『The Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast』のカバーアート

The Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast

The Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast

著者： Lee Levitt
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概要

 The Thoughts on Selling™ podcast explores the missing link between strategy and execution. We move beyond standard "best practices" to uncover what it really takes to drive enterprise revenue—combining disciplined enablement and management activities with the resilient mindset required to win in today’s complex market. Hosted by industry veteran Lee Levitt, this podcast features raw, unfiltered insights from the sales leaders and innovators shaping the future of the profession. Join us to learn not just what to sell, but how to become the kind of leader who wins consistently.Lee Levitt マネジメント マネジメント・リーダーシップ 経済学
エピソード
  • Manufacturing Leaders: From "Positional" Authority to "Influential" Power w/ Amos Balongo

    Manufacturing Leaders: From "Positional" Authority to "Influential" Power w/ Amos Balongo
    2026/01/21
    Episode SummaryIn this episode of Thoughts on Selling, Lee Levitt sits down with Amos Balongo—a leadership expert joining us from Hawaii who is in the business of "manufacturing leaders." We dig into a critical failure point in most organizations: the gap between Strategy and Communication. Amos argues that many leaders rely on "Positional Leadership" (people follow you because they have to), which yields the bare minimum effort. The goal is to shift to "Influential Leadership," where collaboration drives results. We also explore the Three Pillars of Transformation (Motivate, Inspire, Transform), why simplicity mobilizes teams better than complexity, and how to apply Situational Leadership to ensure you aren't sending 5:00 AM texts to the wrong people. Memorable Quotes:"The bigger you're thinking, the smaller your problems." — Amos Balongo "Motivation is an outside job; Inspiration is an inside job." "Complexity impresses, but simplicity mobilizes. If your team can't understand the plan, they can't act on it." Three Actionable Takeaways for Leaders:Audit Your Leadership Style: Are you Positional or Influential? Positional leaders issue directives ("I told you to do this"). Influential leaders invite participation. If you find yourself saying, "Didn't I tell you to do this?" too often, you are relying on position, not influence. The "Motivate-Inspire-Transform" Framework: Don't stop at motivation. Amos explains the progression: Motivate (get them interested), Inspire (evoke internal drive), and Transform (give them actionable steps to multiply results). Leaving them just "inspired" without a plan is a wasted opportunity. Be Bold, Brief, & Strategic: If you struggle to get executive buy-in for your ideas (or if people keep stealing them!), change your delivery. Executives are time-poor. Cut the stories and focus on being bold, brief, and strategic to land your message. Key Topics & Timestamps:(00:00) – Introduction: Manufacturing Leaders in Hawaii. (06:30) – Positional vs. Influential: Why authority doesn't equal leadership. (11:00) – Simplicity vs. Complexity: Why complex plans fail to mobilize. (13:30) – The 3 Pillars: Motivate (External) vs. Inspire (Internal). (20:00) – Growth Mindset: Why "Goal-Oriented" thinking limits potential. (26:00) – Situational Leadership: Tailoring your communication style (and medium) to the person. (43:30) – Stolen Ideas: How to handle it when someone else takes credit for your work. About Our Guest:Amos Balongo is a leadership expert, speaker, and author of A Voice Empowered. He helps executives and organizations bridge the gap between "strategy" and "action" by manufacturing leaders who are exceptional communicators. Amos is also the host of the Journeys of Inspiration podcast. About the Host:Lee Levitt is a seasoned sales performance consultant, sales coach and the Principal of The Acelera Group.With decades of experience in Sales, Sales Leadership, Sales Enablement, Revenue Operations, and Sales Performance Management, Lee helps emerging and enterprise organizations build disciplined, replicable sales operating systems.He is the voice behind the Thoughts on Selling™ brand, covering the intersection of deal mechanics and the "Inner Game" of selling.Resources & Links:The Book: Transforming Your Life by Amos Balongo. The Podcast: Journeys of Inspiration. Connect with Amos: Visit AmosBalongo.com. Subscribe: Get the Thoughts on Selling newsletter at thoughtsonselling.com.Keywords:Leadership Communication, Situational Leadership, Amos Balongo, Organizational Strategy, Positional Authority, Growth Mindset, Employee Engagement, Executive Presence, Sales Leadership, Team Motivation.
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    36 分
  • Escaping the Sales Treadmill: Cognitive Load & Deal Risk w/ Pete Smith

