Scared of change? So, what?
July 7th, 2023 by Nick de CentGrant van Ulbrich is Global Director of Sales Transformation at Royal Caribbean Group. His learning journey has taken him via a Master’s in Leading Sales Transformation to a doctorate in sales transformation, a new book, and the creation of a bespoke model for personal change. Q: What motivated you to create a new personal change model for sales? A: I…
Master storyteller
November 9th, 2020 by Journal Of Sales TransformationSAP’s Waldemar Adams explains that compelling storytelling is not just for customer communications – it’s vital when communicating internally. Storytelling is enriching the pure facts to add the purpose, to build alignment, and also to forge a communication which lasts, that people can remember and recall, and create an emotion. A long time ago in Germany, a young Waldemar Adams…
The gift of professional burnout
December 13th, 2019 by Deirdre Coleman (CEO Self.ly)Ian Helps discusses how burnout forced him to reassess his life and priorities his health. Positivity transforms us for the better. By opening our hearts and minds, positive emotions allow us to discover and build new skills, new ties, new knowledge and new ways of being. – Barbara Fredrickson, Positivity Half a million people in the UK suffer from work-related…
Pushing boundaries
December 13th, 2019 by Nick de CentSAP’s Manal Siddiqui discusses cricket, qualification and his career. Manal Siddiqui has an infectious enthusiasm for cricket and work, these probably being the two things he loves most in the world, aside from his family. Indeed, when pressed, the former under-19 UAE international cricketer jokes: “Cricket is my first love, you know; that’s what I keep telling my wife, ‘You…
Transformation is emotional
December 13th, 2019 by Nick de CentDavid Norris explains how participation in the Leading Sales Transformation Masters programme is reinforcing an ethos of continuous improvement at industrial giant SKF. Like most companies, bearings, seals, lubrication and rotating equipment systems specialists SKF operates an annual performance review system. At an individual review, David Norris, Sales Director United Kingdom & Ireland, presented his manager with an outline development…
Debunking the myths about the future of sales
June 25th, 2019 by Deirdre ColemanA Harvard Business School professor’s insights into the science of sales. In this interview with Deirdre Coleman, Frank Cespedes, Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School, dispels the myths surrounding technology’s impact on the future of sales and why the need to rethink sales also means rethinking sales leadership. He considers the social and financial impact of sales productivity, and stresses…
Courage and curiosity
June 25th, 2019 by Nick de CentNilgün Atasoy’s wide experience, open mindset and empathetic approach have opened doors in her career. Nilgün Atasoy specialises in expanding horizons. From her multicultural upbringing to her progression in the traditionally male-dominated technology sector, to her trailblazing role as one of SAP’s first female salespeople in the Middle East and a pioneering woman sales manager in Eastern Europe, she has…
Blazing the trail for women sales leaders in technology
June 25th, 2019 by Nick de CentDutch ICT Woman of the Year, Monic van Aarle is a sales director working with a diverse range of SAP’s customers in the Netherlands. Monic van Aarle has been working at SAP for 15 years and in sales for a total of 37 years – which stacks up to a significant amount of experience. Starting her career in marketing, she…
Achieving mastery
December 18th, 2018 by Journal Of Sales TransformationParticipating in a Masters programme is a significant commitment. We asked two leaders about their journey. “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers” Stephen Gaskell is Director E-Commerce, Retail & Distribution at SONY Mobile. A member of SONY’s leadership programme, he has been on a journey of transformation in establishing his business unit within SONY Mobile. He…
The ambiguity advantage
September 21st, 2018 by Journal Of Sales TransformationFor Camilla Harder Hartvig, the single trait that has defined her successful leadership has been a willingness to address uncertainty and get comfortable with it. She shares how she’s learned to transform complexity and ambiguity into something that creates enduring value. Some of the most important leadership lessons learned by Camilla Harder Hartvig were forged in the crucible of calamity….
Be prepared for a rollercoaster
May 17th, 2018 by Deirdre ColemanDual WISA award winner, Emma-Leigh Waters only started her career in sales two years ago after a move from finance. Here, she talks about the value of accelerated and experiential learning, how resilient salespeople think, and how trusting the process and finding balance have worked for her. Fresh from scoring her double whammy win at the Women in Sales Awards…
Hear my voice: lessons in inclusive leadership
March 5th, 2018 by Deirdre ColemanFor Samantha Wessels diversity and inclusion is a business imperative. Here she explains why she is passionate about getting more women into sales and specifically into technology. If you haven’t mastered operations you’re going to suffer. Effective sales operations is an essential component for effective sales management. Sales is at the forefront of the organisation, and can drive organisational transformation…
Creating value with hybrid IT
December 13th, 2017 by Deirdre ColemanHewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is building its strategy around the proposition that the right mix of private cloud, public cloud, managed cloud and traditional IT infrastructure will play a pivotal role in speeding innovation and growth. HPE is currently in the midst of transforming itself, reflecting the IT industry’s evolution from selling standardized hardware and software to providing more flexible,…
Collaborating to change
January 28th, 2017 by Nick de CentSome 18 months ago, BT Global Services set out on a major programme of sales and marketing transformation. We talk to Chris Blundell about the story so far. There was a time when Chris Blundell spent his time driving from customer to customer in a yellow van – back in the day Blundell was a telecom engineer. Now, however, his…
Born to transform
January 28th, 2017 by Deirdre ColemanIncoming Executive VP & President of International Business at Allergan, Marc Princen is invigorated by what he does best – building and transforming businesses – and he’s about to apply his extensive leadership experience in his new role in the medical aesthetics, eye care, GI and neurology space. Marc Princen is a newbie having just taken up his position with…
From sales to leadership
September 3rd, 2016 by Deirdre ColemanTim Walbert, CEO, Horizon Pharma, explains how doing right by the patient can still lead to significant profits, but hiring the right sort of sales representatives is crucial. Tim Walbert helped to launch two of the world’s biggest-selling drugs, Humira and Celebrex, and is now in charge of a $3 billion company with big ambitions – plus he knows what…
Listen, validate, inspire
April 7th, 2016 by Chris AlderJim Steele, President of Worldwide Sales and Chief Customer Officer of InsideSales.com talks about the use of cutting-edge science to accelerate sales for some of the world’s top companies. To have the chance of one “rocket ride” to success in a career is exciting enough. But Jim Steele, Chief Customer Officer of Provo, Utah headquartered InsideSales.com is now riding his…
Differentiation in a crowded market
January 28th, 2016 by Nick de CentSony Mobile account director Sarah Edge recently received the “Best woman in technology sales” accolade at the 2015 Women in Sales Awards. Her career has spanned the breadth of marketing, procurement and, more recently, sales. Last December, at a London’s plush Savoy hotel, Sarah Edge was delighted to learn her hard work was being recognised when she was named winner…
Hard yards
July 5th, 2015 by Dr Philip Squire and Chris AlderHead of sales for global snacks company Mondelez International, Andy Tosney talks about how simplification and standardisation of sales processes is transforming the organisation and delivering a powerful boost to company revenues. Andy Tosney is passionate about what he does…. “I’ve never had a day in my life when I’ve woken up and not wanted to go to work. I…
You lead to serve
April 7th, 2015 by Nick de CentEMC vice-president and one of the driving forces behind the Association of Professional Sales, Andy Hough talks about leadership, career development and his aspirations for the sales profession. You lead to serve – this key principle has guided Andy Hough throughout his career, and it’s one that he has sought to demonstrate right from the outset, even while participating in…