with gatekeepers, or working with distributors who care more about rebates than value.
If the examples in training don’t reflect these realities, people mentally check out.
7. There’s no structure to build new habits.
Even the most inspiring workshop won’t create lasting change without repetition.
And many organisations don’t have a system to turn learning into action.
There’s no follow-up rhythm.
No coaching checkpoints.
No simple tool to track what’s being applied.
So people fall back into what they know.
Not because they’re resistant, but because there’s no nudge to keep moving forward.
So what’s really holding us back?
It’s not a lack of ideas.
It’s not a lack of frameworks.
It’s not even a lack of budget.
It’s the quiet hesitation to challenge the status quo.
It’s the discomfort of doing things differently when the old way is more convenient.
It’s the fear of pushing back when the room is used to nodding.
What holds teams back isn’t knowledge. It’s inertia.
Conclusion
By now, most leaders know what it takes to make sales training work.
They’ve seen the frameworks. They’ve heard the experts.
Some have even said it themselves in town halls.
But knowing isn’t doing.
The real shift happens when coaching becomes a shared responsibility.
When leaders model what they expect.
When teams stop chasing quick fixes and commit to long-term growth.
Maybe it’s time to stop asking, “What’s the right model?”
And start asking, “What’s really stopping us from doing what we already know works?”