    Escaping the Sales Treadmill: Cognitive Load & Deal Risk w/ Pete Smith
    2026/01/13
    Episode SummaryAre your enterprise sales reps drowning in tools but starving for insight? In this episode of Thoughts on Selling, Lee Levitt sits down with Pete Smith, founder of SpotLogic and veteran sales leader, to discuss the "Cognitive Load" crisis in modern selling.We explore why 84% of enterprise deals stall after the first meeting and how Sales Enablement leaders can help reps stop "winging it" and start winning. From his days at NCR’s legendary "Sugar Camp" to building deal intelligence software, Pete reveals how to earn the status of a "Trusted Insider" rather than just another vendor.Memorable Quotes:"Customers buy from the reps who understand them best." — Pete Smith"Discovery is the most important part of the job in complex sales... No, it IS the job.""I've got three critical meetings today... and I'm going to have to wing two of them." — The reality of the modern rep.3 Actionable Takeaways for Leaders:Audit Your "Cognitive Tax": Look at your tech stack. If a tool requires data entry but doesn't give the rep immediate insight for their next call, it is a tax, not a tool. Remove or consolidate it to lower burnout.The "Insider" Test: Ask your champion, "If we weren't in the room, how would you describe our value to the CFO?" If they can't answer, you haven't crossed the threshold from "Vendor" to "Partner."Stop "Event-Based" Discovery: Discovery isn't a stage in Salesforce; it's a continuous loop. Train reps to re-validate pain points in every meeting, not just the first demo.Key Topics & Timestamps:(00:00) – Introduction: The crisis of the Sales Treadmill.(03:45) – The Cognitive Load Problem: Why more tools often equal less productivity for reps.(10:20) – The "Insider" Threshold: Moving from "column fodder" to trusted partner.(16:50) – The Goldman Sachs Lesson: Why deals die due to organizational risk, not feature gaps.(24:15) – Discovery as a Mindset: Why treating discovery as a "phase" is a death sentence.(32:30) – The "Pajama" Problem: Navigating the shift from NCR suits to Zoom casual.(39:00) – SpotLogic Demo: How to prep for a critical meeting in minutes, not hours.About Our Guest:Pete Smith is the Founder and CEO of SpotLogic, a deal intelligence platform designed to reduce cognitive load for enterprise sellers. A veteran of the industry, Pete began his career at NCR Corporation (attending the famous "Sugar Camp" sales academy) and has spent decades leading sales organizations. He built SpotLogic to solve his own problem: needing a "force multiplier" to manage complex, multi-stakeholder deals without burning out.About the Host:Lee Levitt is a seasoned sales performance consultant, sales coach and the Principal of The Acelera Group.With decades of experience in Sales, Sales Leadership, Sales Enablement, Revenue Operations, and Sales Performance Management, Lee helps enterprise organizations build disciplined, replicable sales operating systems.He is the voice behind the Thoughts on Selling™ brand, covering the intersection of deal mechanics and the "Inner Game" of selling.Related Episodes You Might Like:Ep 25: When Sales People Do Their Homework w/ Deb Berman: A masterclass in deep preparation and discovery.Ep 76: Who Are You? w/ Gerhard Gschwandtner: Exploring the mindset required to lead in high-pressure sales environments.Resources & Links:Reduce Rep Burnout: See how SpotLogic helps reps prep for meetings in minutes.Connect with Pete: Email pete@spotlogic.com or find Pete Smith on LinkedIn.Subscribe: Get the Thoughts on Selling newsletter at thoughtsonselling.com.Keywords for Search:Sales Productivity, Cognitive Load, Complex Sales, Deal Risk Management, Sales Enablement, Enterprise Selling, Discovery Skills, Buyer Psychology, SpotLogic, Sales Tech Stack, Sugar Camp, B2B Sales Strategy, Revenue Operations, RevOps, Sales Leadership, Mental Health in Sales, Burnout Prevention, SaaS Sales, Pipeline Generation, Account Planning.
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    39 分
  • Why Sales Training Fails: The Science of Attention & Practice w/ Tom Kiernan

