The Exceptional Sales Leader Podcast

Over the last 8 years, I have thoroughly enjoyed working with sales leaders & their teams to help them unleash their sales potential, engaging with sales teams across a very wide spectrum of industries. The vast majority have their customers best interests at heart. The one consistent element though through just about every single sales team is the propensity to introduce & talk about their product or service too early in the buyers purchasing cycle. And sales leaders, we are often the biggest culprits (I have both of my hands in the air right now!!) It is absolutely essential that we believe in our product or service, but we must recognise one very important point – customers do not want your product & they do not want your service. That may sound controversial but it is true. What customers want is a solution to either a known problem or a problem that has been identified through having a conversation with you. This is what I tackle in today’s conversation.

When working with Sales Leaders, as well as non sales leaders, I often ask them what one of their key responsibilities are. What is fascinating is that many leaders respond with the belief that a core function of their role is to motivate their team. They see it as their responsibility to ensure that their team are energised & filled with excitement,  so they look for opportunities to motivate them. How? Often through providing a carrot, such as a bonus, an incentive trip, or simply an opportunity to be recognised as a top performer on the ‘league ladder’. All extrinsic motivators, and unfortunately, mostly ineffective in driving sustainable and high levels of performance. For a number of years, I was also one of those sales leaders who believed it important to motivate and incentivise the team to drive outstanding results. The unfortunate reality though was that the performance was rarely sustained over a long period of time. And when I began working with an executive coach, they helped me understand how exceptional performance is actually driven through intrinsic motivation. In fact, my coach said to me 6 very powerful words which changed everything – ‘Stop Trying To Motivate Your Team’.

In many organisations across many industries Sales Leaders often come from within the ranks of the sales team. They have been high performing sales executives, delivering outstanding results, and based on this performance, they are promoted to Sales Manager. The challenge is, the vast majority of them are not given either the support or the roadmap to make a successful transition from individual contributor to sales leader. The skill sets required for both roles are vastly different. Without this essential roadmap, the new sales leader does what any logical person would do – they copy the example set by their leaders. Unfortunately though, in many companies, the example set by senior leaders is not the example that underpins sustainable & replicable results, yet alone, exceptional results. And one of the biggest elements of this is what I call leading by absence. Far too many leaders are missing in action. They are certainly not delivering to the team their greatest gift.

In working with sales leaders and their teams, I often ask them to articulate their key sales values when it comes to delivering customer value. Many of them respond with common values such as integrity, customer focused or trust, however often find it difficult to go deeper through describing the key behaviours that sit underneath. Very rarely have I come across a sales team where they focus on sales values through the lens of what the customer expects of them. In today’s episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Dr. Philip Squire, the Co-Founder and CEO of Consalia, a UK based Sales Business School dedicated to improving sales performance through sales education and transformation. In this episode, Philip shares with me the key sales values and mindsets that customers expect of their sales people, based on extensive research. It is a phenomenal conversation that I trust you enjoy and gain significant value from. To connect with Dr.Phil to learn more about Consalia, as well as taking The Mindset Survey, please go to : Website – https://www.consalia.com/ The Mindset Survey – https://www.consalia.com/mindset-survey/ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipsquire/

In working with sales leaders and their teams, I am often staggered by the number of sales people who are constantly on the hunt for new leads and new opportunities, but don’t stay the course long enough to see those opportunities through. It is almost like they expect every lead to convert in the first or second contact, and when they don’t, they look to the next batch of opportunities, expecting those to convert. As a sales leader, it is so important to challenge and encourage our team to stay the course – to stay in the game. And in today’s episode I explain why.

So thrilled today to be delivering episode #600 of The Exceptional Sales Leader Podcast. To say that it has been a wild ride would be an under statement. It has been challenging, it has been filled with highs and lows, but overwhelmingly, it has been a tremendous experience, specifically for the lessons it has taught me. In today’s episode, I reflect on the 6 key lessons podcasting has taught me over the last 3 years, which also has direct relevance to us as sales leaders and sales people. I trust these lessons can also help you and your team on your journey.

Despite sales people possessing incredible talent and reporting to a Sales Leader who believes in them, it is staggering to observe the number of sales people who lack confidence. A lack of confidence to take action and instead they wait to feel confident. They remain in a comfort zone and are reluctant to take risks, fearing the consequences of mistakes. This often results in stagnation and a further reduction in confidence. This is the topic of discussion on today’s episode.

As John Maxwell says, ‘Leadership is Influence, and Influence is Leadership‘, and in order to build influence, leaders must work on creating a level of presence with their key stakeholder groups. The unfortunate thing though is that many leaders believe that this presence is developed solely through the verbal communication tools at their disposal. This is not the case. Our non-verbal communication strategies are the ones which can significantly magnify our presence and hence our ability to influence. In today’s episode, I have the privilege of having a conversation with Rachel Cossar, CEO & Co-Founder of Virtual Sapiens, a machine learning SaaS platform helping client facing professionals master communication skills over video. As a former professional ballet dancer, Rachel is a leading expert in the field of nonverbal communication and leadership presence facilitation, and we chat about how the development of this competency can have such an incredibly positive impact on our ability to lead and influence. I hope you enjoy the episode. To connect with Rachel and to learn more about Virtual Sapiens, including taking a free assessment, please go to: Website – https://www.virtualsapiens.co/ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-cossar/ Or connect with Rachel via email at [email protected]

One of the greatest things about sales and sales leadership is that there is no specific required background that guarantees success. I’ve seen very technical people become great sales people. I’ve seen very non technical people become great sales people. Extroverted, introverted, young, old, male, female. It doesn’t matter – I’ve seen people from all walks of life, with all kinds of different backgrounds, become successful in sales, and many have gone on to be successful sales leaders. However there is one common element amongst all of them that can often strike, sometimes at the height of their ‘success’, and often when they least expect it – Imposter Syndrome. In today’s episode, I discuss this and why you are actually not an imposter.

As John Maxwell says, ‘Leadership is influence, and influence is leadership’. And specifically as sales leaders, we must continue to positively influence our team, to drive exceptional standards, so as to drive sustainable, predictable and replicable results. This influence presupposes that our team trusts us. Does your team trust you? And if the answer is an unequivocal ‘yes’, the follow up question is ‘how do you know?’ That is the topic of today’s episode.

It is fascinating as to how many sales leaders and their teams don’t like objections, and will do almost anything to avoid them. Why? Because they often see the objection as a form of rejection, and to avoid that, a natural tactic I see is sales people bombarding the prospective customer with copious amounts of information, most of which is product information. Objections are part of business, they are good for business and they do not have to be overcome, despite what you may be told. This is what I explore in today’s episode.

Many salespeople set themselves ambitious goals to become a sales leader at some stage in their career, however, don’t necessarily think deeply about the characteristics they will need to form & embrace in order to become an effective & successful leader. They are drawn to the allure of the leadership role & the expected profile, status & prestige that they believe comes as part of the deal.  For many, when they step into the leadership role, they quickly find the role not to be what they expected, & a key reason for this, is they have not undertaken enough preparation or given the leadership role rigorous thought. Hence, they often second guess themselves, & turn their back on the role. Sales Leaders who become exceptional operate differently. They do not become exceptional the moment they step into the role. They work on it, & they are intentional. They develop the following characteristics over time and continue to work on these daily. That is what I cover in today’s episode.

Many sales leaders, when they transition from individual contributor to sales leader, continue the same behaviours they demonstrated as a sales person. They love the hunt and get excited by the prospect of winning the deal. Very often this can lead to disengagement & de-positioning of the sales team.  When it comes to leading your team, do you find yourself solving the team’s problems, believing that through solving the problem, you are serving them? Great sales leaders recognise there is a better way – servant leadership. Serving their team so that the team has the opportunity to be sustainably successful. That is the topic for today’s conversation.

When it comes to selling & business development, the vast majority of salespeople and their organisations are laser focused on their own product or service, and how it can fit the marketplace, often resulting in retrofitting into perceived or created customer needs, and not necessarily delivering tangible value to the customer. The word ’empathy’ probably doesn’t exist in their sales vocabulary. In today’s episode, I enjoyed a fabulous conversation with Grant Lira, Co-Founder of The Empathy Firm, an enterprise that is changing the way organisations can influence their marketplace, deliver tangible value, through doing things differently through the power of empathy. If you are seriously committed to increasing your organisation’s profile, credibility and reach, this episode is a must listen. And for listeners of this podcast, when you send Grant an email at [email protected] & mention this episode, he will gift you a service to have you placed in 3 online publications free of charge. A great way to increase your market reach. To connect with Grant and to learn more about The Empathy Firm, please go to: Website – https://empathyfirm.com/ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/grant-lira-73a594188/

When it comes to sales leadership, and driving exceptional performance, many talk about the importance of being authentic as a core pillar of great leadership, and yet, unfortunately, the practice doesn’t always match the theory. Some leaders talk a good game, but when the pressure is applied, they often find it difficult to maintain their authenticity. It is easy to be authentic when business conditions are great; where authenticity is tested is when business conditions change. I often talk about the fact that the team is and always will be a reflection of its leader, and today’s guest epitomises this principle. In today’s episode, I have the privilege of having a conversation with a truly authentic sales leader, Francois Cleret (or Frenchy as he is known as), the Sales & Marketing Director at AMES Australasia, a very successful & fast growing organisation. It is a great conversation where Frenchy delivers value bomb after value bomb around authentic leadership. I trust you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. To connect with Frenchy on LinkedIn, please click on this link

I love asking teams, especially sales teams about their perceptions of sales. Many of them, especially those not directly involved in a sales role, often have less than savoury things to say about sales – perceptions such as pushy, sleezy, untrustworthy, inauthentic.  Very rarely do I hear positive perceptions, which is disappointing. I often share with teams that sales is the ultimate form of service, and can be not only very lucrative, it can also be a profession of high integrity, authenticity and trust. And one of the key pillars around this is understanding that the sale actually doesn’t start until after the sale is made. That is the topic for today’s episode.

For many sales leaders, this time of year is not an enjoyable experience, particularly around having to prepare and then conduct the formalised annual performance review. One of the key reasons for this is they dust off the performance review document, and then wrack their brain on what elements can be included in the document to then be able to conduct the conversation. No wonder they don’t enjoy it. Exceptional sales leaders do not wait until the formalised review to discuss performance – they make it their priority to conduct laser focused conversations around performance next to real time, so that there are no surprises come the formalised review. This is what I discuss in today’s episode as well as provide some tips on how to make these conversations more effective.

In working with sales leaders and their teams for many years now, I’m staggered at the number of individuals, whether it be sales people, or in some cases, sales leaders, who search for the easy road – the shortcut. Many of them expect instant results and will often only apply ‘token efforts’ to achieve results. And when the ideal results are not forthcoming, they will look to external forces to justify the outcome. No matter what industry you look at, or what role within that industry, both ‘success’ and ‘failure’ leaves clues. And it is the astute individual who will be a student, who will observe and ask curious based questions, who will search for and analyse those clues, and who will tap into the one force which separates exceptional performers from everyone else – excellence. That is the topic that I explore in today’s episode.

I’m so thrilled to be able to have Doug C Brown, Sales Revenue & Profit Growth Expert from CEO Sales Strategies, back on the podcast for a second conversation. Today’s conversation is a continuation of exploring the inner sales voice that we as sales people and sales leaders must be attuned to, as well as building awareness of the labels we apply to ourselves and others, which can either enhance, or diminish our chances of being successful. If you have a desire to become a 1% sales earner in your business and industry, then we must be crystal clear on who we are, what we stand for, why we do what we do, and who is our key target customer. Doug has built a phenomenal sales & sales leadership career, and worked with some of the world’s highest achievers, so the value he brings to this episode is not based on theory, it is based on experience. I trust you enjoy the conversation. Doug is also about to release a brand new e-book on how to be a non-stop 1% sales earner, which he will be selling upon its release. However, for listeners of this podcast, if you send Doug an email at [email protected] and mention this episode, Doug will provide you with a copy of the book free of charge. If you are serious about lifting your sales performance and becoming a 1% earner, this book is a must.

