In this episode of Coach to Scale, we sit down with Tony Burnside, SVP of APJ at Netskope, to dismantle the outdated playbook on sales leadership. Tony challenges the myth that effective managers need to lead through pressure, fear, or control. Instead, he shares his approach to building high-performing, culturally aligned teams, starting with hiring good humans, creating space for accountability, and making coaching a non-negotiable part of the manager’s role. With over 200 reps across 15 countries under his leadership, Tony’s insights are battle-tested and globally relevant.
We dig into what it takes to scale culture across borders, what most leaders miss in their 1:1s, and why every resignation is, as Tony puts it, “a performance review for leadership.” Whether you’re a CRO trying to stabilize performance or a frontline leader drowning in deals and check-the-box coaching, this episode delivers practical frameworks and hard-earned lessons for leveling up your org without burning out your team.
There’s a moment in every sales leader’s career when you realize you’ve been looking at attrition the wrong way. For Tony Burnside, SVP of Asia Pacific and Japan at Netskope, that realization became a philosophy. As he puts it: “Every resignation is a performance review for leadership.”
We recently sat down with Tony on the Coach to Scale podcast to unpack what high-performing sales leadership actually looks like across borders, beyond deals, and through the lens of culture, coaching, and accountability. For CROs struggling to stabilize results, reduce regrettable attrition, and uplevel their frontline managers, this one’s worth slowing down for.
Here are some of the biggest lessons Tony dropped and how to apply them across your own organization.
1. Culture Isn’t a Vibe. It’s a Performance Strategy.
A lot of leaders like to say culture matters, but Tony treats it as his North Star. Not because it’s a feel-good differentiator but because it’s the only sustainable path to consistent quota attainment. When you lead 200+ people across 15 countries, top-down control breaks. Culture is what carries the load when you’re not in the room.
His hiring framework is simple but non-negotiable: good human first, good at the job second. He’s looking for people who want to win with the team, not in spite of it.
As Tony put it: “If I don’t want to grab a drink with you on a layover, why would a customer?”
2. Your FLMs Are Overwhelmed. That’s a Strategy Problem, Not a People Problem.
Frontline managers have become the Swiss Army knife of modern sales orgs. They’re juggling forecasts, rep development, customer issues, internal reporting, team meetings, and often managing more reps than they should. The result? Coaching gets pushed down the list, or worse, gets replaced with pipeline triage.
Tony’s seen this firsthand. Many of his managers came up as top individual contributors but never learned how to lead people. Without structure, 1:1s default to tactical deal reviews and high-five therapy sessions. As he said, “You assume you know how to coach. But until you’ve learned how to coach, you don’t even know what good looks like.”
3. You Can Be a Coach and a Friend, If You Know How to Set Boundaries
One of the most common myths in sales leadership is that you can’t be friends with your reps. Tony disagrees. He builds personal relationships with his team, but he’s crystal clear that being liked doesn’t mean lowering expectations. “Whether we’re friends or not, they know I’ll hold them accountable.”
That emotional clarity creates trust. And trust creates the safety needed for reps to grow. Inconsistent or transactional coaching breaks that cycle and top performers eventually leave for companies where development is prioritized.
4. Global Teams Need Local Coaching Playbooks
Tony’s run teams in Boston, the UK, and now across APJ. One thing he’s adamant about: you can’t lead Japan the way you lead Australia. Or India. Or the U.S.
In some markets, reps won’t challenge you or take the initiative unless explicitly invited. In others, autonomy is the expectation. This isn’t about adjusting quotas; it’s about adjusting your coaching cadence and feedback style. One-size-fits-all leadership breaks when it meets a global scale.
The throughline? Empathy, flexibility, and structured development conversations.
5. Stop Calling It Coaching If It’s Just Deal Inspection
When asked about the state of coaching in most orgs, Tony didn’t pull punches: “99% of what’s called coaching is just talking about deals.”
That’s a red flag for any CRO. Forecast calls are not development conversations. If your managers aren’t addressing skills, behaviours, and mindset gaps weekly, you’re not actually coaching; you’re triaging.
Tony invests in his own growth (he paid for Sandler and Dale Carnegie training out of pocket) and expects his team to treat development just as seriously. “Coaching isn’t optional. It’s the only way to raise the floor and the ceiling.”
Final Thought: Turn Feedback Into Process Before It Turns Into Attrition
When good reps leave, it’s easy to point to comp, territory, or opportunity. But as Tony shared, the more honest answer often lies in the day-to-day experience. Managers who don’t coach. Leaders who don’t listen. Cultures that reward output but not growth.
CROs who want consistent results need to treat coaching not as a soft skill, but as a system. One that’s embedded into how your FLMs lead, how you hold them accountable, and how you equip your reps to thrive in the long game.
If you want to hear more from Tony on the systems, mindset, and behaviours behind leading global high-performing teams, check out the full episode on the Coach2Scale podcast.
Want help turning your managers into real coaches? Let’s talk: www.coachem.io