    Why Sales Training Fails: The Science of Attention & Practice w/ Tom Kiernan
    2026/01/07
    Episode SummaryIs your organization guilty of the "T-Word"? In this episode of Thoughts on Selling, Lee Levitt sits down with Tom Kiernan, a veteran sales enablement practitioner (formerly of APC and Schneider Electric), to debate the critical difference between "Sales Training" (an event) and Sales Enablement (a process).We dive into the neuroscience of selling, exploring how the Reticular Activating System (RAS) filters information and how you can trigger it to cut through the noise. Tom also challenges leaders on the "Practice Deficit"—asking why professional athletes spend 90% of their time practicing, while sales reps practice only when they are live in front of a customer.Memorable Quotes:"Motive is transparent. It's written right up on that yellow sticky note on your forehead." — Tom Kiernan"The best swing is the one that I didn't think about... I practiced to get there, but I just hit the ball.""If you don't have a defined process, there's nothing to practice." — Lee Levitt3 Actionable Takeaways for Leaders:Kill the "Event" Mindset: Stop treating enablement as a one-time "bootcamp." Adopt the Toyota Way (Kaizen) approach: small, continuous process improvements integrated into the daily workflow.Hack the Buyer's RAS: Your buyer's brain is designed to ignore you. To trigger their Reticular Activating System, you must shift to "Other Centered Selling." Stop pitching "our solution" and start speaking "their problem."Schedule "Safe Failure": If your reps are only practicing on live calls, you are burning leads. Create safe, internal role-play environments where failure is free. As Tom notes, amateurs play the game; professionals practice the drill.Key Topics & Timestamps:(00:00) – Introduction: The forbidden "T-Word" (Training).(04:15) – Process vs. Event: Lessons from APC and Schneider Electric on building global enablement engines.(11:30) – The Neuroscience of Attention: What is the RAS and why does it block your sales pitch?(19:45) – The Practice Deficit: Comparing the NFL/Broadway preparation model to corporate sales.(27:00) – The "Toyota Way": Applying manufacturing rigor to the sales process.(33:20) – Commission Breath: Why motive is transparent and how to align with the buyer's success.(41:00) – Lumpy Bones: Tom’s "Books as a Service" non-profit for children facing difficult life challenges.About Our Guest:Tom Kiernan is a seasoned Sales Enablement leader with a career spanning major global enterprises like American Power Conversion (APC) and Schneider Electric. Known for his process-driven approach to performance, Tom is also the founder of Lumpy Bones, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Through "Books as a Service," Lumpy Bones creates and distributes humorous, inspiring books to help children navigate difficult topics like cancer and illness.About the Host:Lee Levitt is a seasoned sales performance consultant, sales coach and the Principal of The Acelera Group. With decades of experience in Sales, Sales Leadership, Sales Enablement, Revenue Operations, and Sales Performance Management, Lee helps enterprise organizations build disciplined, replicable sales operating systems.He is the voice behind the Thoughts on Selling™ brand, covering the intersection of deal mechanics and the "Inner Game" of selling.Related Episodes:Ep 74: Listen, Don’t Think w/ Kevin Hubschmann: Using improv rules to practice active listening.Ep 43: The Inner Game of Selling w/ Jeff Lipsius: How internal coaching drives results.Resources & Links:Tom’s Non-Profit: Visit LumpyBones.com to support "Books as a Service."Connect with the Guest: Find Tom Kiernan on LinkedInSubscribe: Get the newsletter at thoughtsonselling.comKeywords for Search:Sales Enablement, Sales Training, Neuroscience of Selling, Reticular Activating System, RAS, Sales Coaching, Practice Drills, Toyota Way, Kaizen, Process Management, Buyer Psychology, Trust Based Selling, Commission Breath, Lumpy Bones, CSR, Corporate Social Responsibility, B2B Sales Strategy
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    35 分
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