The Life-Changing Impact of an Intentional Leader (and the End of Fantasy Land Sales Management)

Feedback from Jeff Hancher's story in Episode 94 of how a sales manager powerfully impacted his life compelled Mike to focus again on...The Life-Changing Impact of an Intentional Leader. After receiving so many stories from listeners about leaders who changed the trajectory of their lives, Mike shares a few of his own — highlighting the intentional investment others made in him that left a lasting impact — along with a reminder from Chapter 9 in his latest book: Managers (particularly sales managers) take up way more emotional and mental bandwidth in their people’s hearts and minds than they typically realize or appreciate.    Mike concludes the episode with a few takeaways from recent conversations with senior sales leaders in tech and SaaS companies — most notably that the days of “Fantasy Land” sales management are over, and that both managers and sales reps need to stop looking longingly back to 2021 and 2022 wishing things were easier. Those days are over (and have been for a while), and it is past due time to replace fantasizing with a focus on the fundamentals.     RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:   Episode 95 with Jeff Hancher    Firm Feedback in a Fragile World  (now a National Bestseller!)

Episode 94 is a special one for several reasons, not the least of which is that it’s the first show where the guest made Mike cry! You will be challenged listening to this interview with Mike’s friend, sales executive extraordinaire and leadership guru Jeff Hancher, who shares his personal journey from pain and poverty to powerful purpose.  Jeff’s story of resilience and how sales changed the trajectory of his life will remind many listeners of why we got into the sales profession in the first place. And every sales leader will benefit hearing about Jeff’s rise through the ranks and the transformational leadership lessons learned along the way – particularly the critically important ability for leaders to give Firm Feedback in a Fragile World (which also happens to be the title of Jeff’s amazing new book). Be sure to take particular note of the segment (starting at the 17:30 mark) that Mike refers to as the greatest five-minute leadership sermon he’s ever heard as Jeff expands on the book’s promise: “how to build a winning culture with critical conversations.”  Lean in as Jeff exhorts listeners on the resulting benefits when leaders properly balance making deep deposits that earn the right to make big withdrawals.  RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Firm Feedback in a Fragile World: How to Build a Winning Culture with Critical Conversations Jeff Hancher    This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

Today’s special guest, Ahson Wardak, made such an impression at a recent Supercharge Your Sales Leadership event that Mike had to have him on the show! Ahson was recently promoted to regional vice president after an incredible run as a top-performing individual contributor.  Listen in to hear what a true large account, large deal sales rockstar sounds like. Enjoy Ahson’s contrarian take on the widely accepted sales adage that "people buy from people they like” and pay particular attention how he balances two critical, yet contradictory, success factors for enterprise selling: being patient AND proactive. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: How “Hannah the Hunter” Achieved a Blowout Year and Breakthrough Sales Success episode Mike’s 12-year bestseller, New Sales. Simplified. The September 4-5 Supercharge Your Sales Leadership event    This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg  

In Episode 92 Mike doesn’t hold back sharing two takeaways from a recent multi-day speaking and sales training engagement in Las Vegas and then he absolutely unloads on the recent changes at Southwest Airlines. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Southwest Airlines Spirit Magazine Freedom Story featuring Mike The Upcoming September 2025 Supercharge Your Sales Leadership Event New Sales. Simplified. Chapter 14 - Planning & Executing the New Business Development Sales Attack   This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

In Episode 91 Mike unpacks two recent personal experiences and one seller/buyer “conflict” to demonstrate that PERSPECTIVE IS EVERYTHING! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: The Micah Project Honduras The June 3 Supercharge Your Sales Leadership event ______________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

The response to “Hannah the Hunter” sharing the simple tweaks she made to transform her results in the previous episode was so overwhelming (30% more listens/downloads in the first week after release than any other episode), Mike was compelled to dedicate Episode 90 to further unpacking the sales gems Hannah so beautifully articulated.  Listen in as Mike shares his take (and takeaways) on these three critical areas where Hannah’s slight adjustments produced outsized results: Better Mindset (and motivation) Better Ownership of Sales Process (particularly during sales calls, demos, and presentations) Better Control of the Calendar In addition, Mike challenges sales leaders with the examples Hannah shared about how her managers pushed her, challenged her, calmed her, encouraged her, prepared her, and practiced with her — all of which contributed to her breakthrough success. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: The free guide with the fastest way to increase accountability, reduce complacency, and build a high-performance sales culture  New Sales. Simplified. - Mike’s 12-year bestseller __________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg  

