Shows
Transformation UnfilteredCareer Defiance: Turning Adversity into OpportunitySummary: Join Alexa Beavers as she welcomes Amanda Smith, Chief Human Resources Officer at Vision Innovation Partners. Amanda shares her journey of overcoming career struggles and the importance of self-advocacy, especially after moving across the country for a job opportunity that didn’t materialize. Discover how Amanda learned to give herself permission to aspire to more and the lessons she gathered from navigating career challenges. This conversation explores themes of ownership, authenticity, and courage in professional growth, offering insights into finding the right path and embracing one's unique journey.Chapters: 0:00Advocating fo...2025-07-2332 minTransformation UnfilteredThe Art of Managing Up: Strategies to Align with LeadershipSummary: Angie Collins shares her journey navigating the challenges of a new role in the banking industry. Facing a manager focused on short-term sales, Angie discusses her approach to building long-term client relationships and aligning her methods with personal values and organizational missions. Dr. Jim highlights how Angie's strategy—presenting solutions, being mission-driven, tapping into empathy, and maintaining authenticity—was instrumental in her success and offers insight into managing career challenges and professional growth. Tune in to learn effective career navigation strategies from Angie's experience.Chapters: 0:00Navigating Career Challenges with Short-Sighted Mana...2025-07-1624 minTransformation UnfilteredTransforming Negative Self-Talk into Empowering AffirmationsSummary: Traci Wills joins Alexa Beavers to discuss the personal journey from feeling undervalued in her career to recognizing her own worth and power. Traci shares insights on the challenges of the "Black tax," the weight of self-doubt, and the impact on mental and physical health. She reveals how motherhood was a turning point, driving her to embrace her strengths, demand alignment in her professional life, and focus on authenticity. This episode explores the transformation from self-sacrifice to prioritizing self-care and balance in life and career.Chapters: 0:00Breaking the Cycle of...2025-07-0940 minTransformation UnfilteredTransforming Leadership with Curiosity and CourageSummary: Hillary Wilson shares her transformative journey in leading organizational change in a global pharmaceutical company. Struggling with persuasion tactics, she discovered a new way of leading through curiosity and self-awareness. Hosted by Alexa Beavers, this episode delves into the inner work that powers effective leadership. As Hillary highlights the importance of collaboration and tapping into collective strengths, listeners learn about embracing courage, leveraging diverse inputs, and finding purpose-driven leadership. Ideal for those looking to enhance their change management skills and personal growth.Chapters: 0:00Unlocking Transformation Through Self-Awareness and Purposeful Leadership2025-07-0235 minTransformation UnfilteredHow Letting Go Fuels Leadership GrowthSummary: Eric Shangle, leader of People and Culture at Pine Gate Renewables, shares his journey from transactional HR management to a more strategic, collaborative leadership approach. In a candid discussion with host Alexa Beavers, Eric reflects on his experiences in the Navy and hospitality industry, revealing how he learned to empower managers and prioritize organizational growth. The conversation delves into the importance of developing leadership, the value of collaboration, and how letting go of perfectionism can transform a career. Gain insights into building resilient, high-performance cultures rooted in collective accountability.Chapters: 0:00...2025-06-2532 minTransformation UnfilteredHow Letting Go Fuels Leadership GrowthSummary: Eric Shangle, leader of People and Culture at Pine Gate Renewables, shares his journey from transactional HR management to a more strategic, collaborative leadership approach. In a candid discussion with host Alexa Beavers, Eric reflects on his experiences in the Navy and hospitality industry, revealing how he learned to empower managers and prioritize organizational growth. The conversation delves into the importance of developing leadership, the value of collaboration, and how letting go of perfectionism can transform a career. Gain insights into building resilient, high-performance cultures rooted in collective accountability.Chapters: 0:00...2025-06-2531 minTransformation UnfilteredThe Superwoman Cape and Navigating Leadership Under FireSummary: Yasmeen Duncan shares her transformative journey from survival mode to thriving in leadership. As an accomplished HR executive and executive coach, Yasmeen dives deep into the challenges of managing overwhelming workloads and how she learned to prioritize self-grace, emotional intelligence, and building a personal support system. She discusses practical strategies for achieving balance, and the importance of having a “self-care team.” With insights into her experience in high-pressure environments, Yasmeen’s story offers valuable lessons on leadership and resilience for women of color and all aspiring leaders.Chapters: 0:00Surviving and Thrivi...2025-06-1838 minTransformation UnfilteredTransforming Your Leadership with the Power of Mindfulness and AuthenticitySummary: Natalie Garamone, owner and Principal Consultant of 180, joins Craig Beavers to share her transformative journey from CEO to consultant. Natalie sheds light on overcoming imposter syndrome, finding authenticity in leadership, and the power of mindfulness. She emphasizes the importance of self-belief, honest communication, and peer support in navigating organizational challenges. Discover how Natalie found her unique path in workplace conflict resolution and learn strategies for building confidence and leading with purpose in today's complex professional landscape.Chapters: 0:00Mindfulness and Meditation for Personal and Professional Growth2:25Natalie...2025-06-1140 minTransformation UnfilteredUnlocking Organizational Change Through QuestionsSummary: Dr. Jim welcomes Kandi Gongora, Chief Transformation and People Officer at Goodway Group, to discuss the challenges of transitioning into a new industry. Kandi shares her journey from Coca Cola to leading transformation at a car dealership while juggling the pursuit of the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige Award. The conversation delves into overcoming obstacles, building resilience, and the importance of asking the right questions to align vision across all organizational levels. Kandi's insights offer valuable lessons in adaptability and leadership growth, emphasizing the power of meeting others where they are.Chapters: 0:00...2025-06-0433 minTransformation UnfilteredFrom Lab Mishaps to Boardroom MasterySummary: Caron Trumbo, Vice President of Operations at Virginia Bio, shares her journey from a young genetics researcher to a leader in biotech. She discusses the importance of empathy, asking questions, and resilience after mistakes. Caron reveals how her upbringing in a challenging household helped her remain calm under pressure, leading to personal growth and professional success. Alexa Beavers explores Caron's insights on mentoring, embracing diverse opportunities, and fostering innovation in the biotech industry. Discover valuable lessons on perseverance, adaptability, and the power of saying "yes" to new experiences.Chapters: 0:00Leadership...2025-05-2827 minTransformation UnfilteredFrom Analysis Paralysis to Action: Overcoming Startup InertiaSummary: Dr. Gina Anderson, CEO of Luma Brighter Learning, joins the podcast to discuss the power of resilience and mindset shifts in the entrepreneurial journey. Sharing her own experiences of overcoming multiple grant rejections, Dr. Anderson illustrates how failure can fuel confidence and spark innovative thinking. She emphasizes the importance of letting go of assumptions and seizing unexpected opportunities, highlighting her transition into the logistics and transportation industry. Discover how embracing a bias towards action and fostering partnerships can accelerate success and enable entrepreneurs to turn challenges into growth opportunities.Chapters: 0:00...2025-05-2129 minTransformation UnfilteredSurviving Career Pivots: Lessons from Feeling MisalignedSummary: Becky Chung, VP of Development at Cielo Talent, shares her pivotal career moment of realizing she picked the wrong job driven by a desire for security. Talking with Alexa Beavers, the conversation details learning from mistakes, embracing insecurities, and the importance of aligning personal and professional values. Becky emphasizes the significance of collaboration and crafting environments for mutual growth while sharing practical advice for leaders on cultivating vulnerability and using AI to aid talent development. Tune in for insightful reflections on balancing career decisions with personal life.Chapters: 0:00Navigating Career...2025-05-1429 minTransformation UnfilteredWhen Quick Wins Backfire - How the Myth of the First 90 Days Gets us in TroubleSummary: D'Mar Phillips, VP of People and Culture at RS Americas joins Dr. Jim to discuss the myths surrounding the first 90 days in a new leadership role. Phillips shares insights from his career, emphasizing the importance of listening, observing, and learning before rushing into changes. He recounts a personal experience of misaligned expectations early in his career and how it shaped his leadership approach. The conversation explores building relationships and gaining