Leadership that sells – Détails, épisodes et analyse

In this episode of The Practical Leadership Podcast, I’m joined by Doug Davidoff, CEO of Lyft Enablement and author of the Revenue Acceleration Framework. Doug is an expert in helping mid-sized companies align their sales, marketing, and customer success teams to drive growth—without the complexity. With over 1,500 companies under his belt, he shares practical, hard-earned wisdom that you can implement immediately to simplify processes and grow faster.

Key Highlights:

• Sales Management as a Growth Lever: Doug discusses how most sales managers are accidental managers—they’ve been promoted because they were excellent sellers, not because they’re trained leaders. He explains why sales managers are a critical lever for scaling a business. Without a clear understanding of their role, complexity increases and growth stagnates. (00:03:59)
• Simplification Over Complication: Businesses often make things unnecessarily complex by adding processes and steps instead of simplifying them. Doug highlights how doing less but with more focus and intent can lead to greater success. (00:09:02)
• The 80/20 Rule in Sales: Doug introduces a new take on the 80/20 rule. Around 10-20% of what your business does is what really matters. Identifying this and doubling down on it is what separates successful companies from the rest. The other 80%? As long as it’s not a disaster, don’t stress it. (00:10:38)
• Why Curiosity is Key for Sales Managers: Sales managers need to approach every problem with curiosity instead of judgment. When they manage from a place of curiosity, they create an environment of openness, leading to better problem-solving and team performance. (00:12:25)
• Empathy and Flexibility: Doug stresses the importance of empathy in leadership. Sales managers need to understand that each team member is different, and success comes from adapting your coaching style to fit the individual, while maintaining a strong underlying sales process. (00:13:59)
• The Power of Process: Doug argues that a well-structured process unlocks creativity, not stifles it. Good management and clear processes enable teams to perform at their best, offering flexibility while maintaining consistency in results. (00:25:35)

Key Quote: "Scale isn't just about getting bigger. It's about getting more predictable with less cost. If you're working harder and seeing less success, you're not scaling—you're just growing inefficiently." – Doug Davidoff (00:07:39)

Chapters and Timestamps:

1. Introduction to Doug Davidoff and Lyft Enablement – 00:00:00
2. Accidental Sales Managers: A Critical Growth Lever – 00:03:59
3. Scaling with Simplicity: Doing Less with More – 00:09:02
4. The 80/20 Rule: Focus on What Really Matters – 00:10:38
5. Curiosity Over Judgment in Sales Management – 00:12:25
6. Empathy and Flexibility in Coaching – 00:13:59
7. The Power of Process: Structure Unlocks Creativity – 00:25:35
8. Doug's Closing Thoughts: Play Your Own Game – 00:28:47

Connect with Doug Davidoff:

• Website: lfftenablement.com
• LinkedIn: Doug Davidoff

Are you successful but unfulfilled? Chasing goals but feeling empty inside? Colleen Slaughter knows that fulfilment, not just success, is the real key to making an impact. This episode dives into how to align purpose with leadership, tapping into deeper fulfillment that fuels both personal and professional transformation.

