What’s up, everyone! 👋🏻

Being a killer sales leader isn’t about titles or fancy playbooks; it’s about what you bring to the table every day. But what separates high performers from the rest? Hint: it’s not about flashy tricks or chasing numbers just for the sake of it.

Truly GREAT sales leadership is about showing up with traits that drive sustainable success for their team, their employees futures, their company, and ultimately? For themselves.

It takes adaptability. Coachability. Emotional intelligence. Resilience …

1 | Adaptability

High performers don’t cling to old strategies when the ground starts shifting beneath them.

• Markets, industries, trends, customer needs—they’re always changing. Top leaders that are built differently than the rest navigate uncertainty with ease.
• They’re quick to adjust their approach after acknowledging they tried something that might not have worked out, and they help their teams stay resilient and proactive in times that might feel a little uncertain. The goal is building a culture that thrives even if there’s chaos all around you.
• And if you show that you’re adaptable as a leader? Your people will follow suit because they’ll learn they can pivot, too. That confidence alone makes for a force to be reckoned with on the sales floor.

Takeway: If you’re the type who thrives on your ability to think on your feet, put yourself in situations that push those limits. Adapt to the market, adapt to your team’s needs, adapt to what customers are telling you. Whatever you do: don’t be too rigid in your thinking. The ability to change quickly while being calm as ever will give you ten legs up.

2 | Emotional Intelligence

EQ’s not about being too “soft” or too “nice”—it’s about tuning in to people’s behaviors and motivations on your team.

• Being a memorable, exceptional leader is about being vulnerable with your people and allowing them to do the same.
• High-performing leaders read the room and understand why a rep might be dragging or why a deal isn’t moving forward. They know their own emotional blind spots and aren’t afraid to dig in to learn how to make better choices in the future.
• Sales floors everywhere are always filled with unique personalities—use EQ to your advantage so you can help bring out the best in them. They might be working for you but I promise you, if you do the work and ask what truly motivates them in working hard, the answers will not only surprise you, but they’ll help motivate YOU to work harder for them.

Takeaway: Listen more than you talk. Ask questions beyond surface level. Understand what drives each member of your team and be willing to adapt based on the answers you get. I STILL get people who reach out today thanking me for how we worked together back in the day. And that comes down to caring about each and every single person on your team, outside of seeing them as a cog in a revenue target.

3 | Coachability

There’s a big misconception that great leaders don’t need coaching—that they’ve “made it.” Pfft. Screw that.

• The best leaders in my opinion are always learning. Always striving to be better. Being humble enough to know they have things to work on.
• They’re open to feedback, and they actively look for ways to level up. Coachability is about taking a step back to see the spaces you have to improve, and diving into them. It doesn’t mean you’re unsure of yourself; it means you know there’s no end to growth and learning, especially in sales.

Takeaway: Find mentors who will tell you the hard truths. Or colleagues, even. Ask peers what you can work on, and don’t just listen—implement it quickly. The best leaders I know have big egos but aren’t afraid to put them aside when they need to.

4 | Resilience

In sales, you hear “no” more than you hear “yes.” High-performing leaders aren’t blown to pieces by “no” and they don’t just accept it—they fuel themselves with it.

• Resilience is being able to pick yourself up after a loss, a failed quarter, a rough meeting … whatever it may be.
• Leaders don’t shy away from setbacks; they dig into the lessons and come back stronger. But every single time your team sees you handle the pressure and rejection, it becomes a part of their DNA too.

Takeaway: Start seeing every rejection as an opportunity. This is all about mindshifting. You set the tone for how you handle challenges; then your team will follow suit.

Final thoughts

Which of these do you think you need to work on? How can I help you become a leader who leaves a larger-than-life impression on your team? What things do you want help understanding or working on?

I want to know—and I’m here to help. Just reply to this email to get a convo started.

You got this.

– SL