trust within an organization, offering practical advice for aspiring leaders. Tune in to discover strategies for a successful transition into leadership roles with lasting impact.2025-05-0724 minTransformation UnfilteredFrom Self-Doubt to Self-Confidence: Navigating Your Early Career ChallengesSummary: Dr. Jim chats with Kelsey Arico, head of client experience and brand engagement at The Axela Group. They look into early career challenges, focusing on navigating leadership without authority and the power of self-advocacy. Discover how embracing assertiveness, honing critical questioning skills, and quieting self-doubt accelerates career growth. Ideal for anyone seeking to develop their leadership story, this engaging discussion explores effective strategies for influencing and executing meaningful projects, regardless of your role or title.Chapters: 0:00Navigating Leadership Without Authority and Learning From Mistakes3:33Navigating Leadership...2025-04-3032 minTransformation UnfilteredHow Silence Sabotaged Our SuccessSummary: Craig Beavers, COO of Axela Group and former fire and rescue battalion chief, joins Dr. Jim to discuss navigating organizational transformation. Reflecting on past leadership missteps, Craig highlights the importance of communication, employee buy-in, and strategic planning in change management. He emphasizes the need for robust training and creating a leadership presence to ensure successful initiatives. This episode offers valuable lessons on overcoming blind spots and building organizational playbooks to guide leaders through effective change processes. Tune in to gain insights from Craig’s extensive experience in public service and leadership.Chapters: 0:00...2025-04-2321 minTransformation UnfilteredHow Communication Fiascos Transformed My Leadership ApproachSummary: Join Dr. Jim and Alexa Beavers, founder and CEO of The Axela Group, as they chat about the art of strategic communication in leadership. Discover how Alexa navigated a communication misstep and transformed her approach to consulting. This episode explores the importance of pacing, crafting impactful messages, and aligning action with words. Learn about frameworks like "Know, Do, Feel" and the PACE plan to better plan for success. Tune in for insights on how a miscommunication taught valuable lessons about deliberate, strategic engagement in fast-paced environments.Chapters: 0:00Avoiding Pitfalls of...2025-04-1626 minTransformation UnfilteredLeadership 101: Crafting a Unified Vision that Inspires ActionSummary: Craig Beavers explores the nuances of effective leadership, emphasizing the transformation of talented individuals into cohesive teams. He delves into the importance of a shared purpose, trust-building, and role clarity. Beavers highlights the significance of open communication and regular feedback, while also noting the value of celebrating achievements together. Throughout the discussion, he underscores the role of a leader in fostering a culture of accountability and shared ownership, ultimately unlocking a team’s full potential. Tune in for insights on creating high-performing teams that achieve more collectively than alone.Chapters: 0:00Im...2025-04-0904 minTransformation UnfilteredCrafting Safe Spaces: The Secret to Team CreativitySummary: Kelsey Arico chats about fostering creativity in leadership, emphasizing the importance of psychological safety over polished performance. She highlights the role of creativity in overcoming fear and anxiety. Leaders are urged to model vulnerability and encourage ideation by creating a safe space for rough drafts and unrefined ideas. This episode guides leaders in transforming environments to nurture originality and innovation, illustrating that great leadership is about building spaces where ideas can flourish. Host Kelsey Airco: linkedin.com/in/kelsey-arico-775b772bExecutive Producer Jim Kanichirayil: linkedin.com/in/drjimk Music...2025-04-0905 minTransformation UnfilteredNavigating Change: Why Employees Tune Out and How to Capture Their AttentionSummary: Kelsey Arico explores the often-overlooked emotional dimensions of organizational change and transformation. She emphasizes the importance of addressing how changes impact employees on a personal level rather than merely focusing on business outcomes. Highlighting the pitfalls of vague communications and sanitized messaging, Kelsey advocates for genuine conversations, active listening, and empathy. Discover how leaders can bridge the "credibility canyon" by incorporating emotional consideration into change management, thereby fostering trust, engagement, and employee retention while navigating transformation efforts.Chapters: 0:00Importance of Addressing Change Emotionally0:39Varied Emotional Reactions...2025-04-0905 minTransformation UnfilteredBreaking In Your Leadership HatSummary: Alexa Beavers shares her personal journey from being a leader to becoming a coach, highlighting the initial discomfort and challenges of stepping into a new role. She emphasizes the value of embracing awkwardness and risk-taking to foster growth and learning. Beavers discusses the importance of trusting the process, asking better questions, and valuing progress over perfection. She encourages leaders to boldly wear their "new hats," fostering a culture of continuous growth and learning, even amidst uncertainty. Join this exploration of leadership transformation and the courage to keep showing up authentically.Chapters: 0:002025-04-0903 minTransformation UnfilteredHow Perfectionism Paralyzes ProgressSummary: Alexa Beavers explores the transformative power of risk-taking in leadership, challenging the notion of perfection and embracing the growth that comes from pushing boundaries. Through compelling anecdotes, she contrasts leaders who stand still due to fear with those who drive impactful change by embracing vulnerability and evolution. Beavers argues for the importance of progress over perfection, valuing honesty, collaboration, and feedback. This episode will inspire you to redefine leadership beyond optics and towards genuine impact, encouraging a mindset shift from fear of failure to a focus on continuous growth.Chapters: 0:00...2025-04-0903 minTransformation UnfilteredBreaking the Bottleneck: Transitioning from Expert to LeaderSummary: Craig Beavers explores the complex transition from management to leadership, emphasizing the importance of empowering teams rather than exerting control. He discusses stepping back from expert roles, trusting the process, and inspiring through vision and influence. This episode highlights the shift from task management to relationship-building, ultimately fostering team growth and long-term success. Listen to insights on developing one's capacity to lead authentically and sustainably. Follow the Transformation Unfiltered podcast for more leadership insights, and connect via LinkedIn or acceleragroup.com for further engagement.Chapters: 0:00Transitioning From Managing to Leading...2025-04-0903 minTransformation UnfilteredResilient Leadership: How to Sustain Momentum During Change FatigueSummary: Let's be real, change is hard—even when it's good. In this video, we discuss how resilient leaders can keep their teams engaged when energy is low and changes keep coming. We delve into three essential strategies: checking in on people, equipping middle managers, and building in breaks. Discover how to maintain momentum, connect with your team, and make change stick by focusing on human elements rather than just strategic metrics. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction: The Challenge of Change00:16 Key Strategies for Resilient Leadership00:29 Ch...2025-04-0204 minTransformation UnfilteredUnlocking Emotional Intelligence: The Key to Authentic LeadershipSummary: Explore how leaders can enhance their emotional intelligence with Kelsey Arico. Discover the balance between authenticity and growth as leaders expand their capacity without losing their authentic voice. Kelsey discusses the importance of self-awareness, psychological safety, and trust in the workplace. Learn strategies for integrating emotional intelligence into your leadership style, starting from your strengths and adapting new behaviors. This episode delves into how being real and transparent can elevate team dynamics, allowing leaders to guide with emotional clarity and intention, ultimately becoming more of who they truly are.Chapters: | 0:00 | Embracing Emotional...2025-04-0204 minTransformation UnfilteredSaving Yourself from Leadership Burnout - Why Your Team Needs You to Step BackSummary: Alexa Beavers chats about the pitfalls of overextending oneself in leadership roles. She illustrates the transformation of a leader who learned the hard way that being perpetually available isn't sustainable. By setting boundaries and trusting her team, this leader shifted from drowning in responsibilities to fostering empowerment and collaborative growth. Beavers emphasizes that true leadership is about multiplying impact, not martyrdom. Exhausted leaders, take note: prioritize your well-being to enhance your effectiveness. Discover how letting go can lead to stronger, more resilient teams and healthier leadership dynamics.Chapters: 0:00The Fallacy...2025-04-0204 minTransformation UnfilteredThe Emotional Advantage: How to Lead with Heart and MindSummary: Alexa Beavers chats about the balance between emotional involvement and emotional intelligence at work. She explores how leaders often struggle, either reacting impulsively with passion or shutting down to remain overly composed. Highlighting neuroscience, she explains how