Leaderboard to Leadership with Rebecca Gebhardt & Marcus Cauchi

Summary: This episode offers more than a sales leadership lesson—it’s a blueprint for transformation. Rebecca and Marcus challenge outdated thinking about leadership, relationships, and what it means to truly succeed in sales. Packed with insight and wisdom, it’s a wake-up call for anyone ready to lead with purpose and intention.

Rebecca Gebhardt’s Leaderboard to Leadership doesn’t pull any punches: promoting your top salesperson doesn’t make them a leader. Leadership isn’t just the next step up from closing deals—it’s a completely different game, and most people aren't prepared to play it. Without the right training and mindset, you're not offering them a promotion—you’re setting them up to fail.

This episode goes deeper than your standard sales talk. Rebecca and Marcus cut right to the core: real relationships. Not the transactional kind that evaporate once the contract is signed, but the ones built on trust and understanding—the relationships that last. Their message is crystal clear: if you don’t understand what your customer actually needs, you’ve already lost them.

Marcus brings the heat with AI, but not in the way you’d expect. Forget about AI as a flashy tool; Marcus shows how it can be a brutal mirror, reflecting your blind spots and challenging your assumptions. It’s not about the tech—it’s about seeing yourself clearly and growing from it.

Then there’s Marcus’s golden rule: "sell hot, not cold." If you’re wasting your time on cold calls and hard pitches, you're missing the point. Warm leads—relationships you’ve already nurtured—are the real opportunities. This isn’t just about closing the next deal; it’s about creating something that scales and sustains success.

Rebecca hits on the mindset leaders need to succeed: “abundant, bold, curious.” Leadership isn’t about resting on your past wins. It’s about staying hungry, constantly learning, and pushing even when you think you’ve arrived. It’s this mindset that gets you to the top—and keeps you there.

But Marcus takes a step back to show the big picture: Sales alone won’t cut it. To win, you need every part of your business—procurement, customer success, finance, operations, the Board, all of it—aligned around what the customer actually wants to accomplish. Silos are where good people are sent to die, too often chasing the wrong metrics for the sake of numbers. That’s how you burn relationships and your reputation.

The reality? Chasing numbers isn’t leadership. Building relationships is. Metrics might feel good in the short term, but if they come at the expense of trust, you’ve already lost the long game.

Leaderboard to Leadership (out 20th Sept 2024) isn’t a roadmap—perhaps it’s your antidote to mediocrity. It’s a guide to transforming potential into performance, not by accident, but by intention. Rebecca doesn’t hand you shortcuts; she gives you the tools to build leaders who can thrive—not just survive. Stop floundering and start leading with purpose.

What's the Ally Method™?

If you’re tired of promoting your top sellers only to watch them stagnate, it’s time to change the narrative. With the ALLY Method™, I’ll show you how the difference between stagnation and transformation is the story you tell yourself. Together, we’ll rewrite that story and turn potential into performance—deliberately, not by accident.

Let’s have a conversation. Contact me, marcus@laughs-last.com, today, and I’ll show you how coaching and training can elevate your team. If you’re ready to break silos, lead with intention, to build something lasting, the bright path is right here. Let’s walk it together.

 

Episode Overview: In this episode, Marcus Cauchi hosts Mike Lander, a seasoned procurement director turned sales trainer, who shares insights from both sides of the procurement and sales processes. The conversation centers around improving sales strategies by understanding buyer psychology and removing uncertainties that often hinder successful sales.

Key Highlights:

1. Background and Experience:

• Mike Lander has extensive experience in procurement, having managed substantial budgets and vendor relationships. He now focuses on educating salespeople about what not to do when dealing with buyers.

Buyer and Seller Dynamics:

• The discussion explores the common mistakes salespeople make, such as using manipulative tactics, which often backfire. Lander emphasizes the importance of building trust and credibility with buyers rather than using transactional sales techniques.

Risk and Decision Making:

• A critical theme is understanding how buyers assess risk. Lander explains that buyers prioritize minimizing risk, which includes concerns about reputational, operational, and financial risks. Effective sellers help buyers mitigate these risks by providing clear, value-driven solutions.

Building Relationships:

• The conversation highlights the significance of deepening relationships with clients, exemplified by Lander’s experience with a trusted vendor named Malcolm. Malcolm’s approach was relationship-first, offering timely and valuable insights that helped navigate complex decisions and risks.

Negotiation and Value Perception:

• Lander discusses negotiation strategies, stressing that sellers should focus on adding real value rather than being seen as commodities. He advises that sales professionals should aim to understand the buyer's needs and co-develop solutions, thereby differentiating themselves in the market.

Final Thoughts:

• The episode wraps up with Lander reiterating the importance of sincerity in sales.

Tune in to hear more about navigating the intricacies of sales and procurement from a dual perspective!

The smarter and more experienced you get, the more important it is for you to hear this.  You're facing dangerous pitfalls.  Listen and discover how to avoid them.

Make sure you have a pen and paper ready. 

Kyle Gray uses the life changing impact of the work he does to reinforce the power of story telling.  He explains how we can create credibility faster and change the direction of our client's lives through strategic communication.  

One of the problems we face when we're teaching or selling is that we don't understand what our audience needs to hear.  We don't appreciate the limiting beliefs that keep them from working with us.  And when we present from the stage we can get so lost in our teaching that we don't have time to make our offer.

Kyle suggests that if we can articulate our story better we start to understand our 'Why' better and our 'Purpose' better. 

If you've been using the same old stories you crafted years ago and you've been winging it ever since, it's time to stop, listen and learn how to get the brilliance in your head to land in the minds of your prospects.

If you're ready to learn how to let the world know that you're out there.

Contact Kyle

LinkedIn  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylethegray

Website  Homepage - The Story Engine

 

Contact Marcus

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcuscauchi

Test Your Sales Strategy and 30 minute debrief https://bit.ly/NewSellingAptitudeTest

Or https://bit.ly/TalkWithUsNow

 

 

"If you’re nice to someone’s detriment you are a manipulator", says Eloise Leeson, founder of #OlimComms and a world leading linguistic strategic consultant. Eloise advises global institutions, NGOs, global advertising agencies and technology companies on their communication to improve performance and results.

Poor communication can at best slow things down, at worst, sow confusion, division and create unhelpful and preventable friction and conflict. Eloise and I discuss how to make your communication accomplish what you intended. We dig into the critical nature of your internal communication and the ripple effect poorly chosen language can create.

"Self awareness is your beginning to understand of the other person", says Eloise. We dig into the effects of entitlement in your communication. "Unless you think about the other person twice as much as yourself, then you probably aren’t self aware at all."

She warns us of the dangers of "ASSUMING YOU KNOW!" Have you done your research? When was the last time you checked back to make sure everything was going well and nothing has changed? Go back and do it again. Rinse and repeat at least twice a year

Do these behaviours and you will help them identify unidentified needs, unmet demand, shine a light on the dark corners into which you can help.

Contact Eloise via linkedin.com/in/eloiseleeson

Websites

• olimcomms.com (Company)
• clippings.me/eloiseleeson (Portfolio)

Twitter: EloiseLeeson

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Email me with "Inquisitor podcast guest" via marcus@laughs-last.com if you'd like to come on the show or have someone specific you'd like me to interview.