Episode Highlights

1. From Kentucky to France: Overcoming the 'Not Good Enough' (00:01:02) Colleen shares her journey from small-town Kentucky to France with no job or money, and the insecurities she faced along the way. This is where we first learn about the powerful forces that drove her—a need to succeed mixed with a fear of failure. "I was an insecure overachiever. I had the NG's—the 'not good enoughs'.” - (00:01:24)
2. The Dark Side of Drive (00:03:02) A relentless drive can backfire, especially when self-expectation becomes too harsh. Colleen shares how the same energy that pushes her to succeed can also create challenges in her relationships. "When I'm hard on myself, I can be hard on others. It makes it harder for people to be around me." - (00:03:02)
3. Balancing Strengths and Self-Awareness (00:05:01) Recognising your strengths is vital, but overusing them can push people away. Colleen explores how self-awareness and knowing when to dial things back can make you a better leader. "Being aware of your traits allows you to avoid alienating others, while still pushing yourself to grow." - (00:05:43)
4. The Power of Imperfection: Mandela’s Mindset (00:07:19) Perfection is a myth. Colleen references one of her favourite quotes from Nelson Mandela: “I never lose, I either win or I learn.” This mindset shift is crucial for leaders who need to focus on growth over perfection. "Failure is just a lesson disguised." - (00:07:39)
5. Leadership Through Love and Duty (00:13:32) Paul and Colleen dive into the uncomfortable territory of discussing love in leadership, drawing on C.S. Lewis' four types of love to highlight the importance of Agape—selfless love. "Agape is the selfless willing of good for others. And any leadership approach has to come from that place." - (00:15:00)
6. Purpose Beyond the Paycheck (00:16:30) Fulfilment comes from within, not from external markers like money or titles. Leaders who find this alignment make more significant impacts and inspire their teams to do the same. "I have the cars, the houses, but I'm miserable—so clearly, it’s not the outside trappings that bring joy." - (00:16:55)
7. Colleen’s Three-Step Framework for Fulfillment (00:19:02)

• Clarify Your Values: Know what matters to you at the core.
• Commit to One Practice: Choose one value and focus on living it daily.
• Remember Your Worth: Fulfillment comes when actions align with who you truly are.

Key Quotes

• "You can't give what you don't have. If you're not fulfilled, how will you impact others?" - (00:25:58)
• "Leadership isn’t about being the vessel; it's about becoming the conduit." - (00:14:34)

Chapters

• 00:01:02 – From Kentucky to France: Overcoming the 'Not Good Enough'
• 00:03:02 – The Dark Side of Drive
• 00:05:01 – Balancing Strengths and Self-Awareness
• 00:07:19 – The Power of Imperfection: Mandela’s Mindset
• 00:13:32 – Leadership Through Love and Duty
• 00:16:30 – Purpose Beyond the Paycheck
• 00:19:02 – Colleen’s Three-Step Framework for Fulfillment
• 00:24:22 – Resilience and Patience: The Unsexy Truth

Call to Action If you want to align your values with your leadership practice, explore more about Colleen Slaughter’s work on BolderMoves.com. You can also find her on LinkedIn for her weekly insights on bold leadership.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleenslaughter/ 

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jose Ucar, an international Amazon best-selling author and expert in global influence. Known for his Latin flair, Jose is a master communicator and coach who helps leaders navigate the complexities of international leadership.

In our conversation, Jose shares practical frameworks and methods to improve international leadership and communication. Drawing from his extensive experience, Jose introduces us to his "SIMPLER" and "FOAM" frameworks, designed to enhance effective communication across different cultures.

• SIMPLER Framework:
  • S: Slow down - Focus on the person in front of you and slow down your thinking.
  • I: Intentional Influence - Communicate with intention.
  • M: Multicultural Lens - Engage openly with curiosity about different cultures.
  • P: Preconceptions - Recognize and clear preconceptions.
  • L: Language - Be mindful of the proficiency level of the other person.
  • E: Energy - Engage with contagious and compelling energy.
  • R: Reflection/Reframe - Reflect on interactions to improve.
• FOAM Framework:
  • F: Flexibility - Adapt to different realities and environments.
  • O: Ownership - Take responsibility for communication outcomes.
  • A: Adaptability - Align communication styles to build rapport.
  • M: Mind the Gap - Recognize and bridge communication gaps.

1. The Importance of Intention and Reflection:
   • Jose emphasizes the need to be intentional in every conversation. Reflecting on interactions helps leaders improve their communication skills and influence.
2. Navigating Multicultural Communication:
   • Understanding and respecting cultural differences are crucial. Leaders should engage with curiosity and adapt their communication styles to bridge gaps.
3. Building Rapport and Connecting Emotionally:
   • Effective leadership involves connecting on an emotional level. By understanding others' perspectives and showing genuine interest, leaders can create lasting influence.
4. Flexibility and Ownership in Communication:
   • Leaders must be flexible and take ownership of their communication. By adapting their approach and being responsible for the outcomes, they can improve their effectiveness.