emotions are processed before logic, thus serving as vital data points. The key is curiosity and intentionality, not suppression. Emotionally intelligent leaders harness emotions for insight, connection, and influence, avoiding both volatility and coldness. Alexa urges leaders to channel emotions effectively to inspire and create real impact, making emotions a tool rather than a hindrance.Chapters: 2025-04-0203 minTransformation UnfilteredMastering High-Stakes Decisions with ConfidenceSummary: Craig Beavers chats about the common pitfalls teams face when aligning on high-stakes decisions. He highlights the importance of clarity in goals, defined decision-making roles, and addressing unspoken agendas. Craig discusses avoiding analysis paralysis, balancing risk, and ensuring that priorities align to prevent passive resistance. Leaders are encouraged to foster environments where teams feel heard, clear on objectives, and trusted to make swift, informed decisions. The episode emphasizes building trust and momentum to achieve real progress. Learn more insights by following the Transformation Unfiltered podcast on LinkedIn or their website.Chapters: 0:002025-04-0204 minTransformation UnfilteredEmpower to Inspire: The Secret to Motivating Your Team SuccessfullySummary: Craig Beavers reflects on leadership pitfalls in a candid discussion, sharing insights on empowering teams, avoiding micromanagement, and encouraging initiative. He highlights the importance of connecting work to the bigger picture and recognizing efforts to boost motivation. Beavers also addresses the critical role of modeling work-life balance to prevent burnout. Discover habits that transform leadership and invigorate team spirit in this thoughtful narrative from the Transformation Unfiltered Podcast. Follow for more insights on effective leadership and personal growth.Chapters: 0:00Introduction to Leadership Challenges0:21Overcoming Micromanagement2025-04-0203 minTransformation UnfilteredMastering Tough Conversations: The Secret to Stronger LeadershipSummary: Craig Beavers digs into the complexities of delivering tough feedback in leadership. Explore why leaders often avoid these challenging conversations and the consequences of doing so. Craig shares strategies for shifting mindset, emphasizing that feedback is a growth tool, not a punishment. Discover how to keep dialogues constructive, focusing on behaviors and outcomes while maintaining empathy and emotional intelligence. Tune in to learn how clear, respectful, and supportive feedback can foster trust and enhance team dynamics. Follow Transformation Unfiltered on LinkedIn or visit their website for more insights.Chapters: 0:00The...2025-03-2604 minTransformation UnfilteredBeyond the Launch: Transformations That Really StickSummary: Alexa Beavers explores the pitfalls of celebrating change initiatives prematurely in organizations. She shares a cautionary tale about a company's failed attempt to centralize its talent acquisition system due to lack of real behavioral change. The episode delves into the importance of genuine adoption over superficial compliance, emphasizing that successful transformation requires cultural shifts and enduring change in daily practices. Beavers offers insights into fostering transformations that truly last, reminding leaders that impactful change is often messy and imperfect but ultimately rewarding. Tune into the Transformation Unfiltered podcast for more actionable insights.Chapters: 2025-03-2603 minTransformation UnfilteredLeading with Empathy: Building High-Trust Teams in the Age of AutomationSummary: Leadership in the modern workplace requires more than technical expertise. In this episode, Alexa Beavers discusses how AI, automation, and evolving workforce expectations are transforming the skills leaders need. Success hinges on "power skills" like emotional intelligence and adaptability—qualities machines can't replace. Alexa shares insights on cultivating trust, inspiring action, and navigating ambiguity with confidence. As AI continues to handle technical tasks, leaders who thrive will be those capable of connecting deeply with people and guiding them through change. Discover how to set yourself apart by developing these essential human-centered leadership skills.Chapters: ...2025-03-2603 minTransformation UnfilteredThe Blueprint to Cultivating Proactive WorkplacesSummary: Dr. Jim explores the essence of being proactive in organizations, emphasizing a culture of listening and action throughout the employee lifecycle. He delves into the necessity of having mechanisms to gain insights from employees and market trends, from pre-hire to retirement. Dr. Jim highlights the importance of not just gathering feedback but also crafting actionable plans that engage impacted employee groups. By embedding listening and responsiveness, organizations can stay ahead of workplace trends and avoid being caught off guard. This episode offers a roadmap to cultivating a truly proactive organizational culture.Chapters: 0:002025-03-2603 minTransformation UnfilteredResilient Leadership: Walking the Talk When It Matters MostSummary: Microsoft faced a major challenge when their AI chatbot generated offensive content, but instead of hiding, they owned the moment. Join Kelsey Arico as she explores how resilient organizations respond to failures by taking accountability, maintaining transparency, and aligning actions with their core values. Discover why real resilience isn't about perfection but about proactive communication and proving integrity through action. Learn how Microsoft transformed their setback into an opportunity for growth, strengthening both their technology and trust with stakeholders. This episode underscores the importance of resilience as a habitual leadership quality.Chapters: 0:002025-03-2605 minTransformation UnfilteredMaking Decisions with Assurance & AgilitySummary: Explore the art of decision-making with Alexa Beavers as she uncovers three critical obstacles leaders face: decision fatigue, fear of failure, and analysis paralysis. Learn how prioritizing decisions, managing risks, and confidence can transform your leadership style. Discover strategies to distinguish high-impact decisions from less important ones, conserve mental energy, and maintain momentum in your leadership journey. Gain insights into making informed choices swiftly and learning from them effectively. Are you stuck in hesitation, or are you embracing decisive leadership?Chapters: 0:00Overcoming Obstacles in Decision Making for Leaders0:582025-03-2604 minTransformation UnfilteredTransformation Unfiltered Launch!Summary: In our debut episode of 'Transformation Unfiltered,' we dive deep into the seldom-seen messy realities of leadership transformation. Join us as we strip away the Instagram-worthy success stories and confront the raw, unfiltered truths of change. Learn from industry leaders who share their personal journeys, including their failures, setbacks, and the lessons they learned along the way. This podcast aims to provide practical insights, relatable experiences, and honest conversations about navigating real change in organizations. Perfect for HR leaders, executives, and anyone leading transformation efforts, 'Transformation Unfiltered' is your go-to resource for authentic leadership stories...2025-03-2607 minTransformation UnfilteredMastering Tough Talks: The Secret to Leadership SuccessSummary: Join Craig Beavers as he delves into the art of navigating difficult conversations for leaders. Discover how fostering productive dialogue requires empathy, clarity, and a shared commitment to growth. Beavers emphasizes the importance of mindset, emotional regulation, and active listening. Learn how to co-create action plans and ensure follow-up to create lasting change. This episode of the Transformation Unfiltered podcast is a guide for leaders aiming to transform challenges into opportunities for development and mutual understanding. Follow for insights on building trust and facilitating progress.Chapters: 0:00Introduction to Difficult Conversations2025-03-2604 min
Building Elite Sales TeamsBEST Snippet - Elevating Sales Teams Through Effective Leadership - Wesleyne WhittakerSummaryJoin Lucas Price as he speaks with Wesleyne Whittaker, founder of Transformed Sales, about developing sales managers into effective leaders and coaches. Wesleyne shares her journey from chemist to sales expert, emphasizing the importance of process-oriented approaches. They discuss common pitfalls in managing front-line leaders, the significance of mindset shifts, and creating individualized coaching plans. The conversation also underscores the need for a culture of continuous learning and the role of upper management in championing change.Take Aways Sales managers often lack essential management and leadership skills as organizations focus more on tactical...2024-08-3011 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsBEST Snippet: Sustaining Sales Excellence in a Fast-Paced World - Tracy LinneSummaryLucas Price hosts Tracy Lynn, founder of Revenue Motions, to explore how sales teams can thrive despite changing environments. Tracy discuses the importance of prioritizing people, implementing a structured recruiting strategy, and the critical role of fairness and mission alignment in hiring. She highlights how designing a robust people strategy is comparable to creating a go-to-market plan. Lucas reflects on treating the sales team dynamically, considering what each new hire adds to the existing group. Tune in for insights on building adaptive, high-performing sales teams.Take