303: Why Sales Is Leadership and Leadership Is Sales

In your leadership role, do you see yourself as a salesperson? Mark Hunter makes the case that leadership and sales are the same. You’ll agree that they are when you hear Mark’s definition of those words. It’s just one of many writer-downers in this episode!

Mark Hunter is known as “The Sales Hunter,” and he’s recognized as an expert in sales. He is a member of the Sales Hall of Fame. He’s the author of High-Profit Prospecting, High-Profit Selling and most recently, A Mind for Sales, which was the focus of this conversation.

Mark spent more than 15 years in the sales and marketing divisions of three Fortune 200 companies. During his career, he led many projects, including the creation of a new 200-member sales force.

Mark’s passion for sales has allowed him to consult and speak on 5 continents and 28 countries. He is on a mission to have each person he meets see sales the way he does. Clients range from Samsung, BP, and Kawasaki to small start-ups. No matter their size, they all value Mark’s engaging style and specific strategies that deliver results.

You’ll discover:

Why Mark says you cannot lead anyone until you first lead yourself
What made his manager at McDonald’s one of the most memorable leaders Mark ever worked for
The positive words Mark associates with EGO
How Mark defines charisma—and what it looks like in action
The 3 greatest assets a leader has, if used well

Watch the episode:

Mark’s Resources

Website

The Sales Hunter

Books

A Mind for Sales: Daily Habits and Practical Strategies for Sales Success

High-Profit Prospecting

Connect with Mark

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302: Becoming a Generous Leader

When you think of the key qualities of an effective leader, what words come to mind? Did you include the word GENEROUS? If not, you will add that word to your list after you listen to this conversation with guest Joe Davis.

Joe is the author of a fantastic new book, The Generous Leader: 7 Ways to Give of Yourself for Everyone’s Gain. This important book is a must-read for every leader because it touches on so many areas that the best leaders learn and practice. Joe exemplifies the type of leader Meredith is always eager to have as a guest: he’s focused his entire career on growing strong as a leader and helping others realize their potential.

Joe is a Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group or BCG. In The Generous Leader, Joe shares a performance review he received that was a game-changer for him: He was told he was not the best at problem-solving solo; but with others, he could solve any challenge. His manager identified his key strength—a person who could connect with others.

Joe has leveraged that strength in his 35+ years at BCG in roles such as co-founding the Washington, DC, office and leading BCG North America. He is currently Chair of BCG’s Center for Inclusion and Equity and the Board Chair at Whitman College.

You’ll discover:

What leaders can do to help others feel seen
Why Joe recommends leaders adopt the “practice of perspective taking”
How Joe pushes people to be more than they believed possible and addresses times when they diminish themselves
How to be an Action Ally and not a Performative Ally
Ways to show vulnerability so others more easily connect with you

Watch the episode:

Connect with Joe

Joe’s Resources

Website

Joe Davis

Book

The Generous Leader: 7 Ways to Give of Yourself for Everyone’s Gain

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301: Are You Living a Life That Matters?

Twelve years ago, when my father died, the funeral director made a statement to my mother, my sister, and me that I’ve never forgotten.

In this solo episode, I share what he said and how it applied to my father. I also describe seven ways Dad lived that have had a lasting impact on all of us who knew him.

I’m the co-founder and president of Grow Strong Leaders. We’ve created online resources that help leaders strengthen their character and communication skills to build strong relationships and inspire others to perform at the highest level.

You’ll discover:

Why my father never made one enemy throughout his entire life
How a strong work ethic drove everything he did
What Dad did to build trust instantly
The 3 words of sage advice Dad passed on to everyone in the family
Questions you can ask yourself as you reflect on your life and how you want to be remembered

Watch the episode:

Connect with Meredith

Meredith’s Resources

Website

Grow Strong Leaders

Books

Connect with Your Team: Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Peer Coaching Made Simple

Connect with Your Team

Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

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Peer Coaching Made Simple

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232: How One Amazon Leader Mentors and Coaches Others

How do you help people feel valued in a huge organization like Amazon? Omar Halabieh shares what he does on an ongoing basis to connect with his team members and help them understand the contribution they’re making. You’ll enjoy Omar’s enthusiasm as he describes his commitment to being a true servant leader to others.

Omar is Director of Technology at Amazon Payment Services. In this role he’s responsible for delivering simple, trusted, and affordable payment solutions for customers and merchants across the Middle East and North Africa.

Omar is based in Dubai and has been in this role since 2019. Prior to this, he led technology teams within Amazon’s Supply Chain Optimization Technologies organization, based in Seattle, for four years.

Overall, Omar has 20+ years of technology experience where he has delivered transformational initiatives that have created competitive advantage, enabled business growth, exceeded customer expectations, and transformed global organizations.

You’ll discover:

How Omar uses LinkedIn to share valuable content to people throughout Amazon
The distinction he makes between mentoring and coaching
What Omar does to help people feel valued in such a huge organization
The communication skills he considers most critical for success as a leader
Strategies Omar uses to help team members prioritize and focus their time

Watch the episode:

Connect with Omar

Resources

Website

Amazon Payment Services

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212: How to Get the Most Out of Coaching

Are you working with a coach or have you considered hiring one? There are things you can do to maximize the experience, and my guest Karen Davis has literally written the book on it. In this enlightening conversation, you’ll find out the characteristics of being coachable and how to integrate what you learn into daily practice.

After 25 years in leadership roles in business-to-business technology, Karen changed her life by serving and guiding the transformation of others. Since 2007, she’s been coaching, consulting, and facilitating leadership workshops for organizations such as Pfizer, Cisco Systems, Hewlett Packard, and Medtronic, as well as small to medium businesses

Today, Karen’s practice focuses on deep one-on-one coaching with high-performing executives, entrepreneurs, and executive coaches who are committed to their success, ready to uncover their hidden potential and make their own unique difference in the world. She’s the co-author of three books; and in her interview, we focused on her latest, How to Get the Most Out of Coaching, A Client’s Guide for Optimizing the Coaching Experience.

You’ll discover:

The benefits Karen has experienced herself by working with different coaches since 2007
The distinction between goal-line and soul-line and how the two work together
What it means to be coachable
Why it’s so critical to have an agreement related to each person’s commitment to the coaching process
The kinds of actions that are important immediately before and after the coaching session

Watch the episode:

Connect with Karen

Karen’s Resources

Website

Karen Davis Coaching

Books

How to Get the Most Out of Coaching

When All Boats Rise

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