The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

When a new salesperson starts to struggle, what's the right move?

For most sales managers, the instinct is to lean in harder: more oversight, more correction, more involvement. And that instinct makes sense. You care about results. You're accountable for the number. You don't want your new hire to fail.

But in this episode of Improving Sales Performance, Matt draws a clear line between two very different approaches and explains why crossing it can quietly undermine the very thing you're trying to build.

Why do some sales leaders seem to grow faster than others?

Most sales leaders want the same outcome: stronger teams, more consistent performance, and smarter decisions that drive revenue growth.

They attend training sessions.
They read leadership books.
They learn from experience.

Yet some leaders seem to accelerate their development far more quickly than others.

Often, the difference isn’t talent or effort.

It’s environment.

How do you onboard a new salesperson without burying them?

Hiring great sales talent is only half the battle (and often the easier half). The real challenge begins after the offer letter is signed.

In this episode of Improving Sales Performance, Matt breaks down six practical ways sales leaders can set clear expectations during those critical first 90 days without creating confusion, anxiety, or information overload.

You know what to do. So why isn't it happening?

In this episode of Improving Sales Performance, Matt chats with Janelle Grove, VP/Managing Director of The Growth Collective, to dig into the real reason execution stalls for even the most experienced sales leaders (and what it actually takes to break through).

What do the most effective sales teams intentionally do early that others leave to chance?

Sales leaders often know something isn’t working in the first 90 days of a new hire, but high-performing leaders don’t start by asking what’s broken.

They start by asking a different question: What does early success look like when it’s designed on purpose?

How can sales leaders help new hires ramp faster without sacrificing quality, confidence, or retention? 

If you’ve ever hired a promising salesperson only to watch momentum stall within their first few months, you’re not alone. Many sales leaders are asking the same question: 

Why does ramp time keep stretching longer even when we’re hiring good people?

Development is one of the strongest predictors of employee engagement and one of the clearest signals of how much an organization invests in its people.

As expectations evolve, employees are seeking learning opportunities that feel personalized, energizing, and aligned with their long-term growth.

The latest Talent Magazine highlights several key facts and trends transforming development today. Below, we explore a handful of these shifts and offer actionable insights to help organizations strengthen learning experiences, boost retention, and build cultures where people thrive.

Selecting the right talent has never been more important or more complex. Candidates expect clarity, efficiency, culture alignment, and authentic human connection. That’s why our Talent Magazine highlights the most impactful facts and trends shaping today’s selection process.

Below is a breakdown of key insights, each with contextual guidance, to help leaders improve accuracy, fairness, and overall hiring outcomes.

The idea of a Wartime CEO was made famous by tech leaders like Ben Horowitz and Andy Grove. It’s the kind of leader who steps in when the business is under threat—decisive, bold, and focused on survival and growth at all costs.

This blog is about what that looks like when you’re not running a tech company—but leading a sales team.

There are times in business when you coach, collaborate, and lead with calm. That’s peacetime.

This is not that time.

If you’re a sales leader in today’s market—flat budgets, shrinking demand, fewer leads, distracted buyers—you are not in peacetime. You are in war.

And wartime leadership is a different game.