Aways Focus on People: Prioritize people over...2024-08-2411 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsBEST Snippet -Junior AE, Senior AE: The Secret to Seamless Promotions - Joe McNeillSummary Lucas Price chats with Joe McNeill, Chief Revenue Officer at Influ2, about building elite sales teams through career development. Joe highlights the challenge of hiring top AE talent in scaling startups, stressing the value of cultivating talent within. He shares insights on fostering a collaborative meritocracy where sharing ideas, even bad ones, is encouraged. Joe also discusses strategies for progressing entry-level employees into impactful sales roles, spotlighting the benefits of incremental responsibilities and mentorship. Tune in to discover how to create a thriving sales culture and develop top performers.Take Aways Hire Smart...2024-08-1610 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsBEST Snippet - Mastering Sales Enablement and Continuous Improvement - Brian WeinerSummaryLucas Price talks with seasoned sales leader Brian Weiner on building elite sales teams. They dig into crucial aspects like prioritizing people, transparent communication, fostering accountability, and nurturing an inclusive environment. Brian sheds light on evaluating talent, the significance of intellectual curiosity, proactivity, and coachability. They also discuss effective recruitment strategies and promoting internal growth. This episode offers practical insights into achieving ramp-time reductions and methods for maintaining team motivation and engagement. Perfect for those keen on refining their sales team dynamics and leadership approaches.Take Aways People-Centric Leadership: Investing in and supporting...2024-08-0911 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsBEST Snippet - Ramp Faster: The Blueprint for Successful Sales OnboardingSummaryLucas Price and Taylor Corr dive into building effective seller onboarding programs at Quantcast, a next-generation demand-side platform (DSP). Taylor, with seven years of sales leadership experience, shares insights on developing concrete and structured onboarding processes, emphasizing the importance of clear benchmarks and real-world sales action from day one. They discuss ideal customer profiles, the significance of understanding sales cycles, and data-driven strategies to expedite rep ramp-up time. Join the conversation to learn how to set new reps on the fast track to success. Find Taylor Corr on LinkedIn for more insights.Take Aways 2024-08-0210 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsBEST Snippet - Work Hard, Play Hard: Crafting a High-Energy Sales CultureSummaryLucas Price interviews Dan Dionne, VP of Sales at Review Wave, on building elite sales teams. Dan shares insights from his journey, including his time at CarGurus during its hypergrowth phase. They chat about hiring 'A' players, the balance of fun and accountability in team culture, and the importance of continuous training with real-time call reviews and live battle cards. Dan emphasizes maintaining high energy and clear performance expectations to keep teams motivated and productive. Discover actionable strategies for developing a successful, high-performing sales environment.Take Aways Hire with a Plan: It's crucial...2024-07-2609 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsBEST Snippet - Hiring Stars: How to Build an Elite Sales Team from Scratch - Chip NealSummaryLucas Price sits down with Chip Neal, VP of Sales at Abacus Technology, to explore the art of building elite sales teams. With 35 years of sales leadership experience, Chip emphasizes the importance of identifying exceptional talent, training them to meet high standards, and fostering an environment where they can thrive. Discover how emotional intelligence plays a crucial role in sales and why talent is irreplaceable. Gain insights into Chip's interview strategies and learn from his experiences on recognizing the right person for the right job.Take Aways Finding the Right Talent: Focus on...2024-07-1910 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsBEST Snippet - The Anatomy of a Perfect Sales Hire: Scorecards and Beyond Featuring Kyle NortonSummaryLucas Price and Kyle Norton dive into the essentials of building elite sales teams. They discuss Kyle's proven framework for talent acquisition, onboarding, and continuous development. Learn about the significance of scorecards in maintaining hiring consistency, the importance of mindset, skills, and specific knowledge in selecting the right candidates, and how structured evaluation criteria can reduce cognitive bias in hiring. Gain actionable insights that can enhance your ability to build and sustain a high-performing sales team.Take Aways Structured Hiring Process: Using a consistent, pre-determined set of criteria and scorecards for evaluating candidates...2024-07-1210 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsThe Power of Transparency: How to Successfully Navigate Change in Sales Organizations (Best of Series)SummaryIn this episode, Dr. Jim interviews Lucas Price, the founder of Yardstick, about building elite sales teams and effectively communicating change within a sales organization. They discuss the challenges of managing rapid change, the impact of change on sales reps, and strategies for communicating change without losing team members. Lucas shares his experiences as a sales leader and provides insights into how to navigate changes in a sales organization. He emphasizes the importance of transparency, setting the stage for change, and creating a culture of collaboration and trust.Take Aways The only constant...2024-07-0524 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsWhy Knowing Your Product Differentiators is Crucial for SuccessSummaryLucas Price interviews Pete Scharber on building elite sales teams by honing in on true product differentiators. Pete shares his journey from his early career to sales leadership, emphasizing the importance of honesty in identifying market fits, fostering team camaraderie, aligning compensation with objectives, and navigating tough executive conversations. The episode is rich with insights on authentic leadership, strategic market focus, and boosting sales team morale.Take Aways Honesty and Transparency: Success in sales requires a candid assessment of organizational strengths and weaknesses to determine competitive differentiators.Strategic Focus: Aligning sales efforts with...2024-06-2834 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsFrom Startup to Exit: Lessons Learned on the Journey to Success (Best of Series)SummaryIn this episode of "Building Elite Sales Teams," Dr. Jim interviews Lucas Price, the founder of Yardstick and former VP of Sales at Zipwhip. Lucas shares his journey of scaling Zipwhip's sales organization from less than a million dollars in ARR to over a hundred million dollars. He discusses the importance of aligning the sales leader's vision with the founder's vision, the role of self-awareness and adaptability in leadership, and the impact of hiring on the success of a company. Lucas also emphasizes the need to prioritize important tasks over urgent ones and shares insights on...2024-06-2123 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsOptimizing Sales with Operations and EnablementSummaryLucas Price interviews seasoned sales leader Adam Aarons, renowned for his tenure as CRO at Okta and his roles at companies like BladeLogic and Drata. They dig into strategies for building elite sales teams, focusing on effective sales processes, operational visibility, and continuous enablement. Adam shares insights on navigating new market segments, the significance of discovery, and the importance of structured sales methodologies. Additionally, he offers tips on hiring the right talent and leveraging mentorship. This episode is packed with actionable advice for sales leaders aiming to drive high performance in their teams.Take...2024-06-1435 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsBridging Cultural Fit and Sales Strategy for Unmatched GrowthSummaryLucas Price and Zahra Jiva, Director of Sales Strategy at Pipedrive, chat about building a people-centered sales organization. They explore connecting mission to individual goals, the importance of transparent decision-making, and strategies for creating high-performing teams. Zahra shares insights on hiring practices, maintaining team alignment, and the critical role of strong discovery calls in sales success. Gain actionable tips on fostering a rewarding work environment and the importance of self-awareness in driving team performance. Discover how culture and strategic thinking contribute to sales excellence at Pipedrive.Take Aways Importance of People-Centered Organizations: Aligning...2024-06-0735 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsHow to Avoid Settling for Mediocre Sales Talent by Challenging Your StandardsSummaryChip Neal shares his insights on building elite sales teams. He emphasizes the importance of finding the right talent, training them to meet expectations, and then allowing them to excel in their roles. Chip believes that hiring individuals who are smarter than you and have unique talents is crucial for building a successful team. He also highlights the significance of emotional intelligence in sales and suggests using role-playing scenarios during the interview process to assess a candidate's reactions and problem-solving skills. Chip advises sales leaders to challenge their standards, avoid settling for mediocre candidates, and focus...2024-05-3128 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsThe Painful Realizations that Lead to Positive Change in Sales LeadershipSummaryIn this episode of Building Elite Sales Teams, Lucas Price interviews Matt Buchalski, a sales leadership professional with over 15 years of experience. They discuss the importance of personal development and feedback in becoming a great sales leader. Matt also shares his passion for educating salespeople about their finances and how to build a financial legacy. He emphasizes the power of communication and building strong relationships with your team. Tune in to learn valuable insights on leadership and personal growth from Matt's own experiences. Don't miss out on this episode of Building Elite Sales Teams!...2024-05-2433 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsBuilding a World-Class Sales Development TeamSummary In this episode of "Building Elite Sales Teams," Lucas Price interviews Justin Otley, VP of Global Sales Development at Talkdesk. They discuss the misconception that outbound is dead and how the tactics for successful outbound have evolved. Justin emphasizes the importance of relevance over personalization and the power of phone calls in prospecting. He also shares insights on building a high-performing sales development organization, including the value of career paths and aligning with leadership teams. If you're looking to optimize your outbound strategy and develop a world-class sales development team, this episode is a must-listen.2024-05-1737 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsThe Art of Onboarding: How to Build a High-Performing Sales TeamSummaryIn this episode of Building Elite Sales Teams, Lucas Price interviews Barrett King from New Breed about the importance of onboarding new employees and how it is connected to the hiring process. Barrett shares his background in sales and sales leadership and discusses the role of communication and problem-solving in sales. He emphasizes the need to understand how people learn and adapt the onboarding process to meet their individual needs. Barrett also highlights the importance of patience and being intentional in the onboarding process. Overall, this episode provides valuable insights into building successful sales teams.2024-05-1040 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsTransforming Feedback into Fuel for Sales SuccessSummaryLucas Price hosts Dana Smith, Vice President of Sales at PlanView, to explore the crucial aspects of building elite sales teams, focusing on cultivating a culture that welcomes unfiltered feedback. Smith shares his journey from entry-level positions to leadership roles across the IT and telecom industries, emphasizing the importance of experiencing and providing candid feedback for team development. He discusses the significance of being intentional in leadership, fostering diversity within teams, and the balance between emotional intelligence and result-oriented feedback. Take Aways A culture of unfiltered feedback is crucial for high-performing teams, demanding...2024-05-0330 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsEngineering Moments of Success: How to Get Your Sales Team to Embrace New MessagingSummaryEd Lynes, founder and managing partner of Woden, joins Lucas Price to discuss the importance of effective messaging in building an elite sales team. They emphasize the need for sales reps to be involved in the messaging development process and share their perspectives on the world. By aligning the sales team behind a compelling message, companies can increase funnel efficiency and drive better results. They also discuss common mistakes to avoid, such as starting too tactically and keeping messaging siloed. Overall, crafting a shared belief and purpose is key to successful messaging.Take Aways 2024-04-2634 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsLeading Through Change: How to Successfully Navigate Sales PivotsSummaryLucas Price chats with Tyler Kelly, President of Basis Technologies, about the challenges and strategies involved in transforming sales teams. With over two decades in the digital media industry, Tyler shares his journey from sales to leadership, emphasizing the crucial shift from selling to small markets to engaging with clients that have over $20 million in digital media spending. The conversation covers Kelly's approach to management, the importance of adapting sales strategies, and the differentiation between direct sales and agency sales teams. Key insights include the value of leadership by example, clear communication, focusing on a specific...2024-04-1930 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsNavigating Negative Changes in Sales Organizations: A Sales Leader's GuideSummaryIn this episode of Building Elite Sales Teams, host Lucas Price chats with veteran sales leader David Archer about navigating negative organizational changes within sales teams. This discussion is especially relevant to those who aspire to manage their sales teams effectively, despite facing the potential for adverse effects on their team members.Throughout their conversation, Lucas and David dive into the impact of sales culture, change management strategies, and sustaining team performance under challenging circumstances. They emphasize the notion that building a resilient sales organization is especially critical when navigating changes that might not...2024-04-1227 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsThe Art and Science of Sales: Balancing Data and Qualitative SkillsSummaryIn this episode of Building Elite Sales Teams, Lucas Price chats with Michelle Benfer, a dynamic SVP at Bill. This session dives deep into the art and science of constructing top-tier sales organizations, highlighting the pivotal role of data infrastructure and personalized coaching. With Michelle's deep expertise, the conversation explores the delicate balance between analytics and human intuition in crafting a successful sales strategy.Listeners are treated to a voyage through Michelle's personal sales journey, from her formative experiences to her current role at Bill. This conversation is packed with actionable strategies on maximizing...2024-04-0531 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsScore-carding for Success- How to Build an Elite Sales TeamSummaryKyle Norton shares his insights on building elite sales teams. He emphasizes the importance of talent, systems engineering, playbooks, coaching development, and culture in creating a high-performing sales organization. He highlights the significance of repeatability and consistency in achieving success. Kyle also discusses the key elements of a scorecard and the importance of structured interviews to make better hiring decisions.Take Aways Talent, systems engineering, playbooks, coaching development, and culture are the key elements of building an elite sales organization.Repeatability and consistency are indicators of a well-functioning sales system.2024-03-2931 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsTrusting Your Gut in Hiring: When to Double Down and When to Move OnSummaryIn this episode of Building Elite Sales Teams, host Lucas Price chats with John Pellet to unravel the tactics and strategies behind building high-performance sales teams in the tech industry. John sheds light on the delicate balance between coaching underperforming team members and making tough decisions about staffing changes. Listeners are invited into John's world, marked by resilience, adaptability, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.John shares his personal journey from aspirational sports business graduate to a technology sales leader, reflecting on the shifts he navigated when selling cloud-based services to a skeptical public...2024-03-2234 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsBest of Episode: Building a Coaching Culture in SalesSummaryIn this episode, we explore the nuances of sales management development with Wesleyne Whitaker, an experienced leader in empowering sales managers to excel. Wesleyne offers a deep dive into how companies can shape their frontline sales leadership for lasting success and foster a robust, accountable sales culture.Wesleyne stresses the importance of investing in the development of sales managers and identifies common struggles that companies face, such as inconsistency in leadership quality. She elaborates on the necessity of creating individualized coaching plans, drawing from open and honest conversations with the managers themselves. Emphasizing a...2024-03-1533 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsConsistent Communication - The Path to Accountability and High PerformanceSummaryIn this episode host Lucas Price is joined by Tim Strickland to delve into cultivating clarity and accountability in high-performing sales teams. The conversation navigates through Tim's remarkable journey from real estate to leading revenue-based roles in major tech companies, providing a real-world backdrop to the discussion on building elite sales units.Key themes include Tim's personal growth through an athletic background, transitioning from individual contributions to impactful leadership, and the role rigorous daily cadences play in driving sales results. Alongside these narratives, the episode expounds on the dynamic interplay between accountability and organizational...2024-03-0824 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsHow Leading with Empathy Helps Build Elite Sales TeamsSummaryIn this episode of Building Elite Sales Teams, Lucas Price sits down with sales leader Jackie Papazian to uncover the secrets behind cultivating high-performing sales teams. As they delve into the relationship between empathy and performance in sales and leadership roles, we all learn about some of the foundational elements needed for exceptional sales performance. Central to the conversation is the role of empathy in fostering a productive sales environment. Jackie advocates for a positive and growth-oriented mentality, emphasizing the importance of hiring for emotional intelligence and coachability. She shares her strategies for mentoring...2024-03-0132 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsNavigating Difficult Conversations: Strategies for New LeadersSummaryIn this episode of "Building Elite Sales Teams," the audience is invited to learn from the expertise of Lucas Price, who delves into the often intricate process of managing challenging conversations in B2B sales environments. The episode begins with an introduction to the significance of such discussions and their impact on team turnover, emphasizing how mastering this skill is vital for new leaders aiming to cultivate a culture of clear communication and high performance.Navigating the complex dynamics of difficult conversations requires a balance of clarity, assertiveness, and sensitivity. Lucas Price shares his...2024-02-2326 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsPromoting from Within vs. Hiring from Outside: Striking the Right BalanceSummaryIn this episode of "Building Elite Sales Teams," Dr. Jim sits with Lucas Price to chat about building and maintaining dynamic sales teams in B2B tech sales. This discussion gears towards understanding the balance between promoting from within and injecting new insights from external hires to prevent the sales environment from becoming stale.The episode delves into Lucas's journey through various stages of growth at Zipwhip, from startup to a sizeable sales organization. It highlights the importance of hiring strategies that align with the growth phase of the company and the criticality of...2024-02-1626 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsThe Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Sales MethodologySummaryIn this episode, Lucas Price discusses the intricacies of selecting, adopting, and measuring the impact of sales methodologies with Paul Butterfield, founder of Revenue Flywheel Group. Delving into the nuances of strategies like MEDDIC, listeners are invited to explore the significance of proper implementation and the potential misconceptions surrounding such frameworks.Paul shares his wisdom on the importance of a full-cycle sales methodology versus qualification frameworks, emphasizing the ability to guide sales teams in having business-level conversations, nurturing client relationships, and advancing deal negotiations. The conversation pivots from his early experiences in sales to...2024-02-0935 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsHow Constructive Competition Can Accelerate Sales ExcellenceSummaryIn this episode of Building Elite Sales Teams, Lucas Price chats with guest Steve Waters from ZoomInfo. We walk through how to identify and harness the unique 'superpowers' of individual team members.The conversation dives into Waters's personal journey from a musician to a top-tier sales leader, drawing parallels between mastering music and excelling in sales. The duo discusses the intrinsic qualities that set apart successful salespeople, emphasizing the importance of determination, adaptability, and consistent improvement. Waters shares insights from his own evolution in sales, highlighting how he leveraged a competitive environment at ZoomInfo...2024-02-0233 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsThe Role of Accountability in Sales SuccessSummaryIn this episode, Lucas Price interviews Mike Muhfelder, a seasoned sales leader, about the challenges of screening and hiring top salespeople. They discuss the importance of patience and observation when evaluating candidates, as well as the need for candidates to take ownership of their situations and demonstrate accountability. Mike shares valuable insights on how to identify resilient and determined individuals who are well-prepared and have a growth mindset. He emphasizes the significance of research and effective communication skills in the hiring process.Take Aways Patience and observation are crucial when screening candidates...2024-01-2624 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsHow to Drive Development and Results in Your Sales TeamSummaryDr. Jim, teams up with Lucas Price, a founder with an impressive track record in sales leadership. Together, they debunk the common misconception that amassing an army of top-selling individuals is the singular route to a thriving sales organization. Instead, they advocate for a more nuanced and sustainable approach, emphasizing depth and health within a sales team.Over the course of their dynamic discussion, Lucas unfolds the layers of his philosophy for sales team success, rooted in his own trial-and-error experiences at Zipwhip. They explore the pitfalls of the "throw spaghetti against the wall"...2024-01-1925 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsBuilding a Coaching Culture in SalesSummaryIn this insightful episode, we explore the nuances of sales management development with Wesleyne Whitaker, an experienced leader in empowering sales managers to excel. Wesleyne offers a deep dive into how companies can shape their frontline sales leadership for lasting success and foster a robust, accountable sales culture.Wesleyne stresses the importance of investing in the development of sales managers and identifies common struggles that companies face, such as inconsistency in leadership quality. She elaborates on the necessity of creating individualized coaching plans, drawing from open and honest conversations with the managers themselves. Emphasizing...2024-01-1233 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsThe Power of People: How to Build a High Performing Sales OrganizationSummaryTracy Linne joins the podcast to discuss the importance of adapting to change and leading teams in a dynamic environment. She emphasizes the need for a strong people strategy in building high-performing sales teams and highlights the pillars of a successful team, including people, process, and technology. Tracy also emphasizes the importance of a long-term foundational mindset and the need to think of the sales team as a go-to-market strategy. She shares insights on defining ideal sales personas, designing a recruitment program, and the role of creativity and adaptability in sales. Tracy also discusses the importance...2024-01-0524 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsThe Power of Transparency: How to Successfully Navigate Change in Sales OrganizationsSummaryIn this episode, Dr. Jim interviews Lucas Price, the founder of Yardstick, about building elite sales teams and effectively communicating change within a sales organization. They discuss the challenges of managing rapid change, the impact of change on sales reps, and strategies for communicating change without losing team members. Lucas shares his experiences as a sales leader and provides insights into how to navigate changes in a sales organization. He emphasizes the importance of transparency, setting the stage for change, and creating a culture of collaboration and trust.Take Aways The only constant...2023-12-2925 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsFrom Startup to Exit: Lessons Learned on the Journey to SuccessSummaryIn this episode of "Building Elite Sales Teams," Dr. Jim interviews Lucas Price, the founder of Yardstick and former VP of Sales at Zipwhip. Lucas shares his journey of scaling Zipwhip's sales organization from less than a million dollars in ARR to over a hundred million dollars. He discusses the importance of aligning the sales leader's vision with the founder's vision, the role of self-awareness and adaptability in leadership, and the impact of hiring on the success of a company. Lucas also emphasizes the need to prioritize important tasks over urgent ones and shares insights on...2023-12-2224 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsThe Science of Building High-Performing Sales TeamsSummaryJoe McNeill emphasizes the importance of career development in building an elite sales team. He believes that hiring top-performing individuals is resource-intensive and not always successful, especially in rapidly growing startups. Instead, Joe suggests hiring smart people with energy and integrity and developing their skills over time. He advocates for creating a collaborative meritocracy where everyone is encouraged to share ideas and learn from mistakes. Joe also highlights the value of incremental gains and the need for a jerk-free culture that fosters teamwork and continuous improvement.Take Aways Hiring top-performing individuals is resource-intensive, an...2023-12-1526 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsThe Importance of Accountability in Building High-Performing Sales TeamsSummaryBrian Weiner emphasizes the importance of putting people first when building elite sales teams. He believes that investing in and supporting your team is crucial for success. He also highlights the significance of transparency, accountability, and creating a welcoming and inclusive environment. Brian shares his principles for building an elite sales team, including the importance of understanding what good looks like, leveraging the strengths of the existing team, and promoting from within whenever possible. He also discusses the importance of evaluating candidates based on their intellectual curiosity, proactivity, and coachability. Brian emphasizes the need for clear...2023-12-0827 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsBuilding Seller Onboarding Programs That Drive ResultsSummaryTaylor Corr shares insights on building successful seller onboarding programs, setting high standards for sellers, and having clear benchmarks for team members. He emphasizes the importance of creating a specific and concrete onboarding program that removes guesswork for reps and provides structure and certainty. Taylor also highlights the need to focus on the ideal customer profile (ICP) and persona during onboarding, rather than just the product. He discusses the importance of a bias towards action and getting reps involved in the sales cycle early on. Taylor emphasizes the need for accountability and holding sellers to high...2023-12-0129 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsHiring for Success: Strategies for Identifying Top Sales PerformersSummaryThe episode discusses the importance of a successful hiring process, particularly for sales roles. The guests emphasize the need to reduce uncertainty in the hiring process and highlight the significance of the interview process in predicting success in sales roles. They also discuss the elements of an ideal candidate profile, including specific experience, skills, and competencies. The guests share their insights on building a successful hiring process, including the importance of scorecards, role plays, and reference checks. They also address the role of the sales leader in owning the hiring process and empowering managers to make...2023-11-2444 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsHow to Keep Your Sales Team Sharp and Motivated by Building a Continuous Improvement CultureSummaryIn this episode, Lucas Price interviews Dan Dionne, VP of Sales at Review Wave, about the key points in building an elite sales team. Dan emphasizes the importance of hiring the right people and not rushing the process. He believes that personality, style, and culture fit are more important than specific experience or education. Dan also discusses the significance of training and continuous improvement in sales teams, as well as the role of celebrating small wins and building a fun and energetic culture.Take Aways Hiring the right people is crucial for...2023-11-1723 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsHow to Avoid Settling for Mediocre Sales Talent by Challenging Your StandardsSummaryChip Neal shares his insights on building elite sales teams. He emphasizes the importance of finding the right talent, training them to meet expectations, and then allowing them to excel in their roles. Chip believes that hiring individuals who are smarter than you and have unique talents is crucial for building a successful team. He also highlights the significance of emotional intelligence in sales and suggests using role-playing scenarios during the interview process to assess a candidate's reactions and problem-solving skills. Chip advises sales leaders to challenge their standards, avoid settling for mediocre candidates, and focus...2023-11-1028 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsScorecarding for Success- How to Build an Elite Sales TeamSummaryKyle Norton shares his insights on building elite sales teams. He emphasizes the importance of talent, systems engineering, playbooks, coaching development, and culture in creating a high-performing sales organization. He highlights the significance of repeatability and consistency in achieving success. Kyle also discusses the key elements of a scorecard and the importance of structured interviews to make better hiring decisions.Take Aways Talent, systems engineering, playbooks, coaching development, and culture are the key elements of building an elite sales organization.Repeatability and consistency are indicators of a well-functioning sales system.2023-11-0331 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsScorecards: The Secret to Hiring for High PerformanceSummaryLucas Price shares his insights on avoiding the mistake of hiring candidates who seem wonderful in interviews but end up being a bad fit for the team. He emphasizes the importance of structured interviews, asking the right questions, using scorecards focused on role requirements, and forming independent opinions. Lucas also highlights the value of post-interview debriefs and being open to new evidence from other team members. By eliminating biases, companies can make better hiring decisions and achieve genuine sales effectiveness.Take Aways Over indexing on likability and experience in the interview process...2023-10-2703 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsUnveiling the Flaws in Traditional Interviewing PracticesSummaryLucas Price discusses the common practices that companies use during interviews that often lead to hiring the best interviewers instead of the best employees for the role. He emphasizes the importance of proper planning and provides strategies to make the interviewing process more accurate. Lucas suggests carefully selecting and planning out each question ahead of time, asking a smaller number of questions with potential follow-ups, using work samples for sales roles, incorporating behavioral interview questions for complex jobs, using a consistent scorecard, and conducting debrief meetings to ensure a thorough evaluation of candidates.Take...2023-10-2704 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsBusting the Myth: Performance Management is Not MicromanagingSummaryLucas Price emphasizes the importance of having a plan and clear standards in order to build a culture of high performance within a sales team. He compares performance management to using a GPS, stating that without clear goals and regular check-ins, the team is likely to veer off course. Feedback in real time is essential for avoiding potential problems and adjusting the plan when necessary. Lucas highlights the importance of tracking and using sales performance numbers to gain visibility, identify trends, and make informed decisions. He also emphasizes the need to celebrate wins and smaller achievements...2023-10-2703 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsThe Silent Killer: How Ignoring Performance Issues Can Destroy Your Sales TeamSummaryNeglecting performance issues within a sales team can have detrimental effects on trust, workload, culture, and revenue. When leaders fail to address underperforming team members, it sends a message that effort doesn't matter, leading to a breakdown in trust. This lack of accountability also places a heavier workload on high-performing team members, causing burnout and a decline in overall team quality. A toxic culture emerges, stifling morale, innovation, and drive. Ultimately, the bottom line is affected as performance issues impact market success. The solution lies in confronting performance issues head-on, striving for excellence, and building elite...2023-10-2703 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsWhat Can Sales Leaders do to Overcome Bias in the Hiring ProcessSummaryTalent is universal, but opportunity often isn't, especially in sales. The demographics of B2B tech sales in the US are largely male and white, and this lack of diversity can be attributed to the biased hiring process. To address this issue, the guest shares several steps to reduce bias in the hiring process. These steps include implementing a structured interview process, defining what good answers look like, using blind resume reviews, focusing on skill-based assessment, incorporating role plays and presentations, including a diverse hiring panel, and leveraging technology to remove bias. By removing bias and...2023-10-2007 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsHow Panel Interviews Debias Your Sales Hiring ProcessSummaryIn this episode, Dr. Jim discusses the importance of involving multiple people in the hiring process for better outcomes in B2B sales. They explain that relying on a single person as the decision-maker can lead to bias and inefficiency. By leveraging panel interviews, companies can make more objective and informed hiring decisions. The guest highlights the need for diverse perspectives in the panel, including individuals from different roles, experiences, and backgrounds. They also emphasize the importance of a consistent and structured interview process to promote fairness. Panel interviews allow for in-depth analysis and a holistic...2023-10-2007 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsRed Flags to Watch our for in Sales InterviewsSummary: When hiring sales reps for an early-stage startup, it's important to look beyond outward presentation and impressive resumes. The guest emphasizes the need to read between the lines and spot warning signs during the interview process. They highlight several red flags to watch out for, including lack of preparation, inability to discuss past performance, excessive focus on compensation, and a lack of team player mentality. The guest also emphasizes the importance of hiring candidates who can handle rejection and demonstrate resilience. They stress the need for a systematic and standardized hiring process to ensure better outcomes.2023-10-2008 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsHow to Avoid Common Pitfalls in Sales HiringSummary: Sales leaders in startups often face a high failure rate due to common pitfalls in the sales hiring