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

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

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)

In this episode, we’re exploring what smart sales leaders do before their top performers resign. 

And joining Matt is Beth Sunshine, SVP/Talent Services at The Center for Sales Strategy. 

Her contribution to the 2025 Talent Magazine highlights the importance of being ready long before turnover happens. And, here, she shares actionable ways to build that readiness into your talent strategy. 

Beth brings so much wisdom to the table, including: 

• Why it’s essential to protect the relationships with your people who leave, because “boomerang” employees are all too common 
• How, when it comes to referrals, vague requests get vague results  
• And, finally, why the only thing more expensive than making the wrong hire, is waiting too long to make the right one

In this episode, we’re diving into how identifying and leveraging innate talent (rather than just experience) can help leaders build stronger, higher-performing sales teams. 

And helping Matt unpack it all is Trey Morris, VP/Senior Consultant/Director of Training Innovation at The Center for Sales Strategy. Trey’s article in the 2025 Talent Magazine explores how smart hiring decisions can transform team performance, and, here, he brings those insights to life with practical strategies and real-world examples. 

Trey shares so many eye-opening tips, like: 

• Why hiring for raw potential often yields better results than hiring for polish or experience alone 
• How to spot innate talent during the interview process using tools like structured assessments 
• And, finally, why, every time you interact with anyone, you should ask yourself: “Is this someone that I could I add to my Talent Bank?” 

In this Quick Take episode, we’re exploring the undeniable power of sales coaching, the challenges of traditional approaches, and how AI-powered solutions are setting a new standard for skill development. 

On the other side of this brief episode, you’ll see how AI sales coaching truly can elevate the game of your sellers.

The Power of Consistent Sales Coaching

There are no two ways about it: sales coaching is helpful for driving performance in any sales team. Its benefits are well-documented, with consistent coaching leading to improvements in both individual and team productivity.

While training alone can boost sales production by 20-30%, integrating regular coaching and practice can amplify this impact fourfold, reaching an 80% improvement.

This transformative power is essential for sales leaders focused on not just meeting but exceeding revenue targets. By fostering an environment of continuous development, sales coaching enhances not only skills but also confidence and customer relationships, laying the foundation for sustained success.

In this episode, we’re discussing the benefits of having an AI Task Force at your company and how such a brain trust can be an invaluable resource to ensure that your organization stays ahead of the curve.

In this episode, we’re taking a look at how AI is supercharging CRMs and, specifically, exploring how HubSpot is transforming the way businesses manage customer relationships, sales processes, and marketing campaigns. 

Previously this season, we explored how AI is transforming the world of sales coaching. Today, in this episode, we’re diving a bit deeper into that topic by chatting with two incredible guests from the AI coaching platform, Yoodli.