If you want to propel your career to new heights by improving your sales or management performance join me on Zoom - https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training 

Stacey Hall, author of Selling From Your Comfort Zone says, "People need to stop getting out of their comfort zone, and get back into their power zone."

Being comfortable selling without artifice, without trying to fit in with what you're guessing are the expectations or norms, without clumsy attempts manipulation requires a rethink.

 

"Too many people suffer from a lack of confidence in self to find own way to make sales, so there's an unhealthy over reliance on gurus. Only around 3% make a real living, the rest are frozen in place. And then they being blamed or are blaming themselves instead of looking at what's wrong with the system!" says Stacey.

When choosing companies to represent and managers to work with, beware those who choose to follow those tactics that create at best inconsistent results. It's time to stop teaching manipulation and focus on fundamentals - overcoming objections - give it a rest!

We discuss these 5 pillars of success in sales, management and life

1. Quality questions

2. Quality answers

3. Full body, intentional, active listening

4. Contextual awareness

5. Being present

We dig into what should be obvious but is so often overlooked. Most people engage if you take a sincere, personal interest in them. The buyer doesn’t have a script! Why are you fascinated by your product? Tell us stories. Share personal experiences. Create buyer envy and curiosity. Stop just being a winning babysitter! To learn more about Stacey's alignment process visit staceyannhall.com

You can conect with her on linkedin.com/in/staceyhall1

Websites:

• SuccesswithStaceyHall.com (Company)
• goforyesnow.com/?m=ditchyourgrind (Blog)
• staceyannhall.com/ (Company)

Twitter: ChiToBeMovement

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If you want to be a guest email marcus@laughs-last.com with "Inquisitor Guest" in the subject line. And if you have guests you want me to interview, please connect us on that email or via shared DM on LinkedIn

To discuss working with me to accomplish what you want from your career and your life https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training

David Heinemeier Hansson has achieved something seemingly rare in tech - a stable, highly profitable tech software company with a huge customer footprint and no VC or PE money. He and his co-founder, Jason Fried escaped corporate careers with a view that taking money from investors would be bad for building a profitable, sustainable business. Three times in the past 20 years, they've been proven right. With just 80 people on the team they produce the same revenues as companies with hundreds even thousands of employees. 

An uncompromising and pragmatic conversation that will challenge the status quo with the question, "What if growth is not the goal?" 

Contact David via  linkedin.com/in/david-heinemeier-hansson-374b18221

Email: david@basecamp.com

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Contact me on marcus@laughs-last.com or DM on me on LinkedIm to discus:

1. Coaching and training

2. Predictive hiring

3. Selling hot not cold

Roaul Monks of Flume Sales Training and I discuss the Peter Principle at work. It is  alive and well in too many sales operations. What are the common acts of idiocy and self-sabotage so many salespeople, managers and leaders exhibit that cost them sales, lose them customers and drive them into the arms of your competition? Are you performing them? They say making the same mistake twice is a decision ...

We have a laugh, often at our own expense, sometimes you'll see yourself reflected in the stupidity. Take heed. It's all fixable. See the link at the bottom if you want to talk about how

Raoul Monks linkedin.com/in/raoulmonks

Website: flumetraining.com (Other)

Phone: +44 (0)7523 951558 (Mobile)

Email: raoul@flumetraining.com

Twitter:

RaoulMonks1

Flumetraining

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To be a guest on the show send me an email at marcus@laughs-last.com.

To explore how we might work together to help you achieve what you want in life by finding success, happiness and balance in all areas of your life - you, business & career, family & personal, whilst smashing your targets - https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training

 

Alex Levin, founder of Regal.io and I talk about customers, product development, looking outside of what is comfortable and familiar. We dig into culture, blindspots, limited thinking and hubris. Alex brings #D2C thinking to #B2B #customerengagement.

Contact Alex via linkedin.com/in/alexlevin1

Website: alexrlevin.com/ (Alex Levin)

Twitter: alexrlevin

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Contact me on marcus@laughs-last.com

To explore how you can help your team meet their full potential or to discuss carving your own path in advancing your career https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training

Do you rate #TheInquisitorPodcast and believe others should be listening to our fabulous guest? Please leave an honest review of the podcast on your favourite platform. If you use Apple Podcasts, please leave one on there.

What do you love about it? Hate about? Best lesson(s)? How have you applied something to your advantage? Tell us about a personal advancement. Why should others listen?

I love making the show. I hope you're finding it as helpful as I do, and thank you so much for listening.

 

WARNING: Deeply personal episode delving into topics many of you will find familiar and very uncomfortable to discuss. A bit of a look into the ugly mirror around success, ambition, and painful personal growth.

“When we don’t put the brakes on our self-absorption, we have nothing stopping us from total self-destruction. We become the fruits of our actions.” ~ Zeena Schreck

Ian Koniak has the t-shirt - $100m in sales at Salesforce, at the time, their highest ever performing salesperson ... and he was miserable and on a path to self-destruction. Fortunately, Ian caught himself at rock bottom when everything looked perfect on the surface. But underneath, he was going through a personal crisis that had him behaving in ways he hated, and that ate into his self-concept.

“Self destroyer, wreck your health, destroy friends, destroy yourself. The time device of self-destruction, lies, confusion, start eruption.” ~ Ray Davies

We explore mental health and top performers, the danger of becoming complicit in creating the destructive conditions because of culture, peer pressure and competitive short-term thinking driven by greed and fear. We explore how the money behind an organisation permeates the culture and affects its people.

A frank, highly charged conversation that talks in depth about success and the personal toll the wrong mental state can lead to when you achieve success. We talk values, faith, love and friendship, responsibility and locus of control. Buckle up. It's a goodie.

Contact Ian via linkedin.com/in/iankoniak

Websites

• iankoniak.com (Company)
• untapyoursalespotential.com (Company)

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKwbDwBK_adh4AgzprZb5FQ

Email: ian@iankoniak.com

Twitter: DriveSalesNow

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Email me on marcus@laughs-last.com with "Inquisitor Guest" if you'd like to come on the show or wish me to interview someone specific. Please tee up an introduction if you think you or they'd make a good guest. And please leave an honest review of the podcast on your favourite platform (and tag me or send me the link please).

If you want to talk about advancing your career or the performance of your salespeople and your middle management, book some time for us to chat and explore what you're hoping to be able to accomplish. 

https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training

Happy selling folks!

Mark Choueke, CMO and author of #Boring2Brave says, "You need to be braver about decision making as we head into recession. If your share of voice larger than share of market. You will grow. If your share of voice is less than share of market you will shrink."

We dig into the process of developing a customer centric marketing strategy. What is the job to be done by marketing? We explore how clever companies become stupid overnight. And we investigate the chains of stupidity that include over measurement, measuring the wrong things, doubling down on stuff that doesn't work, playing the numbers game

Are you using marketing in the right ways and when you need it?

Contact Mark via linkedin.com/in/markchoueke

Website: boring2brave.com/ (Personal)

Phone: +44 7832 139827 (Mobile)

Email: mark.choueke@mention-me.com

Twitter: MarkChoueke

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Contact me if you want to come on the show via marcus@laughs-last.com with "Inquisitor Guest" in the subject line

If you want to talk about accelerating or revitalising your sales, management or leadership career, let's have an initial call to see if what you want is what I do well. If not, I can probably refer you to someone who can help. No pressure. https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training

 

Mark Raffan, the negotiation ninja discusses negotiation, and some of the really stupid things folks like you and I do when "negotiating". We explore what negotiation is and what it isn't. We argue over whether you can produce a true win-win, and when to pick your ground and when to walk away from a negotiation.

We talk blindspots, strategy, the role of emotions, planning, rehearsal, pre- and post-mortems and learning.

Robust and frank talk about an area of sales most of us are bad at and end up leaving a lot of money and goodwill on the table through lack of knowhow, lack of preparation and lack of thinking.

Mark’s LI Profile: linkedin.com/in/markraffan

Websites:

• contentcallout.com (Company)
• negotiations.ninja (Company)

Phone: +1 403-993-1468 (Mobile)

Email: mark@negotiations.ninja

Twitter: MarkRaffan

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Contact me on marcus@laughs-last.com if you'd like to be a guest on the show. 

If you want to explore personal coaching or training for you and your team let's talk https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training

 

 

Mitch Sullivan, creator of Copywriting For Recruiters, talks to me about the importance of selling your job if you want to attract the right candidates. "Job adverts have an audience of one", says Mitch. "Why should a successful candidate who has no need to move, leave a job they are successful and happy in to join your business?"

If you make your advert like everyone else's, and you focus on you, your company and what you think is important, you might attract applicants but you will find the experience disappointing. Recruiting well is every managers' number 1 responsibility. 

Contact Mitch on linkedin.com/in/mitchsullivan

Websites

• copywritingforrecruiters.com (Company)
• fasttrackrecruitment.com (Company)

Phone: 07725 185395 (Mobile)

Email: mitch@fasttrackrecruitment.com

Twitter: mitchsullivan

Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/copywriting-for-recruiters/

Company Website:

https://www.copywritingforrecruiters.com/

 

Matthew Dixon, co-author of The JOLT Effect and The Challenger Sale shares the findings of his latest research in partnership with Gong and Salesforce looking at the data on over 2,500,000 recorded sales calls during the pandemic. It is a treasure trove.

 

How Do You Make Budget This Quarter Despite Your Weak Pipeline?

 

Buckle up and be ready to kick yourself. One of Matt's insights could help you uncover and rekindle up to 1/3 of all the pipeline that ended up in <Closed/Lost-NoDecision> and bring a number of them over the line before the end of the Quarter!

CFO's pay heed!

Contact Matt via linkedin.com/in/matthewxdixon

Websites:

• Dcminsights.com (Company)
• dixonspeaks.com (Personal)

The JOLT Effect: https://www.amazon.co.uk/JOLT-Effect-Performers-Overcome-Indecision-ebook/dp/B09NX3G2WX/ref=sr_1_1?crid=OTN11D4D8DYK&keywords=the+jolt+effect&qid=1668100273&s=digital-text&sprefix=the+jolt+effect%2Cdigital-text%2C87&sr=1-1

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Considering a coach or taking control of your learning - https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training

Want to be a guest on #TheInquisitorPodcast? https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/podcast-planning-call 

Without a clear proposition, any business will struggle to attract the right type of customers consistently. Their salespeople will stumble and their marketing will fall flat. "So few companies have a clear proposition," says Kieron Bain co-founder of #Sold, "they confuse potential buyers and leave a fortune on the table".

Ambiguity in your proposition will drive good customers into the arms of your competition and attract the wrong type of customers. You know what the costs and pain of taking on the wrong customers, so stop, take moment and ask yourself, "What do my customers think I do for them?"

Is that what you want to do for them?

Could you be doing more?

Are you playing to your strengths or taking what's given to you?

Kieron and I have a lively conversation about your message, how to make it tight and precise so it fascinates your idea buyers.

Contact Kieron on linkedin.com/in/kieron-bain

Website: https://soldbrands.com/

Phone: +44 (0) 7816 529 508

Email: kieron@soldbrands.com

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Contact me to discuss training or coaching you and your team - https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training

 

If you want to be a guest on the show book a planning call https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/podcast-planning-call

James Buckley and I chew the fat about sales, management, metrics and investors. It gets meaty pretty, fast and the gems come thick and quick.

Contact James via linkedin.com/in/jamessaywhatsalesbuckley

Websites

• joinjbsales.com/ (Company)
• instagram.com/james_saywhatsales_buckley/https://twitter.com/saywhatsales (Personal)
• twitter.com/saywhatsales (Personal)

Phone: +1 305-632-6005 (Mobile)

Email: james@jbarrows.com

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Contact me if you want to be a guest on the show - marcus@laughs-last.com

Click here to book time in my calendar to discuss inviting me to help you and your team - https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training 

Dr Jim Kanichirayil helps build elite teams. We have a very robust conversation about the lies and biases that are costing investors their returns, sellers their dignity and customers their outcomes. We explore the power of having a range of diverse thinkers looking deeply at a problem. 

If you listened to our earlier episode with Bob Moesta on innovation there is a beautiful tie in there too.

Jim can be contacted on Linkedin via linkedin.com/in/drjimk

Websites:

• cascadingleadership.com (Company)
• cascadingleadership.buzzsprout.com (Company)
• circaworks.com (Company)

Email: jim@cascadingleadership.com

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Let's explore training or coaching together.

https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training

Fancy Being A Guest?

If you've got strong opinions about how we can improve the sales profession, customers' experience, or improve the potential to help make the future of sales do important, meaningful work that engages and satisfies  ... marcus@laughs-last.com 

Udi Ledergor, CMO at #Gong chats to me in the 430th episode of #TheInquisitorPodcast about sales and marketing alignment to create the best conditions for salespeople to thrive in their roles. We also discuss what the data tells us about many of the qualities of the best salespeople. We dig into how culture impacts performance. 

Practical as always, Udi's insights are based on the actual behavioural data of millions of real salespeople. Listen up folks

Contact Udi via linkedin.com/in/udiledergor

Websites

• bit.ly/showsecrets (My Book on Amazon)
• udiledergor.com (Personal)

Twitter: ledergor

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Let's explore coaching and training together - https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training

If you have a good idea for a show or want to introduce a potential guest, email marcus@laughs-last.com with "INQUISITOR" in the subject line

Thanks for listening and happy selling ...

 

Allan Adler is the creator of #GoToEcosystems #Community and the #EcoOps Method. He is founder of Digital Bridge Partners, tech investor and in my opinion, Allan is one of the 3 freshest minds alive in sales today - ask me who the other 2 are by DM

What is an ecosystem?

What makes ecosystems work?

On average why are partner assisted 70% larger than cold prospected deals?

Allan explores 21st century#ERP

• Ecosystems
• Relationships
• Partnerships

If you can MAKE THE TIME to the #PLXSummit in November. You can register FREE here. 5 days of #Ecosystem action leaders sharing their real world experience.

https://www.plxsummit.com/  7th-11th November Contact Allan via linkedin.com/in/allanadler

Website: digitalbridgepartners.com (Company)

Phone: +1 425-239-8774 (Mobile) Email: allan@digitalbridgepartners.com Twitter: digitalbridgep

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What do you want your career to give you in life?

How certain are you that where you're headed is where you want to take your life and career?

What's your plan to make that happen?

If you want to hop on a call to explore coaching and training with me https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training

Ask me about FATT Club - the best way the cut the fat from your sales and revenue function

marcus@laughs-last.com 

Bob Moesta is one of the 2 freshest minds in sales today. He apprenticed under Drs W. Edwards Demming, Genichi Taguchi, Willie Hobbs Moore and Clayton Christensen. 

We explore what #innovation is, and isn't. Bob then unpacks the 5 key skills great innovators demonstrate. He will unlock new ways of looking at your problems, understanding them, and producing solutions to real problems that people want to buy.

Get Learning to Build here - https://tinyurl.com/2cw38ubz 

If you want to contact Bob (and I strongly suggest you do), the catch him on via linkedin.com/in/bobmoesta

Websites:

• therewiredgroup.com/ (Company)
• bobmoesta.com (Personal)
• jobstobedone.org (Blog)

Phone: +1 586-531-9745 (Mobile)

Email: bmoesta@rewiredinc.com

Twitter: bmoesta

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You can book a time in my calendar here - https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training 

Rob Morley, co-founder The Fountain Partnership. Our topic of conversation is  #neurodiversity. His condition is #ADHD. We identify a few of the more commonly known #neurodiverse conditions are #Aspergers, #Autism, #Dyslexia with the lens of how do turn these conditions into gifts.

We begin by defining what neurodiversity is and isn't, and how the labels and words we use make all the difference in how we perceive a situation and judge people.

We explore the economic and human arguments for building diverse teams of people - a range of histories, demographics, ethnic, religious, age are great - but unless the team is neurodiverse, there is a grave danger of groupthink and parochialism taking root. Rob and I dig into intentionally hiring for neurodiversity

Rob can be contacted on linkedin.com/in/robmorley2

Website: fountainpartnership.co.uk 

Email: rob@fountainpartnership.co.uk

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Contact me on marcus@laughs-last.com or book a time to talk about how you can achieve your full potential - https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training 

Klisman Murati is founder and CEO of Pareto Economics, the creators of The Global Power Index, GPI™ which is used by governments, investors, family offices to have a lens 30 years into the future. THE GPI™ shows how capable a country is of achieving what it sets out to and it is measured in relation to other countries globally and locally.

Unless you start looking above the clouds, you run the serious risk of being caught out through lack of preparedness and acting upon poor and incomplete information.

Klisman is a fascinating character. I met him when he gatecrashed one of my classes and became a key contributor to the entrepreneurship programme back in 2012 when I was teaching at Roehampton University. His story is very impressive especially when you consider the impact the GPI™ Index will have on global investments. Definitely one to watch in the future.

Contact Klisman via linkedin.com/in/klisman-murati especially if you want to be invited to the GPI™ Conference in 2024.

Websites

• pareto-economics.com (Company)
• klismanmurati.com (Personal)

Twitter: KlisEmm

Klisman Murati Shownotes:

Pareto Resources

Pareto Economics Website: https://pareto-economics.com/

Global Power Index 2022 Rankings: https://pareto-economics.com/global-power-index/

Pareto Economics YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCByNVk6Z4YRTLMKNyhu3bBw

Klisman Murati’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/klisman-murati/

Global Power Index 2022 Core Report: https://pareto-economics.com/product/global-power-index-core-report/

Klisman’s book recommendations:

Globalisation and its discontents by Joseph Stiglitz

FREE by Lea Ypi

Zero to One by Peter Thiel

The New Paradigm for Financial Markets by George Soros

Blood Oil by Leif Wenar

Millennium by Felipe Fernandez - Armesto

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Contact me via marcus@laughs-last.com

If you want to talk to me about training and coaching for you or your people https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training

Successful Selling: https://www.laughs-last.com/successful-selling/ Ask me for a guest ticket

 

Fergus Connolly and Johan Taft are both extraordinary high performance coaches helping successful people grow to meet their full potential ... and then stretch some more.

We discuss the importance of regular attention on fundamentals, on purpose, discipline and commitment. We dig into mindset, beliefs, attitudes, values and needs. We dig into the habits of success and the barriers.

Make sure you also check out the episode coming up in a couple of weeks with former SBS Sergeant Major, Garry Bamford. He was head of recruitment for UK Special Forces and knows a thing or two about selection and recruitment of highly talented interdependent team players who understand that they serve the mission and their teammates before they serve themselves. 

Contact Johan via linkedin.com/in/magnifyyourgreatness

Websites

• magnifyyourgreatness.com  (Company Website)
• sportingmindmastery.com/  (Company Website)

Fergus can be found at linkedin.com/in/fergusconnolly

Websites

• fergusconnolly.com (Company)
• fergusconnolly.com/lessons-from-sport (Company)
• fergusconnolly.com/blog (Blog)

Twitter: Fergus_Connolly

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Want to hire winners, who succeed, improve over time and stay? https://www.laughs-last.com/hiring-winners/

Want to sell build an unstoppable sales career? https://www.laughs-last.com/successful-selling/

Email: marcus@laughs-last.com

 

"Lead with answers that create questions in your buyer", says Dr Brian Glibkowski, creator of Answer Intelligence (AQ)™. We are often taught that "our credibility comes from the questions we ask, not the information that we give" and to a point that is true. Ask great, thought provoking, insightful questions and you clearly demonstrate your competence and credibility. But do we really pay anywhere near enough attention on the answers you give?

In the same way that you are unlikely to ever hear an original objection or be asked an original question, ALL of these communication moments can be planned, prepared and rehearsed until they are a natural part of every salesperson's and manager's repertoire.

individuals overemphasise on questions and minimise importance of answers

Brian continues, "Sellers have no typology of answers. We have the 6WH typology for questions but we don't pay critical attention and focus on becoming better at providing answers. There is often a mismatch between their questions and our answers resulting in disconnected conversation, a lack of listening and the quality of answers is shallow."

You can't sell shallow and sell deep at the same time. The lack of intentionality is projected out from sellers to buyers, who reflect back the high self-orientation of sellers who too often aren't present because they are listening for a gap to speak or ask their next manipulative, self-serving question. Some really juicy material in this episode. 

Contact Brian via linkedin.com/in/glibkowski   Website: RaiseYourAQ.com (Company)   Email: briang@semplarscience.com

 

Twitter: sixQSoftware

--

Contact me via https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training to book some time to explore coaching or training for you and your sales, management and leadership teams

To Hire Winners in sales, channels, CS, RevOps, management or leadership click here: https://www.laughs-last.com/hiring-winners/

To design the career you want, to give you the life you want and learn how to write your own paycheque click here: https://www.laughs-last.com/successful-selling/

 

Lloyd Stokes (Sauced) works with CEOs, Founders and Leaders of fast growth SaaS and Tech Companies & VC firms recruiting GTM teams.

Lloyd shares some valuable insights about Sales & Leadership from a Hiring perspective, sharing stories from his 20+ years in the industry.

 

Key Takeaways Hiring & Management

• Sauced

  Connect with Lloyd on LinkedIn

   

  Marcus Cauchi

  Connect with Marcus on LinkedIn

  Sales Success hinges on critical factors. How you rate your performance across 11 key areas yields a wealth of insights that serve as a valuable road map for your future success. Complete the audit and you'll get a personalised report and an invitation to book a 30 minute consultation to discuss an area of your choice. 

  Test your sales strategy

Pasha Irshad, founder of Shape & Scale chats to me about the rise of the tech stack, performance decline, marketing waste and the entrenched idiocy of old thinking in the current environment.

Pasha advises companies on their marketing and their tech stack to ensure it is delivering the intended results and fit to scale. A value packed show that needs plenty of note taking

Contact Pasha via linkedin.com/in/pashairshad

Websites:

shapeandscale.co (Company)

https://www.pashairshad.com/ 

Michael Vincent is a world renowned close up magician, the most senior non-white member of the Magic Circle, a powerful keynote speaker on #leadership, #management, #DEI #Diversity, #Equity and #Inclusion, #performanceexcellence and #sales. His story of struggle over many years, and how rising to excellence has so many parallels with success in sales and management. How did his mentors affect his trajectory and velocity? Listen and learn. How did losing his hearing in 2013 affect him? How did he react and eventually apply his training to adapt?

Here's his Tedx Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_vincent_the_magic_of_perception_mine_yours_and_ours 

Mike explains how growing up, in 1970's London as the Afro-Caribbean only child of a single mother he was largely isolated by circumstances. His mother taught him to read very early and he lived in books. When he saw his first magic show, his wonder and astonishment led him to the library and 6 years of practice in isolation.

A happy meeting with his first mentor, Alan Allan, introduced Mike to a world that was previously beyond his awareness, taking him to perform across the world. A master of his craft technically, Mike explains the importance of the performance, understanding your audience and above all, understanding and acceptance of yourself. His investment in his mind, his stage performance, his communication goes well beyond mere technical performance. His stage presence is flawless, seemingly effortless and the product of a relentless pursuit of mastery of the fundamentals. 

Over the past 3 years Mike had to give up work to look after his mother. This chapter in his life carries so many lessons for our humanity and prioritising what really matters even at a personal price.

Some of you will find this a tough episode because it holds up the mirror to who we really are and who we could be. A smörgesbord for thought in episode 421 of #TheInquisitorPodcast

Contact Mike via linkedin.com/in/michael-vincent-665a01 

Email: michaelvincent64@mac.com

Websites:

• michael@michaelvincentmagic.com

• www.michaelvincentmagic.com

• www.fujiwarrior.com

YouTube: www.youtube.com/michaelvincentmagic

--

Contact me on marcus@laughs-last.com. If you want to improve your personal performance and you want a coach who will tell you the truth even when you'd rather I lied, https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training

If you want to sell more, more profitably, quicker without manipulation or pressuring customers, https://www.laughs-last.com/successful-selling-programme/

Sick of hiring James Bean instead of the James Bond you thought you had in front of you at interview?

https://www.laughs-last.com/hiring-winners/

Sam Robinson says, "It's your buyers choice to buy, not yours to sell". He's a Red to Blue Coach, director of Greenock FC and his day job is sales enablement leader for the media giant, Dentsu.

"Enablement is a business function not a training function," says Sam. We delve into the most effective working relationship between enablement, the Board and the business. How well does enablement support the Board's responsibility to drive results? Why isn't enablement a profit centre? How does enablement's focus on the wrong end of the problem undermine trust and respect? Who is asking the hard questions? How do you make engagement engaging?

Listen, take notes, tag a friend

Contact Sam via linkedin.com/in/sam-robinson-4a29326

Phone: +44 (0)7480 656 266 (Mobile)

Jason Hubbard, Founder and CEO of The Demand Magic and Adjunct Professor at University of Tennessee with a special interest in #ethics. We dig into why the outbound function is generally so badly broken and what needs to be done to fix it. 

We dig into the topic of #SalesEthics, #ManagementEthics and the effect leadership and investors have on culture.

We take a scalpel to the rotten parts and explore options for a better future for #OutboundSales #outbound2point0

Contact Jason on linkedin.com/in/hubbardjason

Websites

• teknovation.biz/2012/07/16/jason-hubbard-groomed-entrepreneur/ (Teknovation Article)
• knoxnews.com/news/2010/sep/09/energy-saving-gets-simpler-simple-control/ (Energy Savings Gets Simpler)
• knoxnews.com/news/2011/jun/06/software-firms-created-solutions-challenges/ (Software Firms Create Solution)

Email: jason@demandmagic.ai

--

Contact me on marcus@laughs-last.com or book a time for us to chat about developing you and your people - https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training

Secure your place on my Successful Selling programme for salespeople who want to be certain of improved results and less wasted effort.

https://www.laughs-last.com/successful-selling-programme/

 

"How often is culture talked about in your business? Is it a standing agenda item?", challenges Steve Simpson, creator of the concept of Unwritten Ground Rules, UGR®'s. We explore how to develop and deliver an #aspirationalculture to make you attractive as an #destinationemployer.

UGRs are answers to great questions like, "How do we treat people when ...?" Complete that sentence around real life situations and you start to uncover some blindspots, prejudices and unconscious biases that are disadvantaging you, your business, your customers, your suppliers and/or your own people.

Of course biases exist. No point denying they do if your intent is really to help fix them. Our job is not to shy away from identifying biases but to do so and address them. If you ever needed a better argument for diversity and inclusion, it is the creative power of diverse teams all looking at the same problem. Where you have multi-aged, multi-ethnic, multiple socio-economic backgrounds, differing faiths, politics, technical and professional experience who share the same values and purpose, the benefits are several magnitudes greater than fighting for processes and beliefs that are no longer fit for purpose tied around a homogeneous group of like thinking people.

A strong indicator of the unwritten and unspoken priorities, which may include building political power frequently shows alignment below the surface radar around cultural discrimination, intentional or unintentional, deliberate or through ignorance is the response to this deceptively provocative question - "If I asked your people what your leadership team's priorities are they'd say ...?"  

Steve explains how we respond to members of our teams putting forward their ideas, is indicative of your underlying culture and shared values system. The response to this kind of situation witnessed by others, quickly determines who and how discretionary effort may be offered or withheld, the temperature of relations between leadership and their workforce.

A very provocative interview with plenty of practical and meaty material you can implement yourself

Contact Steve via linkedin.com/in/workplaceculture

Websites

• ugrs.net (UGRs Company Page)
• steve-simpson.com (Steve Simpson Personal Site)
• safeminingcultures.com/ (Safe Mining Cultures)

Phone: +61419901391 (Mobile)

Email: steve@ugrs.net

Twitter: steveugrs

Episode 418: Steve Simpson #SteveSimpson #UGR #UnwrittenGroundRules #employeesafety #managementethics #leadershipethics #businessethics

--

If you want to explore coaching or training for you or your team book a call with me here - https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training

And if you want to learn from me, my fresh courses and programmes designed to help you sell how buyers really buy without manipulation or pressure can be found here - 

Successful Selling - https://www.laughs-last.com/successful-selling-programme/

Hiring Winners - https://www.laughs-last.com/hiring-winners/

 

Paul Morton, Founder of The Practical Leadership Academy, chats to me about leadership that is fit for the 21st Century. We argue the case for dragging yourself out of the Industrial Age and to think deeply about how you need to adapt to the rapidly changing environment. When you graduate to leadership, Paul says, "Your job is to build your business with your peers"

We agree that consistent focus on, and intentional practice of the fundamentals is critical, but those fundamentals cover more than the balance sheet. We explore some interesting phenomena - how managers who are struggling tend to default to doing the job they had before, and then we start unpicking the consequences.

Lively intelligent, highly provocative debate. Definitely one to take notes from.

Contact Paul on linkedin.com/in/paulwmorton

Website: https://www.practical-leadership.academy/

Email: paul@practical-leadership.academy 

 

--

Contact me on marcus@laughs-last.com if you want to be a guest or want me to interview someone specific.

Hire right, first time.

Stop hiring people who interview like James Bond and perform like Mr Bean. Join my unique predictive #HiringWinners programme for senior leadership, executives and managers. Starts Oct 4th 2022.

https://www.laughs-last.com/hiring-winners/ 

Learn to hire winners who succeed in the role, improve over time and stay for many years.

Reserve your place now

Varun Anand is Head of Operations at Clay.com. We discuss what is #PLG #ProductLedGrowth? Why it matters? To which type of products is it especially suited ? How does PLG go wrong? What happens when it goes right?

Varun opened my eyes to a few new things in this, our 416th episode of #TheInquisitorPodcast.

Contact Varun on linkedin.com/in/vaanand

Twitter: varunanand48

 --

Contact me if you want to thrive through the coming recession. https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/linkedin-discovery-call

Sign up for my #SuccessfulSelling programme. Ongoing reinforcement and training

https://www.laughs-last.com/successful-selling-programme/

 

The world of computer gaming continues to grow at breakneck speed with over $196bn being spent on games in 2020. 45% of gamers are women. And the age range is not where you might expect.

Moritz Aemisegger is an expert in the gaming field, serving customers in #esports and #Gaming. His fascination with the #ComputerGaming market is justified. Fast paced, rapidly changing, massively innovative, if you are an innovative marketer, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

We delve deep into the business of gaming, the allure, the marketing potential and of course we have a dig into sales, selling, and management.

An outstanding episode. Bring a pen and paper. And tag someone who needs to hear this please

Contact Moritz via linkedin.com/in/moritzaemisegger

Phone: +41 79 824 43 45 (Mobile)

Email: moritz@aemisegger.com

--

Are you considering hiring? Have you made bad hires and lived to regret it? https://www.laughs-last.com/hiring-winners/

Want to up your sales game? - Join Successful Selling - https://www.laughs-last.com/

If you want to get hold of me, DM on LinkedIn or marcus@laughs-last.com 

Fergus Connolly has led an extraordinary career coaching some of the world's elite - in business, in sport and in special forces. His clients have been his best teachers. His excellent book, 58 Lessons, is crammed with insights from the real world of top performers exploring their rarified view of the world. 

"I don't fear the man who has learned 10,000 kicks; I fear the man who has practiced the same kick 10,000 times" - Bruce Lee

A key lesson is these people never forget the need to keep practicing their foundational skills whilst also extending their range. Slow is smooth; smooth is fast - a lesson from special forces, martial arts, music schools like Suzuki. They do the ordinary, extraordinarily well.

We discuss mindset, psychopathy and genius, talent and graft, determination and motivation, conditioning and intuition. Genuinely one of the most fun, engaging, challenging, and remarkable interviews I've done in a long stream of very satisfying and insightful conversations.

I absolutely understand why the world's very best seek him out as their coach. You will too. Have a listen. Follow him on linkedin.com/in/fergusconnolly

Websites

• fergusconnolly.com (Company)
• fergusconnolly.com/lessons-from-sport (Company)
• fergusconnolly.com/blog (Blog)

Twitter: Fergus_Connolly

--

Apply to join my #SuccessfulSelling programme starting October 4th, 0930-1130.

Zero technique taught. You will learn how to build a system that fits you, your values, and your communication style. This means you sell naturally, authentically and adapt to how your buyer needs you be. You're buying better results, not flashy techniques.

https://www.laughs-last.com/contact-marcus-cauchi/

If you're a veteran salesperson we'll build on what you already know, and you'll develop tools, tactics and strategies to accelerate your career. If your new to sales, you'll save decades in getting it wrong and having to unlearn a load of stuff, and you'll get noticed for the right reasons building early cumulative advantage.

"The need for connection and community is primal, as fundamental as the need for air, water, and food." - Dean Omish

At the Heart of Change is Empathy; it’s the Basis of Strong Community Do you derive the greatest satisfaction from receiving a great gift, or giving a great gift that makes the person you care about spontaneously light up with delight. We are social primates. Think about it. Our superpower, the one that put us to the top of the food chain, is cooperation.

#Rebecca Tasetano, cofounder of Project Kick Ass, started her career as a children's entertainers age 5. Today she delivers #CommunityAsAService. How did 10 years being a clown prepare her for building, growing and galvanising communities?

You hear that the future of marketing is in community, and it makes sense. Word of mouth, personal introductions, testimonials and other forms of social proof go a long way to removing barriers to buying because if others from your tribe are doing it, it's probably safe to our brains which have evolved slower than the environment we have created and now occupy.

Sales generated by WOM convert between 3x-18x more often than cold generated opportunities. If someone you trust recommends a course of action, a film, a restaurant, a book or a provider, odds are, you will lower your resistance because the mutually trusted introducer lends their credibility to your cause.

The most productive, engaged and thriving communities are high challenge and high support. You know if you've said or done something stupid, and if you ask for help people give willingly and without expectation of ANYTHING in return.

Is this naive? Utopian?

Maybe, but what if? What if you had a community that wants you to succeed, cheers you on, introduces you at every opportunity to people who fit the profile of your hero customer? What if your partners play to keep the game going instead of to win or not to lose? What if all of you  play to make the pie bigger for everyone?

These #communities and #ecosystems do exist already. We explore the challenges of building a community, managing expectations, creating engagement. And we explore the challenges and where people go wrong when building a community.

Contact Rebecca on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccatasetano/ 

Email: Rebecca@pkasolves.com

Website: PKASolves.com

--

If you're curious how early stage, moderately funded business can achieve sustainable scale and accelerate past their more established competition, contact me via marcus@laughs-last.com or DM me on LI.

Let's explore training or coaching - https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training

Hiring Winners - Predictive Hiring For Managers - https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/hiring-winners

Justin Zimmerman, founder of Partner Playbooks. Justin helps companies scale their predictable, profitable partnership revenues through partner playbooks. We dig into what it takes to be an effective partner. We delve into #ecosystems and customer centric models that solve for customer value which then translates into revenue value and compare that with channel sales.

We look into the crystal ball to try and understand what is going to change, how we are going to have to adapt and the future of sales and partnerships because of advances in marketing, integrations/APIs. If you're a direct salesperson, maybe it's time to consider how your future will be affected?

Contact Justin linkedin.com/in/justinzim

Website: eepurl.com/cOtYCv (Blog)

Email: social@justinzim.com

--

If you want to a coach who is more than a coach, maybe we should talk. https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training 

"The number one result from working with Marcus was consistent over performance. I was an average performer when we started and after a short period of working together and implementing his coaching, results took a steep incline and stayed there for good.

It is difficult to narrow down to only a couple of things that I implemented after Marcus' coaching. But one of the biggest changes was confidence - Marcus does a great job of instilling confidence in his clients and ensuring they are aware they are of equal business stature to everyone they cross paths with. On top of that, working with Marcus consistently will see your overall business acumen take a big lift. This has been really impactful when it comes to adding value and asking great questions of executives." - Stephen Donohoe, Account Executive, Clari

Danny Wareham is CEO of Firgun. Firgun is slang in Hebrew for taking delight in the joy of others. It is the opposite of schadenfreude. Danny's approach to life and business is how do always set others up to succeed. And it is a remarkably effective strategy that help you make friends, build bridges and find common ground.

In the 411th episode of #TheInquisitorPodcast, Danny provokes you to think deeply. An insightful, demanding and substantial conversation packed with practical questions, challenging answers and unvarnished truths. 

I had a blast! You will too.

Contact Danny via linkedin.com/in/danny-wareham

Email: danny@datamouse.biz

--

Contact me on marcus@laughs-last.com to explore whether we can work together to help you achieve your goals in life and work. If you're looking to develop the vital behaviours you need succeed, perhaps coaching can help

Michael F Schein says, "Hype can be used for good or evil. I got curious to understand how great influencers, historical demagogues, cult leaders, Rap promoters and band managers can influence so many people to do what they want them to do, because I figured if you could harness that ...!"

Mike is CEO of MicroFameMedia, an agency delivering hype strategies for fast growth companies with ambitious founders who want to bootstrap fast so they can fund the next phase of their business. MicroFameMedia's research has identified 12 hype strategies that have proven themselves to work repeatedly and any business can apply if they are willing to get uncomfortable, put in the hard work and be courageous enough to handle the polarising effect some of the strategies might have.

And before you throw hype away as destructive, consider the value to you of your hype marketing self-disqualifying non-buyers and non-prospects without you ever wasting a moment's effort on them. Better still, how about have your rivals and detractors become your best marketing channels.

Buckle up. This is one helluva ride.

Contact Mike linkedin.com/in/michaelfrancisschein

Website: MicroFameMedia.com (Company)

Email: mfs@microfamemedia.com

Twitter: MichaelSchein1

--

If you want to discover the vital selling behaviours of the most successful salespeople in your industry and learn to apply them in your sales, DM me on LinkedIn or email marcus@laughs-last.com

"What do you do when the referrals from your network dry up?", asks Christian Banach. One option is outbound, but this is a very different proposition to working ones warm market. You have to modify your expectations. These deals usually take longer, have much lower conversion rates and the thinking behind such campaigns is usually fatally flawed, short term and selfish.

Christian and I discuss the importance of establishing realistic expectations between the agency and the client. Cold campaigns as frequently a knee jerk reaction to a weak pipeline and looming failure to hit quota. We explore how the best results come NOT form focusing on short term pipeline, but using cold to develop coverage and warm relationships, so that when they move from passive to active looking you are the only show in town.

Lively, challenging and insightful, you can contact Christian via https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianbanach/

Website: christianbanach.com (Company)

 

--

If you want the last laugh, get someone to coach and support you through this coming recession so you thrive and get promoted without the usual stress. If not me, maybe someone I know. Either way, email marcus@laughs-last.com to chat or book a time over Zoom on https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/discovery-call-15-mins

 

Lauren Cartigny is a transformational coach. 15 successful years in sales and management in the Tech industry, today she supports CEOs, sales leaders,  and founders to deliver sustainable results from position of wellbeing.

• How do you know that you are stressed?
• What level of stress is healthy?
• In a relationship what are you responsible for, and what is the other person responsible for?
• What conditions do you need to access your confidence?

Contact Lauren via linkedin.com/in/laurencartigny

Websites:

• laurencartigny.com (Company)
• instagram.com/lauren.cartigny/ (Personal)

Twitter: lcartigny

 --

Contact me on marcus@laughs-last.com or via DM on LinkedIn.

If you are an ambitious salesperson or a manager who wants to take your team to new heights, let's have a quick no strings, no pressure chat.

https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/discovery-call-15-mins

Today, Eric Steeves is a RevOps specialist but before he took the easy route, he was head bouncer in places you wiped your feet on the way out, he built two 7-figure businesses in the competitive world of junk removal, became a firefighter and then joined Salesforce where he thrived in sales. 

With the spectre of recession over the horizon, Eric and I put 2 and 2 together and figured it'd be interesting to see how his crisis management training in the fire service can be applied to managing tough times where things change fast, unexpectedly and in surprising ways. 

You be the judge. Have a listen with a pen and notepad.

Contact Eric via DM linkedin.com/in/eric-steeves

--

Contact me on marcus@laughs-last.com if you are looking for a coach who will never lie to you, never feed the harmful part of your ego, and will always have your back, even when you are doing stupid things. No fluff. No faff.

"3 billion years of evolutionary testing proves it works!", says Sam Tatam, author of Evolutionary Ideas, the fascinating book about creating intersectional moments between jobs to be done and nature's clever solutions. Sam heads up the behavioural sciences team at Ogilvy's.    You are in for a treat. What do a penguin, the Medici's and Japanese bullet trains have in common? More than you think. Much more.   Explore another way of seeing the world on the 406th episode of #TheInquisitor Podcast   Contact Sam via linkedin.com/in/sam-tatam-psychologist

 

Websites

• ogilvy.com (Company)
• linktr.ee/evolutionaryideas (Personal)

Twitter: s_tatam

 

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Contact me on marcus@laughs-last.com if you are looking for a coach who gives neither quarter or bullshit, or you fancy being a guest on the podcast

"Dysfunction is often a product of how you treat your people", says Chris Blackwell. We talk #Ethics #Values and #Purpose. We ask what are the causes of high performance? And what are the fundamental attribution errors that lead to blindspots and unintended consequences?

Growing slowly is OK, stagnating isn't. If you treat your people like children they'll act like children. Treat adults like adults. Create the conditions so they think for themselves, take responsibility, cooperate and share.  

The deep dive on ethics in sales and management is the first of many we will be exploring on the topic.

Please can you refer me to possible guests ...

If you rate any authors, academics or commentators on the subject of #SalesEthics #BusinessEthics #ManagementEthics #HiringEthics please can you put us together

Contact Chris on linkedin.com/in/chrismblackwell

Website: plpconsult.co.uk (Company)

Email: chris@plpconsult.co.uk

Twitter: ChrisPLP1

--

Contact me on marcus@laughs-last.com 

If you are looking for a coach who will not let you get away with excuses, backsliding or blaming, and will focus on helping you meet then exceed what you consider possible. I am taking on 2-3 new coaching clients. If you want to explore what you can expect to accomplish with help book a call with me for a no pressure, no obligation chat - https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-training-or-coaching

 

Todd Caponi, releases The Transparent Sales Leader on 5th July 2022. After the success of his best seller The Transparency Sale, Todd realised the depth of the problem in management when none of the 40 strong management team of a tech firm going through hypergrowth had any management training, including the CRO.

We discuss the challenges associated with scaling up, becoming a manager, being successful in the role and having the framework to ensure you always know for certain where you are, your team is, the health of everyone's pipeline. Funny, poignant and informative, this interview is one you will want to take notes and share.

Contact Todd on

linkedin.com/in/toddcaponi

 

Websites

• toddcaponi.com (Company)
• toddcaponi.com/blog/ (Blog)

Phone: +1 847-999-0420 (Work)

 

Twitter: tcaponi

--

Contact me on marcus@laughs-last.com 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Transparent-Sales-Leader-Sincerity-Structure-ebook/dp/B0B23DZHFR/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3A7GNRCR7WXGR&keywords=todd+caponi&qid=1656841120&sprefix=todd+caponi%2Caps%2C60&sr=8-2

https://www.amazon.com/Transparent-Sales-Leader-Sincerity-Structure-ebook/dp/B0B23DZHFR/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3A7GNRCR7WXGR&keywords=todd+caponi&qid=1656841120&sprefix=todd+caponi%2Caps%2C60&sr=8-2

 

Kent Bredahl drives company growth by enhancing customer loyalty and optimizing customer lifetime value. He challenges conventional customer engagement methods and provides a diverse toolbox, including tools for measuring customer satisfaction, loyalty, retention, and overall experience. Kent emphasizes the importance of capturing the voice of the customer and tailoring loyalty measurement methods to suit individual needs, addressing concerns about survey fatigue.

Using Net Promoter Score (NPS) as an example, Kent demonstrates the impact of his approach through various customer interactions. He shares a success story from his experience working with a construction company, where engaging customers throughout the building process not only identified and rectified mistakes early but also fostered positive word-of-mouth, resulting in significant benefits.

Additionally, Kent recounts another successful endeavour with a chain of stores. NPS results revealed that renovating a store led to a 7% increase in NPS, while effective management resulted in a remarkable increase of over 30%. These examples underscore the tangible benefits of prioritizing customer loyalty and engagement strategies.

Kent's key message is to prioritize learning over metrics. He emphasizes that it's the actions taken with the insights gained, rather than the metrics themselves, that drive success. By focusing on learning and taking meaningful actions, the metrics will naturally align and improve.

 

You can find Kent on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kentbredahl

Look out for his new book 'Customer Blind' in Feb 2025

 

Connect with Marcus

Email us

Test Your Sales Strategy

           

2 previous guests who are always worth a listen are Patrick Lindqvist and Gary Mitchell. They have extensive experience bringing diverse groups of people together around common purpose and the job to be done.

Lively, unfluffy, pragmatic, we share ideas, join the dots and improve what we can each bring to the debate individually.

Contact Patrick: linkedin.com/in/patricklindqvist

Website: youtube.com/watch?v=rHF4hARZn38&feature=youtu.be (Talk on Change)

Email: patrick.lindqvist@cgi.com

Twitter: patlindqvist

 

Contact Gary: linkedin.com/in/garymitchellgmc

Websites:

• gary-mitchell.com/blog (Blog)
• gary-mitchell.com (Company)
• hqi-connect.com (Company)

Phone: +44 7939 587 532 (Mobile)

Email: gary@gary-mitchell.com

--

Contact me on marcus@laughs-last.com. Better still book a short call to share ideas with each other - https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/quick-idea-share

 

I'm taking on 2 new coaching clients. If you want help to double your impact for half the work, https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-training-or-coaching

 

Happy selling

Sebastien van Heyningen, founder of Central Metric, is a new breed of sales leader. He thinks beyond the revenue. We discuss the importance of taking a more rounded approach than simply focusing on the numbers. Numbers don't generate themselves.   We explore his thoughts on management, hiring, developing people, team building AND achieving targets.    Contact Sebatien via linkedin.com/in/sebastienvanheyningen

Email: sebastien@centralmetric.tech

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Contact me marcus@laughs-last.com

 

Each quarter I take on 2-3 new personal coaching clients. Go ahead and check out my 200+ DETAILED testimonials over on my LinkedIn profile. There's a reason ambitious top performers seek out my help.

If you want to explore coaching with me book some time here - https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-training-or-coaching

 

Stay safe and happy selling!

One thing I know for sure, when nuclear winter descends upon us, two things will survive, coackroaches, and Simon Leslie. Simon is CEO of Ink.

Imagine it's 2019, $150m in profitable revenues, 36 exclusive inflight magazine publishing contracts. Covid hits. Almost all those revenues dried up overnight, and they had to refund customers, so the slap in the head cost him more than $150m.

Our intrepid leader refused to die. In 2 and half years he has gone from the world falling out from under him to Ink having their BEST EVER quarter in Q1 2022/23. Ink now owns a closed TV network serving 12m customers a day with hyper targeted advertising. We talk data, decision making and disasters. 

What will surprise you is just how much of Simon's recovery has been down to the application of soft skills, and building up his people from scratch. And it is a delight to see Simon thriving. His story is a lesson in leadership, leaning into his problems and an indomitable spirit of enterprise.

Contact Simon on

inkedin.com/in/simon-leslie-b252b92 Websites

• luckyleslie.com (Personal)
• ink-global.com (Work)

Email: simon.leslie@ink-global.com

Twitter: Closerx -- Contact me on marcus@laughs-last.com 

Neil Bhuiyan, founder of Happy Selling, and I discuss mindset, attitudes, beliefs and values. We dig into the responsibilities of the seller and management for creating the conditions for sellers to thrive. What does it take to be happy in your sales role? Why is it important? Does your happiness affect your performance?

Contact Neil via

linkedin.com/in/neilbhuiyan

Websites:

• happyselling.io (Company)
• linktr.ee/happyselling (Blog)

Twitter: HappySelling_io

e: neil@happyselling.io

Podcast: https://www.happyselling.io/podcast

 

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Contact me on marcus@laughs-last.com to explore how you can thrive through the coming recession.

Tom Parker is CMO of Atomley. He and his team eliminate the uncertainty out of marketing one-to-many. We discuss the mechanics, objectives, beliefs and results of putting together a series of webinars intended to build medium to long term pipeline and deep levels of credibility, engagement and intimacy with your audience.

We discuss how well targeted, executed and choreographed webinars coupled with telephone, content and email reinforcement can yield ROIs in thousands of per cent with predictable certainty.

Contact Tom via linkedin.com/in/thesalesarchitect

Websites:

• thesalesarchitect.co.uk (Company)
• atomley.com

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Contact me on marcus@laughs-last.com if you are looking for smart, innovative ways to compete in a tough, crowded marketplace where you struggle differentiate or command premium prices.