Delivering Tomorrow’s Growth Today: Rhonda Henley’s Leadership Mission

08/07/24 • 32 min

The "Dear Future CRO" Podcast by GrowthQ

GrowthQ Community, join us for an inspiring episode of the Dear Future CRO Podcast with Rhonda Henley, Vice President of America's Partner Sales at Cisco. Rhonda shares valuable insights from her remarkable career journey, discussing the importance of setting clear expectations, seeking feedback, and understanding what success looks like in a new role. She also delves into daily routines, productivity hacks, and the significance of accountability and staying true to oneself. Rhonda's candid reflections on missed opportunities and the constant pursuit of learning and growth offer powerful lessons for anyone navigating their career path. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from Rhonda's experiences and wisdom. Head over to the Dear Future CRO Podcast powered by GrowthQ to catch the full episode now!
Rhonda's Bio: Rhonda Henley is the Vice President of Americas Partner Sales at Cisco, leading partners across the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. Her team is focused on delivering exceptional customer experiences and driving growth through strategic partnerships. Prior to her current role, Rhonda held various leadership positions within Cisco's Global Partner & Routes to Market Sales Organization. Before joining Cisco, she worked in sales, services, and operations at AT&T and Lucent Technologies. Rhonda holds a Master of Science in Organizational Development from American University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the University of Maryland. She is passionate about developing early-in-career talent and invests in coaching and mentoring both within Cisco and through community organizations.
Timestamp Topics

00:00 Professional admiration with a touch of restraint.

05:22 Moved to IBM, pivotal role in leadership.

09:33 Be clear on expectations; seek feedback.

10:34 Prioritize tasks, set clear expectations, and listen.

14:09 Prioritize partner and customer issues for growth.

19:39 Focus on business, not just working in it.

23:06 Expressing conviction, refusing to downplay past experiences.

23:55 Opportunities arise to learn and grow.

27:02 Sales leadership team learning from exposure and experience.

30:22 Future CRO, always choose improvement over bitterness.

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00:00 Professional admiration with a touch of restraint.

05:22 Moved to IBM, pivotal role in leadership.

09:33 Be clear on expectations; seek feedback.

10:34 Prioritize tasks, set clear expectations, and listen.

14:09 Prioritize partner and customer issues for growth.

19:39 Focus on business, not just working in it.

23:06 Expressing conviction, refusing to downplay past experiences.

23:55 Opportunities arise to learn and grow.

27:02 Sales leadership team learning from exposure and experience.

30:22 Future CRO, always choose improvement over bitterness.

Previous Episode

Kelly Wright on Driving Sales Success with Culture Driven Sales

Welcome to the Dear Future CRO Podcast powered by GrowthQ. In today's enlightening session with Kelly Breslin Wright, we dove deep into the heart of transformative sales and the power of a people-first approach. Kelly's journey, from door-to-door book sales to the pinnacle of tech industry disruption, highlights the essential blend of passion, perseverance, and people skills needed to excel in this ever-changing landscape. By championing a culture-driven sales strategy, Kelly reminds us that aligning with a company's mission and vision isn't just good practice, it's imperative for success.
Stay tuned, reach out, and remember—the story we sell is as crucial as the product itself. Connect, inspire, and lead with belief. See you at the top, future CROs!

If you want to connect with Kelly after the podcast, you can find her at culturedrivensales.com and on LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/kellybreslinwright.

Next Episode

Allison's Journey: Embracing Vulnerability and Authenticity in Leadership

GrowthQ Community, in this insightful session with the amazing Allison West Hughes, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft, Allison shares her transformative journey of embracing vulnerability and authenticity in her leadership style, thanks to the groundbreaking work of Brene Brown. We dove deep into the challenges and rewards of uncovering, the importancei of embracing your authentic self, being open about personal struggles, like disabilities, in the workplace and being intentional about what support and accommodations looks like.. Allison's experiences at Microsoft, Oracle, Cisco, Telcos, and ServiceNow taught her invaluable lessons about building trust, optimizing sales, and navigating complex stakeholder dynamics. Her resilience and intentional approach to professional development are truly inspiring. Allison's advice for future CROs? Embrace patience, enjoy the ride, and cultivate strategic partnerships within your organization. Trust me, you don't want to miss out on the wisdom she dropped in this session. Head over to the Dear Future CRO Podcast powered by GrowthQ to catch the full episode now!

Timestamp Topics

00:00 Resilience is my superpower in career setbacks.

05:33 Excitedly explored technology, then transitioned to leadership.

08:04 ServiceNow growth, leaders' impact, career development opportunity.

12:36 Overcoming disability fear to seek global role.

15:48 Microsoft launched new roles, hired 500 sellers.

19:45 Microsoft's seasonal operations and travel for planning.

20:52 Satya emphasizes growth, innovation, and global diversity.

24:06 Global role at Servicenow expanded my mindset.

29:06 Embrace mistakes, acknowledge, apologize, and improve leadership.

32:12 Intentional career development through reading and curiosity.

34:21 Encourage future leaders to enjoy the journey and develop critical cross-stakeholder partnerships.