2024 was record sales year for Hannah Romell… And this an episode like no other! “Hannah the Hunter” (as she refers to herself) is the first person Mike has hosted not having spoken to the guest before the show. She got his attention with a LinkedIn post sharing her gratitude and excitement about her breakout year. Tune in to hear firsthand how Hannah adopted a handful of simple, yet transformational, changes following a New Sales. Simplified. workshop that made a world of difference: How Hannah’s view of herself as a sales professional and the realization that sales is a noble profession motivated her to be more assertive How more effectively structuring sales calls and presentations and how saying and showing less, simplified things for prospects and increased her effectiveness and win-rates How her managers not only encouraged her, but also raised her game with challenging role-play practice sessions How she took back control of her calendar and became radically focused on the only three sales verbs that matter – Create, Advance, and Close! This may be Mike’s favorite conversation yet with a salesperson and an episode you’ll want to share with your sales team. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: June 3, 2025 Supercharge Your Sales Leadership full-day intensive New Sales. Simplified. – Mike’s 12-year bestseller ______________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg  

By popular demand, Greg Stanley returns for Episode 88. Greg was recently featured in Episode 85 where he and Mike covered a variety of topics but barely scratched the surface on compensation plans. The feedback was so positive from that conversation with many listeners specifically requesting a full episode dedicated solely to sales comp, Mike got him back on the show as quickly as possible. While Mike has been quite outspoken (in Chapter 10 in Sales Management. Simplified. and Episode 54) about his three big pet peeves regarding sales compensation (1. Plans that are too flat.  2. “Commission Annuities.” 3. Not rewarding New Sales), Greg Stanley is a true sales compensation wizard! Take a listen as Greg shares his approach and several practical, powerful tips to get your compensation plan driving the desired sales behaviors and results.ok at a salesperson’s  “revenue contribution” rather than simply looking at “revenue attribution.”  RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Accelerant Consultants Greg on LinkedIn __________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg  

In this first episode of 2025, Mike is simple and straight forward tackling one of the biggest obstacles to sales success that he is currently seeing — sales managers, salespeople, and entire sales teams who have lost sight of their primary job and lost focus on WINNING NEW SALES! Too many sellers and leaders are engaging in tension-relieving activities instead of goal-achieving activities. They’re busy but not productive. They’re distracted by lower-payoff tasks and not prioritizing the only three sales verbs that matter — Create. Advance. Close. Listen in for a refresher on the power of time-blocking high-payoff activities and the importance of identifying and eliminating “Time Draculas” — those non-revenue generating, lower-value activities that suck an exorbitant amount of sellers’ time and energy and keep them from building pipeline and closing deals. Mike concludes the episode with a helpful, practical example of a salesperson who experienced a major breakthrough simply by identifying and addressing one massive Time Dracula that was stealing his selling time. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Episode 57: The #1 Reason Your Sales Team Is Not Bringing In More New Business The New Sales. Simplified. Video Coaching Series Chapter 14 in New Sales. Simplified. Supercharge Your Sales Leadership Event _____________________________ This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

Episode 86 is packed with several of Mike’s biggest takeaways from his work in 2024.  Buckle up as he unleashes blunt observations touching on various topics including… C-Suite and corporate executives who’ve completely lost sight of the sales manager’s primary job How the “slowdown” and having to sell into economic headwinds has exposed a significant number of salespeople (who thrived “fulfilling demand” when business was dropped in their laps) lack the propensity and ability to “create demand” and new opportunities in the pipeline  The unpopular reality that the past five years of working virtually has taken its toll on the career development of sellers – particularly new salespeople whose careers started during Covid and who’ve never benefitted from working alongside more experienced sales professionals Mike then offers an exhortation for sales leaders to radically focus in three simple, specific areas to drive more NEW SALES in the year ahead. Finally, Mike wraps up inviting listeners who are interested to stay for “the episode after the episode” where he shares his gratefulness and personal reflections on a record year. ____________________________________ RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: The First-Time Manager: Sales February 19th Supercharge Your Sales Leadership Full-Day Intensive  This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg