What’s up, everyone! 👋🏻

A big shoutout to everyone who wrote in with feedback on the last newsletter. We’re always listening to suggestions and are working on some exciting things, so stay tuned.

To quickly recap: I’m Scott Leese, and you’re reading my rebranded, reimagined newsletter: The Leese Effect. Twice every month, we’ll be diving into the strategies, insights, and sales stories shaping today’s business world. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur/sales leader or just starting out, there will be something in here for everyone to use. The aim is to be a go-to resource for actionable advice, industry trends, and the inspiration you need to reach your goals.

P.S. Did someone forward you this email? Subscribe here for free.

Today's Big Thought: An Effective Leader = An Effective Organization

We’re in the middle of a B2B crisis; poor sales leadership is everywhere.

Managers have lost the ability to manage. They don’t have time, they don’t have the resources, they get stuck in admin tasks every day …

And guess who feels the brunt of that? Their teams.

How can reps stay motivated when what they hear (and feel) is pressure, ever-growing expectations for pipeline and quota, and lack of support from their bosses?

So – I want to talk about some (more effective) ways to keep your sales team fired up and aligned.

These might not be your “typical” motivational tips — but we’re going beyond the surface here. Because the reality of managing your team in the present day is that it’s going to take more than virtual happy hours.

Take Time to KNOW Your Team

Forget about quotas for a second. Think about each person on your team. What’s driving each and every one of them personally? Do they want to buy a house? Save for dream vacations? Be retired by forty?

Whatever it is, help them connect their sales targets to their personal goals. When people see how their work can make their personal dreams come true, motivation will skyrocket.

One Goal for All

We all know about the sales and marketing beef. Different departments, different revenue goals, different needs. So I say: get rid of MQLs and SQLs. Create one target for everyone to work towards. Unifying cuts down on friction and gets everyone pulling in the same direction.

Clear the Path

Stop micromanaging! Are you one of those leaders who swears up and down they’re “not a micromanager”? If you’re saying “yes” in your head — there’s a good chance you’re one of them. I’m sorry! I don’t make the rules. Unfortunately, managers have a lot on their plates these days. And for many of them? They weren’t trained how to properly manage (and trust) their teams.

Instead of micromanaging, start asking your team what’s blocking their progress. Maybe it’s a process issue or maybe it’s a resource they need. Either way, figure out the roadblocks and help remove them. When your team feels supported, their productivity follows.

Embrace Failure

Failure’s a part of the game. Encourage your team to build off of every failure they have. Prepare for them, learn from them, model how to move forward, and keep going. If your team feels supported enough to fail, that mindset shift alone will make them more resilient and ready to tackle the next challenge.

Mentorship

How are you creating ongoing support and mentorship for your team? Are you staying consistent with your 1:1s or do they get canceled more often than they get held? Whatever the case may be: regular check-ins make a huge difference. Help your team grow, not just professionally — but personally, too. Continuous support builds a culture of learning and development.

Sales management is about prioritizing your people. Unfortunately, with the changes in SaaS over the last year or so, managers have been less and less able to embrace a team-first mindset. They’ve fallen victim to the needs of THEIR bosses – or the board, or their revenue targets – so much so that sellers have lost a huge chunk of support.

If you’re in a position of team leadership? It’s time to focus on the people powering your pipeline. Create a sales team that’s not just motivated, but are empowered and ready to crush company goals, so they can crush theirs.

That’s it for today. Any questions or feedback? Just hit reply.

Until next time,

– SL