Leader Playbooks - Tony Rodoni - Coach2Scale - Episode # 049

Coach2Scale: How Modern Leaders Build A Coaching Culture

In this insightful episode, Matt sits down with Tony Rodoni, a revered sales leader and operating partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, to discuss the nuances of successful sales leadership. Tony shares his thoughts on the importance of empowering teams, documenting guiding principles, and the pitfalls of micromanagement. They explore myths in sales coaching, the dynamics of talent magnets and coaching trees, essential leadership lessons, and the evolving role of AI in sales. Tony also delves into situational leadership, the significance of having a system or playbook, and how embracing new tools can be a game-changer for sales professionals.

Takeaways:

~ Empower Your People: Tony Rodoni emphasizes the importance of empowering your team. Allow them to take ownership of their deals and decisions. This fosters a sense of responsibility and confidence among team members.

~ Write Down Your Process: Document your guiding principles, playbooks, and strategies. Writing things down not only clarifies your thoughts but also serves as a valuable reference for others. It distinguishes leaders who think they know their process from those who have a structured approach.

~ Know When to Be Directive and When to Coach: Situational leadership is key. For junior members who lack experience, be more directive. For seasoned professionals, adopt the Socratic method of asking questions to guide them to their own solutions.

~ Always Be Recruiting: Even if your team is full, continue networking and recruiting talent. Team dynamics and needs can change quickly due to promotions or attritions. Maintaining a pipeline of potential talent ensures you're never caught off guard.

~ Align on Decisions and Commit: When a decision is made, commit fully to it—even if you initially disagreed. Ensuring that your team works cohesively towards the same goal is essential for effective execution and achieving success.

~ Focus on Inputs, Not Just Outcomes: It's easy to get fixated on meeting targets and quotas, but the real focus should be on the daily inputs and processes that lead to those outcomes. Maintaining a consistent and efficient process will drive long-term success.

~ Value and Develop Relationships: Building relationships is crucial for any leader. Whether it's within your team or with clients, strong relationships pave the way for effective communication, trust, and collaboration.

Quote of the Show:

• “You must understand your values because it helps you align better with your company's values.” - Tony Rodoni

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyrodoni/
• Website: https://www.bvp.com/
• Book Link: The Sales Leader They Need: Five Critical Skills to Unlock Your Team's Potential: Priemer, David, Rodoni, Tony: 9781774584910: Amazon.com: Books

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Yb1wPzUxyrfR0Dx35ym1A
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coach2scale-how-modern-leaders-build-a-coaching-culture/id1699901434
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL2NvYWNoMnNjYWxlLWhvdy1tb2Rlcm4tbGVhZGVycy1idWlsZC1hLWNvYWNoaW5nLWN1bHR1cmU
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fd188af6-7c17-4b2e-a0b2-196ecd6fdf77
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/coach2scale-how-modern-leaders-5419703
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Coach2Scale

CoachEm™ is the first Coaching Execution Platform that integrates deep learning technology to proactively analyze patterns, highlight the "why" behind the data with root causes, and identify the actions that will ultimately improve business results going forward. These practical coaching recommendations for managers will help their teams drive more deals, bigger deals, faster deals and loyal customers. Built with decades of go-to-market experience, world-renowned data scientists and advanced causal AI/ML technology, CoachEm™ leverages your existing tech stack to increase rep productivity, increase retention, and replicate best practices across your team.

Learn more at coachem.io