"Passionate leadership" with Helen Honisett
Hello everyone! Today, we're thrilled to bring you an enlightening conversation we had with Helen Honisett. For those who may not be familiar, Helen boasts an impressive 25 years of experience in sales, sales leadership, and business management. Her journey began in the 90s with a rather unusual first sales job: selling sausages! Now, let's dive into the key findings from our discussion:
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1. Understanding the Customer Journey and Product Perspective
- In B2B sales, it is crucial to have a deep understanding of the customer journey and product perspective.
- Being able to quickly grasp and effectively communicate divergent customer requirements is essential for success in strategic sales.
2. Skills Needed for Successful Leadership
- A great leader should be skilled in four distinct roles: manager, leader, coach, and sounding board.
- Balancing soft skills, such as setting a vision and communicating effectively, with hard skills like developing people and fostering a culture of trust, is important for leadership success.
- Leveraging the strengths of team members to create a strong leadership team is key.
3. Challenging Business Success Story
- Helen shares her most challenging business success story related to working in a difficult international market.
- They found a radical solution to save the business while treating everyone with respect and kindness.
- The innovative solution involved partnering and gradually selling the business to maintain capital and ensure the future of employees.
4. Embracing Fear and Passion in Sales
- Embracing fear and being passionate about one's capabilities is essential when selling a product.
- Having a strong support network and accepting one's own humanity and mistakes is crucial for success.
- Identifying oneself with the work being done but also being kind to oneself on low-motivation days is important.
5. Balancing Personal and Professional Life
- Prioritizing life and balancing emotions rather than strict time management is key.
- Enjoying non-business activities and taking breaks when needed is important.
- Finding passion in one's work and maintaining a balance between personal and professional life is crucial.
6. The Importance of Taking Breaks
- Taking breaks is essential for maintaining productivity and shifting energy.
- Helen emphasizes the importance of taking a break if needed and returning to the task later.
7. Gratitude and Seek Support from Experienced Professionals
- Helen expresses gratitude for the interview and highlights the importance of guidance and wisdom from experienced professionals.
- She encourages viewers to seek support and guidance or become a mentor within their community.
By applying these key takeaways from Helen Honisett's mentor talk, individuals can gain insights into strategic sales, leadership skills, personal growth, and the importance of balancing work and personal life. Seeking support from experienced professionals can also be valuable in achieving success.
Do you need support from an expert like Helen Honisett? Or, are you looking to join the mentor community at SalesPro4U? Feel free to reach out at mentor@salespro4u.com.
Stay tuned for more enlightening episodes of “The Mentor Talk”.
Until the, take care!