1. 00:06:08 - "After every interaction, if we want to be more intentional and get better in our communication, we can always have a moment of reflection."
2. 00:13:49 - "If somebody doesn't understand, it's your fault. It's not that they don't understand you, it's that you haven't explained yourself clearly."
3. 00:21:40 - "Leave people better off after interacting with you."
4. 00:18:27 - "Respect and acceptance are key to connecting with people from different cultures."

Jose Ucar provides valuable insights and practical frameworks for enhancing international leadership and communication. His "SIMPLER" and "FOAM" models offer actionable steps for leaders to improve their influence across cultures. Tune in to learn how to lead and influence effectively on a global scale.

https://joseucar.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jose-luis-ucar/

Today, we have René Janssen, CEO and founder of Lepaya, join us. René has an impressive track record, having raised $85 million to support his innovative training platform. His journey spans from scaling startups to managing acquisitions by giants like Alibaba.

In this episode, René Janssen shares his invaluable insights on avoiding company failure through strategic people development. René’s experience facing challenges in scaling productivity and retaining talent, led him to create Lepaya.

Lepaya focuses on ensuring employees have the right skills at the right time, blending technology with human touch to enhance productivity and retention.

• Right Skills, Right Time: Ensuring employees are equipped with the necessary skills at the precise moment they need them.
• Strategic People Development: Viewing talent management and development as a core strategic function rather than a reactive, operational task.
• Blended Learning: Combining e-learning with human-led coaching to address both technical and soft skills effectively.

1. Pain Points and Motivation:
   • René’s drive to solve the pain points he experienced at Lazada, particularly around productivity and retention.
   • The importance of experiencing pain firsthand to be fully committed to solving it.
2. Challenges in E-commerce and Training:
   • Issues faced in the fast-growing e-commerce market in Southeast Asia.
   • The inadequacy of traditional learning methods and the need for innovative, scalable training solutions.
3. Importance of Soft Skills:
   • The crucial role of soft skills in driving productivity.
   • The necessity of human interaction in learning these skills, even in the age of AI.
4. Strategic Function of People Development:
   • Making talent management a strategic priority.
   • Aligning business needs with employee aspirations for mutual growth.
   • Using data to measure the effectiveness of training and making iterative improvements.
5. Role of Lepaya:
   • How Lepaya helps organizations transition from operational training to strategic people development.
   • The impact of combining technology and human facilitation to deliver effective learning solutions.

1. 00:06:37 - "If we don't do something, who will? If not us, then who? If not now, then when?"
2. 00:10:37 - "Soft skills are best learned from soft people. You need to learn how to deal with other people from other people."
3. 00:19:13 - "Collecting data on training effectiveness is crucial. Measure and be honest about the impact."
4. 00:24:26 - "What happens if you train people and they leave? Worse is if you don’t train them and they stay."

Find Rene and Lepaya here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/renejanssen/

https://www.lepaya.com/ 

Today, we're joined by Everett O’Keefe, best-selling author, speaker and the founder of Ignite Press.

Everett shared his expertise on how to leverage the power of publishing to enhance your business and personal brand.

Everett introduced a practical model to simplify the book writing process:

• FAQ & SAQ Model: This involves identifying Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and Should Ask Questions (SAQs) related to your expertise.
• This content forms the basis of your book, helping establish authority and demonstrate expertise.

• "That's why I call a book the great force multiplier." Discussing the extensive impact a book can have on one's professional influence. (00:03:51)
• "You don't have to sequester yourself on Walden Pond to write a book." Debunking the myth that writing a book requires complete isolation. (00:06:09)
• "A book doesn't just communicate your authority, it screams it." On how publishing a book can significantly boost your perceived expertise. (00:08:35)
• "Every FAQ is a chapter waiting to be written." Emphasizing the ease of generating book content from frequently asked questions. (00:09:14)
• "Books outlive their authors, carrying your legacy forward." Highlighting the enduring nature of a published book. (00:15:32)

In this episode, Everett provides invaluable insights into using book writing as a strategic tool for business growth and leadership enhancement.

