13. Emma Carpenter: motivation, under-performance, and relationships

About

Emma Carpenter is currently SVP Recurring Revenue Acceleration at Cisco. She has an illustrious record of achievement working for major vendors such as Nortel, Avaya, Palo Alto Networks and Cisco twice. Originally from the United Kingdom, Emma has lived and worked in the United States for over twelve years mostly in roles with global responsibility.

Summary

In this episode, Emma shares her journey into sales leadership, emphasizing the importance of building relationships, motivating teams, and providing constructive feedback. She discusses the key attributes necessary for effective leadership, the challenges of managing underperformance, and the significance of creating a positive team culture. Emma highlights that leadership is not just about skills but also about passion and the ability to inspire others. 

Emma shares her insights on leadership, focusing on the importance of nurturing high performers, building strong relationships, and the critical role of networking. She emphasizes the need for trust in business relationships and the value of face-to-face meetings in establishing deeper connections. Emma discusses maintaining personal energy and offers advice for new sales managers, highlighting the significance of learning from mistakes and celebrating team successes.

Key Takeaways

·   Leadership is about relationships and building trust.

·   Motivation comes from understanding individual team members' needs.

·   Feedback should be balanced and constructive.

·   Not everyone is suited for leadership roles.

·   Creating a positive team culture is essential for success.

·   Regular one-on-one meetings are foundational for team dynamics.

·   Leaders must model the behavior they expect from their teams.

·   Listening is a critical skill for effective leadership.

·   Setting clear expectations is vital for team performance.

·   Addressing underperformance quickly is necessary for team health. 

·   Focus on the top and middle performers for maximum impact.

·   Building relationships is foundational to success in business.

·   Energy breeds energy; positivity is contagious.

·   Self-care is essential for effective leadership.

·   Trust is crucial in business relationships.

·   Networking should be an ongoing effort.

·   Face-to-face meetings strengthen connections.

·   Quick decision-making is vital for team culture.

·   Celebrate team successes to foster motivation.

·   Be willing to step out of your comfort zone. 

Sound Bites

"People buy from people they like."

"Not everybody's suitable to leadership."

"It's about the rigor that you set up."

"Feedback is a gift."

"Focus on the top and the middle."

"Energy breeds energy, it breeds success."

"You're doing it for a reason."

"You're only as good as your team."

"Make decisions quickly and move on."

"It's all about what they did."

"Be disruptive to yourself."

 Keywords

leadership, sales management, motivation, team dynamics, feedback, personal development, coaching, underperformance, positive culture, sales leadership, leadership, sales management, high performers, networking, trust, relationships, personal energy, mistakes, team success

 References

Emma referenced three great books during our conversation:

·       Positive Intelligence, by Shirzad Chamine

·       Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, by Angela Duckworth

·       The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg