The Sales Leadership Show

Leadership is the topic du jour, and few people know it as well as Peter Barron Stark. I've been fortunate enough to spend time with Peter at several National Speaker's Association conferences, and his quietly insightful way of sharing things always leaves me smarter, and wanting more time with him. He is the co-author of Why Leaders Fail with past guest Mary Kelly, which you can listen to here, as well as The Only Leadership Book You'll Ever Need: How to Build Organizations Where Employees Love to Come to Work and coming in 2017, The Only Negotiation Guide You'll Ever Need:101 Ways to Win Every Time, in Every Situation.

To say I got to converse with a master of leadership is an understatement. Peter is straight to the point, with actionable insights, and shares things we can all do to be a better leader.

What I like best about Peter is though he has probably forgotten more about leadership than most will ever hope to know, he is humble and willing to learn from others, as evidenced by his company, and the fact that many of his books have a co-author, which takes his work to another level.

Peter Barron Stark, President of Peter Barron Stark Companies, is a consultant, coach, speaker, author and co-creator of The Manager’s Toolkit. Peter is one of only a handful of speakers to hold the prestigious dual designation of Accredited Speaker from Toastmaster’s International and the Certified Speaking Professional from the National Speaker’s Association.

Over the past twenty years, organizations around the world have called upon Peter to transform their cultures and maximize the effectiveness of their leaders. He has coached more than 400 executives, managers and supervisors on the art of leading people. Peter specializes in helping leaders improve their communication skills, build stronger relationships, hold direct reports accountable and build a reputation for delivering superior results.

He has been published worldwide in over 300 articles, has written ten books, and created The Manager’s Toolkit, a subscription-based website to help turn managers into leaders. Peter’s expertise has been featured by American Executive, Investor’s Business Daily, The New York Times, CNN, Bloomberg, Inc.com and USA Today.

• Read Peter's Blog
  
• Watch Peter's leadership videos (there are MANY to choose from and learn from Peter on)
• Connect with Peter on Twitter
  

Is cold calling dead? Not on your life says Tibor Shanto! Listen to him share all his best insights on sales and cold calling.

Introduction:In this enlightening episode of Happy AF Show, Phil Gerbyshak sits down with renowned author and efficiency expert, Andrew Mellen, to delve into the themes of his latest book, "Calling B******t on Busy." Known for his insightful and practical advice, Mellen shares his unique perspectives on productivity, time management, and the modern myth of being perpetually busy.

Two quotes worth considering:

Andrew Mellen on Embracing Introversion in a Busy World:"As a major introvert, I've learned that success isn't about constantly pushing against your nature, but rather understanding and working with it. Even in our fast-paced, 'always-on' culture, there's immense power in stepping back, reflecting, and choosing engagements that truly matter."

Phil Gerbyshak on the Illusion of Busyness:"In our pursuit of success, we often fall into the trap of equating busyness with productivity. But as Andrew brilliantly points out, it's not about how many hours we fill; it's about the impact of what we do in those hours. That's a game-changer in the way we approach our work and life."

Main Discussion: 1. The Myth of Busy: - Mellen begins by challenging the common notion that being busy equates to being productive. He articulates how this misconception leads to a counterproductive cycle of stress and inefficiency. - Phil resonates with this, discussing how in the sales and consultancy field, the 'busy badge' is often mistakenly worn as a mark of success.2. Introversion and Interaction: - Mellen shares personal anecdotes, revealing his major introverted nature. He discusses the challenges he faced in communicating with others, particularly in unfamiliar situations. - He highlights how introverts can effectively manage their energy and engage in meaningful interactions without feeling overwhelmed.3. Asking for Help: - A significant portion of the discussion revolves around the discomfort many people feel when asking for help. Mellen provides practical strategies to overcome this barrier.4. Efficiency Vs. Effectiveness: - Mellen distinguishes between being efficient and being effective. He suggests that prioritizing effectiveness leads to more meaningful productivity. - Phil and Mellen engage in a thought-provoking dialogue about how this concept applies in various professional scenarios, including sales and consulting.5. Implementing Mellen's Advice: - Mellen offers actionable steps from his book that listeners can implement to call out their own 'busy b******t'. - Phil reflects on these strategies, discussing how they can be integrated into daily routines for better personal and professional outcomes.Conclusion:The episode wraps up with Mellen providing a succinct summary of the key takeaways from his book and the discussion. Phil thanks Andrew Mellen for his valuable insights and shares how the conversation has offered a fresh perspective on managing busyness in a productive and healthy way.Get a copy of Andrew's book Calling B******t on Busy and learn more from him on his website.