Are you curious as to what it is that separates the exceptional performers, whether they be in business, sport, or entertainment, from their competitors? Many point to talent as being a key reason. Talent is a contributor but it is not the defining factor. Others point to connections – who they know – as a factor. Being connected certainly helps, but again, it is not the defining factor. Some even point to luck. Yes, luck does play a part, but again, it is not the defining factor. And many also point to hard work. Yes, not a single successful person became successful without working hard. That is a given. However, what’s really interesting about exceptionally successful people is their relentless focus on ‘one more’. It is this focus that separates them from their competition. That’s the topic for today’s episode.

Working in sales for over 20 years, I was staggered at the number of sales managers and teams that would frown upon failure – to the point where sales people would do whatever they could to avoid making mistakes. And in working as a coach & mentor to sales leaders and their teams for the last 8 years, unfortunately nothing much has changed. The pressure to hit the number is all consuming and within the sales environment, the expectation is to convert every opportunity because the forensic investigation if we ‘fail’ is more about apportioning blame, not learning so as to improve. Not a recipe for exceptional performance. In today’s episode, I explore why failure is a necessary ingredient to sales success.

I often talk about sales being the ultimate form of service, and irrespective of whether we have a sales role or not, we are all in sales. Unfortunately though, many sales people have a poor reputation because of how they approach sales, which can be off putting for many people. We can learn to love sales and even become a master of sales, if we master some fundamentals. In today’s episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Gail Kasper, Author, Speaker, Producer and Sales Innovator. We talk all things sales and sales leadership, including how to be unstoppable in sales, as well as how to sell like a cockatoo. It is a fabulous conversation that I hope you enjoy. To connect with Gail, please go to: Website – https://gailkasper.com/ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/gailkasper/ Email – [email protected]

If there is one thing that has come out of the last 3 years, it is that the world feels a lot smaller. The sheer volume of news and information being front of mind globally has been almost unlike any other time in history. And with this has come a much sharper focus on leadership. To say that there is a huge void in quality leadership around the world right now would be a massive understatement. For young people with ambitions of leading others in the future, unfortunately they do not have great examples of leaders to emulate. The role models do not model great leadership behaviours. Even more concerning, there is a fear that these young people observe the current leaders and believe that is leadership. It’s not. We need to change the narrative. We need leaders to step up and provide a different and better example of what real leadership is. And it starts with me and it starts with you. It’s time to become the Leader that your team needs and deserves.

I share with groups all the time that irrespective of the position or the organisation, every single person is in sales, whether we like it or not. Whether we are selling a product, a service or an idea, we must exert influence in order for a change to be created and an experience to be had. In today’s episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Elia Donati, Personal Chef, and a man on a mission. From working in his father’s business making cold calls each day, to moving to Australia at the age of 21 without being able to speak any english, Elia’s story one of passion, enthusiasm and persistence. And today, he creates exceptional in home dining experiences for people as a personal chef. To connect with Elia, please check out his Instagram page or website: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/eliadonati/ Website – https://www.eliadonati.com/

As sales leaders, we all want to increase our level of influence – people in the team, our peers, key partners, customers and certainly senior executives. Interestingly, many believe the way to do that is through telling, through providing information, and in many cases, through trying to convince and impress people. This may work for some, but often this influence is short lived. The secret to influence is realising that it is not about you – you don’t have to try to impress or convince, just be you. It may be a cliche, but people will not necessarily remember what you told them or what content you delivered, but they will always remember how you made them feel. Influence is not rocket science, and in today’s episode, I explore 10 principles that can help you significantly improve your ability to influence. Hope you enjoy it.

Over 100 years ago, James Allen wrote the incredible book ‘As A Man Thinketh’ and in it he described the principle that we become who we think about. It was perhaps one of the first personal development books that delved into the power of mindset, attitude and emotional intelligence. The principle is still true today as it was over 100 years ago, and as sales leaders we must be constantly vigilant over the thinking patterns we choose to employ and the actions we take from those patterns. And closely aligned to these thinking patterns are the choices we make around who we surround ourselves with. This is what I discuss on today’s episode.

In working with sales leaders and their teams, I am constantly fascinated by what separates the average performers from the exceptional performers, especially when it appears, on the surface at least, that they have equal levels of talent, capability and opportunity. I have come to understand more and more, the power of the conversations we have in the 6 inches between our ears. Our inner voice is super powerful, and it can either massively enhance our ability to perform, or if we listen to it, sabotage our performance. And the great news is that we can control the conversation. In today’s episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Doug C Brown, CEO of CEO Sales Strategies, and creator of the Top 1% Academy, about how we can better control the inner conversation and utilise this to drive exceptional performance. To secure a free copy of Doug’s upcoming ebook on how to become a top 1% sales earner, send an email to: [email protected] To connect with Doug and to learn more about CEO Sales Strategies, go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougbrown123/ Website – https://ceosalesstrategies.com/

In many organisations, high performing sales people are often gifted with sales leadership responsibility based on their level of performance and level of potential – they sit in the ‘top right’ quadrant. It is often the next logical step in their sales journey. The challenge though is many high performing sales people are not prepared for the opportunity when it presents itself, and as such, feel thrusted into a leadership role without the transition blueprint or game plan. Many of them had not consciously considered a sales leadership role, and often find themselves floundering, especially in the first 90 days. It is why many sales leaders end up deciding that sales leadership is not for them, and instead, they return to an individual contributor role. The real reason though, is they have not yet developed their ‘Why’. That is the topic for today’s conversation.

One of the key challenges for sales leaders and their organisations is being able to identify their key market differentiation, what makes them unique, and then identifying how to exploit that differentiation to disrupt the market. Not many succeed. In today’s episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Evan Montero, the Co-Founder and CEO of DIY Blinds, a fully Australian-owned and made eServices start up that has achieved a $100m+ valuation in less than 5 years. We chat about the importance of customer service as a key differentiator, what are the key elements to building a solid sales team, as well as exploring Evan’s leadership style that has helped his organisation become very successful. A very insightful conversation that I’m sure you’ll enjoy. To connect with Evan or to learn more about DIY Blinds, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/evan-montero-17956091/ Website – https://www.diyblinds.com.au/

If there is one key differentiator that separates Exceptional Sales Leaders from their peers, it is their ability to build high quality connections. They genuinely care about their people and everyone they come in contact with, and through this process, become almost like a lightning rod to attract talent and build a high quality and an elite performance culture. They especially become Masters of 5 key principles which I discuss on today’s episode.

Sales teams are made up of different people, with difference characteristics, different attributes, different experiences and different strengths. We hear a-lot about sales leaders conducting SWOT analyses and then focusing their attention on identified weaknesses, and building strategies and plans to turn those weaknesses into strengths. How about we instead hone in on the strengths and encourage people to play to these? That’s that topic of discussion in today’s episode.

In working with sales leaders and their teams, I come across lots of different people, with many different behaviour and communication styles. What intrigues me though is the number of leaders and aspiring leaders who compare themselves to others, and often in an unhealthy way. They look at senior leaders or leaders who have more experience or who appear to have more ‘success’, and either wish they could be like them, or in some cases, hold them up as an example to which they could never step up to. This is sad, and can be dangerous. In today’s episode, the key message is never compare yourself with anyone else.

As a sales leader, there is a huge responsibility that sits on your shoulders, including driving an engaged culture, driving high performance, coaching, mentoring, as well as being able to articulate a strong message to your senior stakeholders. The expectation that senior leaders have is that you must know your numbers, and if you don’t, you seriously run the risk of diminishing your credibility, which can impact your profile, reputation, as well as hindering the ability of the team to deliver. In today’s episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Tommy McNulty, Founder & CEO of Rhythm, and we discuss the critical importance of sales leaders having financial fluency, and what some of the key numbers that sales leaders must understand in order to drive strong performance, especially in uncertain market conditions. To connect with Tommy and to find out more about Rhythm, go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommcnulty1/ Website – https://www.onrhythm.io/ Email – [email protected]

When working with leaders, I often encourage them to become feedback machines. There are countless opportunities on a daily basis for feedback, and exceptional leaders are constantly maximising them. Creating an environment where feedback is not only expected, it is demanded, is one of the keys to high performance. What’s fascinating though is that many leaders, for some reason, have a level of trepidation about 360 degree feedback. They say that feedback is important, are more than happy to receive the accolades for great results, however, where there may be some different perspectives or disagreements, they often quickly move into defensive mode, or in some cases, aggressive mode. Exceptional leaders embrace and lean into 360 degree feedback. That is the topic of today’s episode.

If there is one characteristic that separates exceptional leaders from their peers, it is their ability to flex their leadership style depending on the current situation and the people in it. Being able to adjust communication style based on either the personal style or behaviour style of the person in your team is vital to build credibility and ultimately trust, and the vast majority of leaders can do this almost intuitively. How often though do we stop to consider where a member of the team sits in terms of their development and competency? And how often do you find out what motivates your team? In speaking with & working with sales leaders, when asking that question of what motivates their team, it is rare that leaders have a definitive answer. However, knowing what motivates the team does provide a clue as to how they should be lead. If we can demonstrate leadership flexibility, we can further unlock the potential of the team based on these 2 elements – motivation & competency, or also known as will & skill. That’s what I discuss in today’s episode.

What is interesting as I observe leaders, especially in sales, is that many of them are driven by certainty, have a need to follow a proven formula and possess a relentless focus on achieving the numbers. Many of them unfortunately do not acknowledge that this approach is, in many cases, actually preventing them from becoming exceptional. They are following what they consider to be a tried and true pathway, and yet, they are not achieving the results they desire or the fulfilment and satisfaction they crave.  What they need to do is quit. And perhaps you need to quit as well. Are you prepared to quit? In this episode, I consider some things you may need to quit.

Following on from yesterday’s episode, I have just enjoyed a great conversation with Ryan Warriner on his Podcast, The Professionally Speaking Podcast, about communication, effectively influencing and the importance of being authentic. Being someone who you are not is tiring and exhausting, and often puts pressure on to remember how to behave in certain situations. In today’s episode, I share some thoughts on how to be authentic and what can happen when we are.

As a sales leader, it is critical that we build and maintain a multi dimensional team if we are to have the possibility of achieving sustainable success. Unfortunately far too many sales leaders build one dimensional teams – teams filled with people who are almost carbon copies of each other, which over time, only stifles potential, growth and ultimately, results. A challenge for many leaders is to become more of a chameleon, a person who is able to adapt their style to suit the environment they find themselves in, and to be able to exert influence within that environment. In today’s episode, I discuss this and share thoughts on how to become more self aware, and more aware of others, based on different characteristics. Are you a chameleon?

Last week I recorded a podcast on emotional intelligence & how important it is as a sales leader to develop that EQ muscle. Today I want to go a little deeper and address a topic that I see & hear a-lot of sales leaders partake in, and it is not healthy. I’m really big on listening skills, so the title of this episode may be a little counter intuitive – I want to encourage you to stop listening and start talking – please listen to this episode to find out why.

As sales leaders, we must understand that we are being watched like a hawk. Our team are eagerly watching everything we do, as well as watching what we don’t do. They are also listening to what we are saying as well as listening to what we are not saying. It is therefore critical that we are clear on our intentions. With this in mind, how often are you intentional with the impression you are wanting to create, in every interaction? Even with people we know really well, we are constantly creating an impression, as well as when we meet people for the first time. As these impressions are formed very quickly, it stands to reason that we look at what we can control so as to create the best impression possible. So how can we do this? By consciously thinking about and applying 7 key behaviours which will stack the odds in our favour of creating a powerful first impression. That is what I cover in today’s episode.

Emotional Intelligence is becoming more and more critical to the ability of leaders to be exceptional. Companies are no longer simply looking at a person’s performance track record, or how smart they may be, as an indicator of their employability. They are now looking deeper into the cognitive abilities of the leader, can they think on their feet, can they regulate their emotions, and can they remain calm in difficult situations. If we are to lead in 2023 and beyond, and if we have the desire to become exceptional, we must learn to lead with emotional intelligence.

One of the key areas I focus on when coaching and mentoring Sales Leaders is the behaviours and actions that must be taken in order to deliver exceptional results. Far too many sales leaders revert to driving relentless focus on the numbers often at the expense of the behaviours, which can often result in poor outcomes, or at best, short term spikes in performance. If we are to oversee an exceptional team and become in the process an exceptional sales leader, then we must learn to step back and focus our attention on progress rather than perfection. However, there are 2 key things that we as sales leaders must get straight so that we can do this with confidence: 1) Define current reality & 2) Know our numbers. That’s the topic of today’s episode.

Many leaders ‘fall’ into a leadership role after being recognised as a high potential and high performer, and yet often do not have the guidance or blueprint to make the transition a smooth one. This can often lead them to considering whether the role is right for them. Having access to a leadership and career coach can definitely help in this area. In today’s episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Sonja Price, Career & Leadership Coach and Founder of Dynamo Careers, and we discuss a number of topics, including taking control of your own career, building a career strategy and whether higher qualifications like a MBA is required. Hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. To connect with Sonja, go to https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonjaprice/ To take advantage of a free career assessment, go to https://dynamocareers.com/assessment

If there is one key area the vast majority of sales people could improve, as could many Sales Leaders, it is their in call performance. Irrespective of the industry, product or service, it is incredible how many sales people lead the conversation with information, providing a plethora of amazing features of their product or service, and in many cases, not noticing the eyes of their customer glaze over. They end up walking out of the call thinking they have delivered a high quality sales call, and yet have nothing tangible to show for it. There is a better way, and that is the topic of today’s episode.

Interesting conversations this week with sales leaders and sales directors, all around sales and the unrelenting focus on numbers. Depending on who you talk to, the numbers are king and all conversations are geared around the number, which can often be overwhelming for sales people and create incredible pressure. There is a better way, and this is what I discuss on today’s episode. Enjoy.

One thing I have realised over the years is that not everyone is suited to leadership. With leadership comes responsibility and my belief that has been formed is that a person must want to take on a leadership role in order to have an opportunity of being successful, and not have the role simply thrust upon them. Unfortunately too many people are thrust into a leadership role based on their performance as an individual contributor, and find it challenging. In today’s episode, I discuss some of the key attributes that we need to possess in order to be a good leader, whilst also recognising that it is okay if we choose not to be a leader. Enjoy.

As leaders, one of the key responsibilities we have is to communicate a message to our team, to our business, to key stakeholders, to customers, as well as to the market. Unfortunately many leaders do not spend enough time considering their message and more importantly, how that message needs to be delivered. The result? Often the message falls flat, and even worse, the receiver of the message not taking the action we want. We need to get better at delivering our message, and in today’s episode, Ryan Warriner does just that. Ryan is a Professor of Communication, an Author, Speaker, Podcaster, Executive Trainer and Coach, and has a fascinating background, starting his career in teaching children. If you are looking to improve your communication capabilities, especially presenting, then this episode is a must listen. To connect with Ryan, please go to: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanjwarriner/ Website – https://www.professionalpresentationservices.com/ Podcast – https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-professionally-speaking-podcast/id1600699083 To purchase a copy of Ryan’s book, ‘The Effective Presenter’, please go to : https://www.amazon.com/Effective-Presenter-Winning-Business-Presentations-ebook/dp/B09MMNX8PG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3FVO6QZCUONOU&keywords=The+effective+presenter&qid=1676598218&sprefix=the+effective+presenter%2Caps%2C330&sr=8-1

Working with lots of teams and aspiring leaders, many of then seem to have an interesting view of what leadership is about, almost an idealistic view. They think leadership will come with prestige, status, influence and accolades, all the positive stuff. However, they often do not look at the other side of leadership – the grind, the hard conversations and the uncertainty. There are no medals in leadership.

When it comes to sales, most sale executives and sales leaders are blinded by their own beliefs about their offerings and their solutions. This results in them often coming across as pushy, or trying to convince a customer to take a specific course of action. We know that sales is all about problem solving and in order to help a customer solve a problem, we must change the way we think, and therefore how we interact with them. In order to influence, we need to consider what are the elements that will enable us to persuade them in an authentic way. This is where ‘so what?’ comes into it. Enjoy this episode.

One of the fascinating areas of sales is the psychology of selling, both from a selling perspective, as well as from a buyers perspective. So many sales people are conditioned to focus on their own company’s products, services and solutions and hence their behaviours in a sales call reflect that. When they are challenged by a customer on price or functionality, they have the ‘answers’ – the problem though is often those answers are not enough to tip the customer over the edge from curious to committed. They are very product focused and not problem, solution or value focused. Exceptional sales people know their value and they hold the line. That’s the topic of today’s episode.