In today’s episode, Matt interviews Ed Diller, Sales Leader at New Relic. They explore effective coaching practices and myths in sales leadership. They discuss the importance of strategic communication, creating win-win scenarios, and maintaining work-life balance in a post-COVID world. Ed shares valuable lessons from his extensive career, emphasizing the need for risk-taking, clear communication, and the benefits of focusing on strengths. He also highlights the role of coaching in career progression and how leaders can foster engagement and avoid burnout in hybrid work environments.
Takeaways:
- Ensure clear and concise communication, especially when working remotely. Utilize tools to mitigate grammatical errors and enhance the professionalism of communications.
- Use virtual face-to-face meetings (via Zoom or similar platforms) to maintain human connection and engagement within the team. Promote informal interactions to build camaraderie.
- Focus on being invited to higher-level discussions rather than bypassing immediate contacts. Build rapport and trust with initial points of contact before aiming for discussions with their superiors.
- Address the need for work-life balance in a remote work environment to prevent burnout among team members.
- Recommend that aspiring sales leaders read beyond typical sales books, exploring works that provide broader insights into leadership, strategy, and empathy.
- Focus on modeling the behaviors and strategies you want to see in your team. Provide constructive feedback aligned with their career aspirations, not just their current roles.
Quote of the Show:
“Great salespeople don’t just want a bigger paycheck for selling more. They want to take on more, they want to do more.” – Ed Diller
Links:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwardmdiller/
- Website: https://newrelic.com/