Tune in to learn how to start your authorship journey effectively and use your publication to carve out a niche of authority in your field.

Get your copy of Everett's book "The Power of Published" here: https://mypodcastperk.com/ 

Book a time to discuss your book with Everett here! : https://meetings.ignitepress.us/everett 

In today's episode, "How to Shift Your Organisation from Fear to Love," we're joined by Malti Bhojwani, a seasoned executive coach and author, who shares her expert insights on transforming workplace environments.

Malti introduces us to impactful frameworks for fostering a shift from fear-based to love-based organizational culture.

She emphasizes the importance of leaders beginning this transformation by introspecting and shifting their own mindsets.

Key steps include:

• Creating Vision and Tension: Identifying a 'promised land' or a 'burning platform' to motivate change.
• Evaluating Current Practices: Assessing current behaviors and practices against desired outcomes.
• Adopting Love-Based Practices: Encouraging behaviors rooted in trust, transparency, and accountability.

• "Organizations don't transform. People do." Highlighting the focus on individual change within organizational transformation. (00:02:28)
• "From fear, including micromanagement and control, to love, which includes accountability and trust." Discussing the shift from restrictive to expansive organizational practices. (00:05:04)
• "Behaviors are driven by mindset." Underscoring the need to change underlying beliefs to alter behaviors. (00:03:45)

This episode is a must-listen for leaders looking to cultivate a more dynamic and supportive workplace atmosphere.

Join us as we explore how to navigate this crucial shift in organizational culture.

Find Malti here:

• https://maltibhojwani.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/MaltiBhojwaniProfessionalLifeCoach
• https://x.com/MaltiBhojwani
• https://www.youtube.com/maltibhojwani
• https://in.pinterest.com/maltibhojwani
• https://www.instagram.com/maltibhojwani/

In this enlightening episode we're diving deep with author and coach Nancy Ho into: "How to Fill the Void in Your Life."

Nancy, a seasoned life strategist and coach, brings her profound insights into addressing the often-unspoken gaps experienced by successful professionals.

During our conversation, Nancy outlined several key models and methods:

• Exploring Childhood Roots: Investigating how unresolved childhood experiences can influence present feelings and behaviors.
• Addressing Pain Points: Recognizing and acknowledging personal and professional challenges rather than masking them.
• The Facts Approach: Focusing on the undeniable facts of one's situation to guide actions and emotions.

• "It's not about the present problem... it's about the childhood." Exploring how past experiences shape current feelings. (00:06:49)
• "We manage... and then we manage better." On learning and evolving through life's challenges. (00:07:16)
• "Living a life with no regrets." Nancy's life philosophy in her own words. (00:01:37)
• "Despite professional success, I feel this void. I wake up with it." Nancy addresses the deep-seated feelings of emptiness that can persist despite outward achievements. (00:14:56)
• "All our feelings come from thoughts created in the moment." She explains how our immediate thoughts shape our emotions, underscoring the connection between mind and mood. (00:21:29)
• "Thoughts have no power until we give them attention." Nancy highlights the control we have over our mental engagement and the power of our focus. (00:22:33)

Nancy mentions the classic short book from James Allen published in 1903 and now in the public domain: "As a man thinketh" available here: https://practical-leadership.academy/as-a-man-thinketh-james-allen/

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-ho-exec-coach/
• nancyho.net

In this episode, we are thrilled to have Coach Jim Johnson, an exceptional figure in the world of high school basketball and a master of transforming teams and lives. Coach Johnson shares his inspiring journey and the pivotal moments that defined his leadership philosophy.

He introduces us to his seven key leadership principles, with a strong focus on building trust and clarifying vision.

He emphasizes the importance of aligning words with actions and the power of effective communication in nurturing team culture.

Coach Johnson also details his approach to turning adversities into opportunities, illustrating this with the heartwarming story of his player, J-Mac, whose miraculous game not only uplifted a team but also captured hearts worldwide.

Coach Jim’s 7 keys to effective leadership

1. Clarify Your Vision - Define and communicate a clear personal and team mission to guide actions and decisions.
2. Build Trust - Align words with actions to foster trust and develop plans to actively build and maintain it within the team.
3. Create an Edge - Establish a competitive advantage by encouraging innovation and continuous improvement.
4. Effective Communication - Prioritize listening over speaking and ensure open, honest exchanges that drive team cohesion.
5. Lead by Example - Demonstrate the behaviors and attitudes expected of team members, setting a standard for others to follow.
6. Leave a Profit - Strive to enhance every situation and relationship you encounter, contributing positively to outcomes.
7. Become a Servant Leader - Flip the traditional leadership pyramid by supporting and uplifting team members to foster their growth and success.

Impactful Quotes and Timings:

• "Leadership is not about having all the answers; it’s about asking the right questions." - Highlighting his philosophy on leadership. (00:31:36)
• "Respect all people, spread kindness, and serve others." - His mantra for personal and professional conduct. (00:31:46)
• "The best leaders are the ones who are the best servants." - On the essence of servant leadership. (00:24:37)
• "We over me" - Describing his team-oriented approach to success. (00:08:29)

Jim publishes a lot of open content to help his community of leaders. You can find him here:

https://coachjimjohnson.com/are-you-a-master-presenter/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachjimjohnson/

https://twitter.com/coachjimjohnson

https://www.facebook.com/CoachJimJohnson/ 

"Being honest with your people sets the right expectations."

On this episode we're joined by Oleks Mykolaienko CEO of Tallium Inc. and an entrepreneur with a robust track record in software development and a passion for building digital products across various markets.

• Adaptive Leadership: Transitioning from command-driven approaches to more collaborative, example-led leadership.
• Clear Expectations Setting: The crucial role of defining clear objectives and deliverables for team members.
• Cultural Adaptation: Adjusting management strategies to align with contemporary work environments and employee expectations.

• "Management theory and practice have shifted a lot... from management to leadership." - Discussing the evolution of management styles. (00:04:17)
• "Being honest with your people sets the right expectations." - On transparency and expectation management. (00:04:36)
• "I hire you because you have more experience in this specific field." - Reflecting on humility and trust in leadership. (00:15:08)

Find Oleks on Linkedin Here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oleks-mykolaienko-ua/ 

In today’s episode, we explore the fascinating journey of leadership beyond conventional career peaks with Aneace Haddad.

He's a succesfull entrepreneur who transitioned from a tech-focused career to a more people-oriented approach as he ventured into coaching and leadership development.

Aneace discusses his experiences and the key realizations that reshaped his understanding of leadership in midlife:

1. Expanding Beyond Tech: Initially focused on technology, Aneace realized his passion for people was greater, a shift that dramatically altered his career trajectory.
2. Value Beyond Experience: Aneace challenges the notion that accumulated expertise is the pinnacle of value, advocating instead for creating environments where others can unlock their own wisdom.
3. Visualizing the Future: He introduces a powerful exercise, "Who will I be at 100?" which helps leaders envision their long-term impact and adapt their goals for sustained relevance and engagement. Through Aneace’s insights, we're encouraged to reconsider our leadership roles not just as positions of power but as opportunities for profound personal and professional transformation.

Great quotes

• "My value is more in creating an environment and asking questions where people's own wisdom can emerge." - A powerful reflection on the evolving role of a leader. (00:02:52)
• "What brought you here won't get you there." - A reminder of the need for evolving strategies in leadership. (00:03:35)
• "I discovered I liked people more than computers." - A personal revelation that highlights the importance of adaptability in leadership. (00:02:13)
• "Leadership is not about having all the answers, but about asking the right questions." - Emphasizing the shift from directive to facilitative leadership styles. (00:11:43)

Find Aneace here: