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Join the conversation with Frank Cespedes, a senior lecturer at Harvard Business School as he brings his arsenal of sales wisdom and leadership expertise to our latest episode.
As a renowned professor and sales virtuoso, Frank dissects the transformative effects of AI on sales, the often-overlooked concept of return on talent, and the quintessential art of guiding a team to triumph.
Paul's question revolves around the difference in the ability of sales leaders to lead themselves and its correlation with the success of their sales teams. Frank discusses challenges sales leaders face, including transitioning from individual contributor to manager, the increasing transparency of sales data, and the shift to an omni-channel buying world. He highlights the need for sales leaders to develop financial literacy and adapt to managing both direct sales teams and various channel partners.
When Paul asks how sales leaders handle rapid changes, Frank suggests sticking to basics. For him, building the right work culture is crucial. This means hiring the right people. Frank points out the challenge of finding good salespeople. He also stresses the importance of training. Using technology for learning is key, according to Frank. He highlights how salespeople learn best from each other. Lastly, Frank talks about performance reviews. He thinks they're vital but often overlooked. Frank believes that by focusing on culture, making smart hires, offering effective training, and conducting thorough reviews, sales leaders can manage change effectively.
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Frank shares insights drawn from his academic and practical involvement in AI research. He acknowledges the hype surrounding AI but stresses its potential to enhance sales efficiency rather than replace salespeople entirely. Frank highlights the significant portion of salespeople's time spent on customer contact and suggests AI can streamline administrative tasks, allowing more time for essential sales activities. He encourages listeners to focus on practical applications of AI to improve sales productivity rather than getting caught up in grandiose ideas.
Paul Fuller’s stated mission is to help others maximize their gifts by using his.
Paul has been a pioneer in the sales process and training, sales as a service, content marketing and CRM. As a previous founder and owner of multiple successful growth organizations in these spaces, Paul has effectively trained and led sales and marketing teams across the world to focus on and achieve dynamic growth.
He firmly believes sales is defined best in three categories:
• Service - helping other get what they need
• Leadership - guiding others toward their vision
• Wayfinding - navigating the path to success together
He is firmly committed to elevating the sales profession through coaching, leading, and empowering others through systems that enable strong performance.
Currently Paul leads revenue growth at Membrain.com - the top sales effectiveness CRM in the world. Working with his team, and a group of over 100 top sales consultant organizations across the globe, they are focused at creating scalable growth through sales excellence in companies and teams in over 80 countries.
Schedule a call with him here.
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