Welcome back to The Sales Leader Show, where we bring you the best of the best in sales leadership. And boy, do we have a treat for you today! Our guest is none other than Wayne Turmel, co-author of the amazing book, "The Long-Distance Team: Designing Your Team for Everyone's Success."

Now, we know that creating a long distance team can be a daunting task. There are so many things to consider, like communication, collaboration, trust, and accountability. But fear not, my friends! Wayne has got us covered.

Instead of giving us a long list of best practices to follow, Wayne shared a series of best questions to ask ourselves before we go about creating a long distance team. And let me tell you, these questions are pure gold!

First up, Wayne asked us to consider why we want to create a long distance team in the first place. Is it to save money on office space? To access a wider talent pool? To improve work-life balance for our team members? Knowing our motivation for creating a long distance team can help us make better decisions about how to design it.

Next, Wayne urged us to think about our team members' needs and preferences. Do they prefer working from home or from a co-working space? Are they comfortable with technology, or do they need extra training? What kind of communication and collaboration tools do they prefer? Understanding our team members' needs can help us create a long distance team that works for everyone.

Wayne also encouraged us to consider our team's culture and values. How do we create a sense of community and belonging when our team members are scattered across different locations? How do we ensure that everyone is aligned with our mission and goals? How do we maintain accountability and trust? By answering these questions, we can create a long distance team that feels like a cohesive unit, even if we're miles apart.

And finally, Wayne reminded us to be flexible and adaptable. Creating a long distance team is an ongoing process, and we need to be willing to experiment, learn, and adjust as we go. We need to be open to feedback from our team members and willing to make changes when things aren't working.

So there you have it, folks! Some of the best questions to ask yourself before creating a long distance team, courtesy of the amazing Wayne Turmel. We hope you found this episode as helpful and insightful as we did. Tune in next time for more great content on The Sales Leader Show!

Episode Summary of Reunion: Leadership and the Longing to Belong with Jerry Colonna

• Leadership, growth, and overcoming fear. 0:02
  • Jerry Colonna and Phil Gerbyshak share advice they received early in their careers, with Jerry's father's "more ash shows" advice leading to boldness and Phil's boss's warning of limited career growth proving to be motivation for success.
  
  


• The speaker reflects on the experience with the lens of age and now sees that the boss was experiencing fear and disconnection from the company's needs.


• Personal growth and healing through recognizing shared experiences. 4:54
  • Jerry reflects on their childhood and how their father's fearfulness and lack of standing up for themselves influenced their desire to leave their hometown and create a new life.
  
  
  • Phil shares their own experience of leaving their hometown at 18 to join the Navy, and how they now recognize the importance of reconciling with their past and reuniting with parts of themselves they escaped.
  
  
  • Leaders recognize shared universal experience of longing to belong, heal gaps in self and others.
  
  
  
  


• Immigration and ancestry. 11:31
  • Phil reflects on his grandparents' immigration story and early life in America.
  
  
  • Jerry reflects on the bravery of immigrants who left behind traumatic experiences to start anew in a foreign land.
  
  
  • Jerry shares personal experience of immigration and highlights lack of political action to address the issue.
  
  
  • Jerry reflects on the importance of acknowledging one's ancestry and cultural heritage in personal and professional settings.
  
  
  
  


• Leadership, empathy, and personal growth. 20:06
  • Ancestors' trauma response: don't talk about it, anglicize names, and be grateful for landing, but recognize community support.
  
  
  • Phil and Jerry discuss the importance of empathy and vulnerability in overcoming division and divisiveness, with a focus on personal experiences and authenticity.
  
  
  • Jerry emphasizes the importance of self-inquiry and personal growth for effective leadership.
  
  
  • Jerry shares his book "Reunion" and encourages others to take action.
  
  
  
  

Get your copy of Reunion: Leadership and the Longing to Belong. It's one of the most impactful, heartfelt books I read in 2023.