The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

In this episode, we’re shining a spotlight on what it means to lead like a Talent Superhero and how prioritizing people fuels consistent performance. 

Joining Matt is Allison Delagrange, a 2X Talent Superhero and Senior Consultant at The Center for Sales Strategy. 

Allison shares incredible insights, including: 

• How to be a collaborative leader, not a condescending one (Hint, hint: Instead of criticizing weaknesses, empower through strengths) 
• How it pays to communicate with your existing team exactly WHY you are recruiting 
• And, finally, how recruiting raw talent means hiring for impact: both in what they’ll bring to the team AND how you’ll help them grow

Securing appointments has always been a sales challenge, but in media sales today, it’s reached a breaking point. The  6th Annual Media Sales Report shows that booking meetings, advancing deals, and closing business require more persistence, better tools, and sharper strategies than ever before.

Here’s what the data from the Setting Appointments & Sales Process section tells us—and what sales leaders must do now to keep their pipelines full.

In this episode, we’re uncovering what high-performing sales organizations do in the first 90 days to turn new hires into confident, capable contributors. 

Matt is joined by Alina McComas, VP/Senior Consultant at The Center for Sales Strategy, who expands on the strategies she outlined in her article for the 2025 Talent Magazine. Alina shares what new hires really need to succeed and what leaders can do to support them from day one.

Alina offers practical, actionable advice, including: 

• How too many sales leaders think their job is done once they’ve hired a talented seller 
• Why you should make adjustments to your onboarding plan based on the individual’s innate talents 
• And, finally, why you should set clear expectations for what success looks like in their role on day one.

In this episode, we’re taking a closer look at how executive coaching helps leaders evolve so their teams can truly thrive. 

And joining Matt is Donna Hall, SVP/General Manager at Robertson Lowstuter, whose piece in the 2025 Talent Magazine explores how executive coaching creates a ripple effect across teams and culture.

Whether you’re new to leadership or deep into your career, this conversation will help you rethink what great executive development looks like.

Donna shares such rich insights, like: 

• How, if you want to be the best leader you can be, it takes the recognition that everyone has areas for growth 
• Why the cornerstone of great leadership begins with authenticity 
• And, finally, how Michael Jordan didn’t have a coach because he was weak. He had a coach because he was committed to staying at the top of his game

Sales enablement should be the bridge between your sales team and closed deals—but in many media organizations, that bridge has cracks. The 6th Annual Media Sales Report reveals that while most sellers have access to some resources, too many are questioning their quality, effectiveness, and the strategy behind them.

Here’s what the Sales Enablement data tells us—and what media sales leaders need to do to make it a true revenue driver.

In this episode, we’re talking about what really causes sales performance to decline and what leaders can do to help their reps bounce back with clarity and confidence. 

Stephanie Downs, SVP/Senior Consultant at The Center for Sales Strategy, joins Matt to help break it all down. She expands on key ideas from her article in the 2025 Talent Magazine, where she shares a framework for diagnosing underperformance and reigniting momentum through strength-based leadership. 

Stephanie delivers powerful takeaways, such as: 

• Why, too often, feedback from sales managers is too vague 
• How to distinguish between a skills gap and a motivation issue 
• And, finally, why you should focus on a rep’s strengths (even when results seem to be lagging)