process. The rush to hire without clear criteria, overvaluing experience over potential, ignoring culture fit, neglecting onboarding and training processes, and not leveraging data in the hiring process are some of the key reasons for failure. To build an effective sales organization, it is crucial to define success criteria, prioritize potential over experience, evaluate culture fit rigorously, establish onboarding and training processes, and incorporate data into the hiring process.Take Aways:Rushing to hire without...2023-10-2006 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsHiring for Culture Fit - A Critical Factor in Building Elite Sales TeamsSummaryDr. Jim discusses the importance of hiring salespeople who align with the culture of the organization. He emphasizes that hiring productive individuals who do not fit well within the company's culture can have negative downstream impacts. To ensure effective sales hiring, Dr. Jim suggests starting with a clear understanding of the organization's mission, vision, and values. The hiring process should then focus on assessing how candidates demonstrate alignment with these foundational elements. By hiring individuals who fit well with the culture, organizations can minimize unnecessary drama, improve retention and turnover rates, and create a more engaged...2023-10-1206 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsEssential Attributes Every B2B Tech Sales Rep Should HaveSummaryDr. Jim discusses the formula for hiring and building a successful sales team. He emphasizes the importance of certain attributes in sales candidates, such as strong listening skills, curiosity, problem-solving skills, collaboration, resilience, adaptability, and drive. These attributes are crucial for sales reps to excel in their roles and consistently meet or exceed targets. Dr. Jim's blueprint for building an elite sales team has consistently paid dividends in his experience.Take Aways Strong listening skills are a crucial attribute for sales reps.Curiosity allows reps to uncover the core issues...2023-10-1205 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsHow to Navigate Conversations About Poor Sales PerformanceSummaryBuilding a culture of performance is crucial for sales leaders, and addressing employee performance issues is a key aspect of this. In this episode, the guest provides valuable strategies for handling difficult conversations and driving performance improvement. They emphasize the importance of taking ownership as a leader and understanding that poor performance is their responsibility to address. By asking the right questions and encouraging self-discovery, leaders can help struggling team members find solutions to improve their performance. The guest also highlights the significance of creating development plans and providing the necessary support and resources for team...2023-10-1204 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsElite Sales Teams are Built by Balancing Skills and PotentialSummaryBuilding a successful sales team requires finding the right balance between experience and potential. Lucas Price emphasizes the importance of ensuring candidates are aware of the challenges of the role and have the right attitude to overcome them. He also highlights the significance of the team dynamic and the role itself in determining the level of experience required.Take Aways Candidates must be aware of the challenges of the role and demonstrate the ability to overcome them.The team dynamic and role determine the level of experience required for a...2023-10-1204 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsSoft Skills Matter When You're Building an Elite Sales TeamSummaryBuilding a successful sales team requires more than just technical know-how. It also requires a deep understanding of important soft skills. Curiosity is key, as it allows sellers to ask important questions without being salesy. Adaptability is crucial in an ever-changing industry, enabling sales reps to quickly adjust their strategies. Learning agility is essential for absorbing and applying new information effectively. Lastly, resilience is a determining factor for long-term success, as resilient sales reps view setbacks as lessons and bounce back quickly. Developing these soft skills leads to high-performing sales teams and lasting client connections.2023-10-1203 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsWhy Hiring Fast in B2B Sales Can be a Recipe for FailureSummaryIn this episode, we discuss the common mistakes made by founders of fast-growing startups when building their sales teams. The rush to meet revenue goals often leads to poor culture fit, hiring based on resumes instead of fit for the sales motion, and hiring based on current needs instead of strategic fit. These mistakes can result in decreased productivity, missed targets, and high staff turnover. The speaker emphasizes the importance of taking the time to hire the right people and prioritize culture fit, seller stage and price point fit, careful onboarding, and a manageable pace of...2023-10-1203 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsKey Questions For Better Sales HiringSummary: Dr. Jim emphasizes that while there are no silver bullet questions to find the perfect candidate, there are principles to consider for making the best possible hires. He advises having a standardized set of questions that align with the purpose and values of the organization. Work style, feedback loops, and vision alignment are also important factors to assess during the interview process. Cultural fit is crucial, and asking the right questions can help ensure alignment between the candidate and the organization's vision.Key Takeaways:Standardize interview questions to assess purpose and value...2023-10-0505 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsHow Do You Attract B2B Sales Superstars?Summary: Recruiting and retaining top sales talent is crucial for the success of any business. In this episode, Lucas Price shares valuable insights on how to attract sales superstars and create an environment where they thrive. He emphasizes the importance of competitive compensation, a strong employer brand, and a clear growth path for salespeople. Lucas also highlights the significance of recognizing and showcasing the accomplishments of sales reps, as well as providing an engaging product story. Finally, he stresses the need for work-life balance to prevent burnout and ensure the happiness and productivity of sales professionals.2023-10-0503 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsElite Performance Requires Having Difficult ConversationsSummary: Lucas Price shares his insights on how to have tough conversations about performance with salespeople. He emphasizes the importance of doing thorough research and focusing on facts rather than personal opinions. By starting with the salesperson's perspective and engaging in a two-way conversation, leaders can build bridges and find solutions to improve performance. Lucas highlights the value of asking questions, creating a follow-up plan, and reminding the salesperson that they are part of the same team. These difficult conversations, when handled well, can build trust and lead to a strong, high-performing sales team.Key...2023-10-0503 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsHow Leveraging Panel Interviews Help Build Elite Sales TeamsSummary:Lucas Price discusses the effectiveness and benefits of panel interviews in the hiring process. He explains that panel interviews allow for multiple perspectives and a more comprehensive evaluation of candidates. By having a structured panel interview, every candidate goes through the same process, enabling fair comparisons. For sales roles, panel interviews can be particularly valuable as they simulate high-pressure situations and assess a candidate's ability to perform under stress. Lucas shares his preferred approach to panel interviews, where the most skilled or senior interviewer asks the questions while the rest of the panel observes and takes...2023-10-0503 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsSetting Up Your Sales Superstars for Leadership SuccessSummary:Lucas Price discusses the transition from being a sales superstar to a sales team leader. He highlights the sacrifices and challenges that come with leading a team, but also emphasizes the immense satisfaction that comes from seeing the entire team succeed. Price provides practical tips for aspiring sales leaders, including investing in personal growth, learning to delegate tasks, maintaining effective communication, and building strong relationships while holding people accountable. He encourages leaders to embrace change as an opportunity for growth and to model the behavior they expect from their team. Price concludes by emphasizing the importance...2023-10-0503 minBuilding Elite Sales TeamsHow Proactive Recruitment Sets You Up For Sales SuccessSummary:Dr. Jim emphasizes the importance of building depth in the talent pipeline for startups. He advises founders to be proactive in sourcing potential salespeople and to focus on building a strong employer brand. Networking with other startup peers and leveraging referrals can also help in finding quality candidates. Dr. Jim suggests partnering with nontraditional organizations to find sales candidates from diverse backgrounds. Implementing the right technology infrastructure is crucial for streamlining the hiring process. The key takeaway is to start building a talent pipeline early and not wait until the startup is ready to grow.2023-10-0505 min