Beyond Management: How Top Sales Leaders Drive Real Results

In this issue…

• Beyond Management: How Top Sales Leaders Drive Real Results - from Mike Carroll

• Extra Insights- Keynote Speaker Teaches Leaders & Sellers How to Use a Warrior Mindset

• Weekly Motivation Boost - Work Like Hell (YouTube)

• Action for the Week - Questions to Ask to Improve Camaraderie

• Together with A2 Coaching Systems - How to Automate for Efficiency

🎯 EXPERT OF THE WEEK

📰 Beyond Management: How Top Sales Leaders Drive Real Results

From Mike Carroll

The difference between managing and leading is simple: managers focus on today’s numbers, while leaders build tomorrow’s success. Let’s see how to make that shift and create lasting impact.

Moving From Tactics to Strategy

Think of it this way: If you’re constantly putting out fires, you’ll never have time to fireproof the building. Here’s how to make the transition:

Change Your Time Horizon

Instead of just asking, “How can we hit this month’s numbers?” start asking:

• “What markets should we target next year?”

• “How will upcoming product changes affect our sales approach?”

• “What skills will our team need six months from now?”

Real example: One sales leader noticed their team was winning in the healthcare sector. Instead of just celebrating the wins, they dug deeper. They discovered that regulatory changes were driving purchases. This insight led them to build a specialized healthcare team, doubling their market share over the next year. 

Making Better Strategic Decisions - Look Beyond the Numbers

Don’t just track results - understand what drives them. Here’s what to analyze:

• Market trends affecting your customers

• Changes in your competitor’s approach

• Shifts in how customers buy

• New technologies impacting your industry

Real example: A software company’s sales were steady, but their leaders noticed customers asking more questions about mobile access. Rather than just teaching reps to handle these questions, they partnered with produce development to prioritize mobile features. This proactive approach helped them retain customers who might have switched to more mobile-friendly competitors.

Building Strategic Relationships

Within Your Company

Top sales leaders don’t just run their team - they influence the entire organization. Here’s how:

With Executives:

• Share customer insights that impact company strategy.

• Propose solutions to business challenges.

• Connect market trends to company goals.

• Present data-backed recommendations.

Real example: Instead of just reporting numbers in executive meetings, one sales leader shared patterns in lost deals. They found that 40% of enterprise prospects wanted custom integrations. This insight influenced the product roadmap and led to a new professional services offering.

With Other Departments:

Build partnerships, not just processes.

• Help marketing understand customer conversations.

• Share customer feedback with product teams.

• Connect finance with market realities.

• Work with HR on hiring profiles.

Real example: A sales leader noticed their best reps had industry experience. Instead of just telling HR, they created a “Day in the Life” video showing how industry knowledge helped win deals. This helped HR better screen candidates and improved new hire success rates.

Developing Your Leadership Style

Emotional Intelligence in Action

Leadership isn’t about having all the answers - it’s about asking the right questions and really listening. Try these approaches.

Instead of: “Why aren’t we hitting our numbers?” → Ask: “What obstacles are you seeing in the market?”

Instead of: “You need to close more deals.” → Ask: “What resources would help you be more successful?”

Real example: One leader noticed a top performer’s numbers dropping. Rather than pushing for more activity, they asked about changed in their territory. They found that a new competitor was offering aggressive discounts. This led to a team strategy session and a new approach to handling competition.

Making Tough Decisions

Strategic leadership often means making unpopular choices. Here’s how to do it well:

• Gather input from multiple sources.

• Explain your reasoning clearly.

• Show how decisions connect to larger goals.

• Follow through consistently.

Real example: A sales leader needed to restructure territories, which meant some reps would lose key accounts. Instead of just announcing changes, they:

1. Analyzed two years of data to ensure fairness.

2. Explained how the changes would support growth.

3. Created a transition plan to maintain customer relationships.

4. Set up a compensation protection period.

Building for the Future - Spotting and Developing Talent

Look beyond current performance to identify future leaders:

• Who thinks strategically about their territory?

• Who helps improve team process?

• Who builds strong relationships across departments?

• Who handles setbacks with maturity?

Real example: One leader created a “strategic projects team” where high-potential reps could work on business challenges while still carrying a quota. This gave future leaders exposure to strategic thinking while maintaining their sales skills.

You Strategic Action Plan

Start your leadership evolution with these steps:

1. Block time each week for strategic thinking.

2. Schedule regular conversations with other department heads.

3. Create a system for capturing and sharing market insights.

4. Identify one strategic initiative to lead.

Remember: Moving from manager to leader isn’t about working harder - it’s about thinking bigger. When you combine strategic insight with practical execution, you create a lasting impact for your team and your company.

💡EXTRA INSIGHTS

Keynote Speaker Teaches Leaders & Sellers How to Use a Warrior Mindset

3-Minute Read

🏅WEEKLY MOTIVATION BOOST

Work Like Hell - Motivational Video

4-Minute Watch

🏃🏽‍♀️Action for the Week

Ask each person on your team one or more of these questions to help improve camaraderie and build on those relationships.

➡️ What’s one fun fact most people don’t know about you? This can encourage getting to know them better and build on any commonalities.

➡️ What’s your go-to activity or strategy to relieve stress? Not only does this help you understand what kinds of things cause stress or anxiety for that individual, but also how they handle them and gives insight into how they feel about their role.

➡️ What was the best piece of advice you received from someone? This could be from a mentor, a teacher, a coach, from their previous roles or from their childhood. This is a favorite question to ask because it not only helps build rapport between you, but also helps remind the person something motivating.

💎 TOGETHER WITH A2 COACHING SYSTEMS

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