Blog

Latest Articles

Finish Strong to Start Fast: A Sales Leader's Guide to Q4 Dec 01, 2024

 As the clock winds down on 2024, the best sales leaders understand that a strong finish in Q4 isn’t just about this year—it sets the tone for the year ahead. Closing deals is important, but achieving long-term success requires strategic pipeline management and a clear-eyed assessment of your opport...

Continue Reading >
Five Tasks Great Leaders Get Right Nov 19, 2024

DOWNLOAD THE BOOK: Visit www.stephenrgraves.com/fivetasks to download your free copy of The Five Tasks: What Every Senior Leader Needs to Do! by Dr. Stephen R. Graves.


Steve Graves knows what separates an average leader from a great leader. After decades advising business leaders and writing a do...

Continue Reading >
What Are You Getting Wrong About Leadership Communication? Nov 06, 2024

 We had a fascinating conversation the other day with Eva Daniel on our podcast. Eva's spent years helping leaders become better speakers, and she shared something that's been stuck in our heads: Most of us are getting leadership communication completely wrong

Here's what we mean.

Think about the ...

Continue Reading >
Your SKO Is Just the Beginning #sko Nov 02, 2024

Here's a story we see play out every year:

A company pours months of planning and six figures into their Sales Kickoff. They book an impressive venue, fly everyone in, and deliver three days of high-energy sessions. The event is a hit. Survey scores are through the roof. Everyone leaves pumped up a...

Continue Reading >
Stop Killing Your SKO's Energy #motivation #powerpoint #sko Oct 26, 2024

We all know this familiar scenario...

It is 2 PM on day two of SKO. The lights are dimmed for the PowerPoint presentation, and three sales reps simultaneously nod off. Another "discreetly" checks email under the table. The once-energetic room has flatlined.

This happens at nearly every SKO. An...

Continue Reading >
Leading Teams in Enterprises vs. Startups: Insights from a CRO Oct 22, 2024

Leaders across organizations of all sizes face a common challenge: managing the competing priorities of people and tasks. This challenge becomes particularly acute when stepping into new roles or managing large or inexperienced teams. As companies grow and market expectations increase, leaders must ...

Continue Reading >
SKO Series Part 3: Practicality - From Theory to Reality #practicality #sko Oct 20, 2024

Over the years, I've noticed one typical SKO mistake that is more significant than any other, the trap of focusing on ideas and not keeping an eye on reality or the practical.

Don't misunderstand me...you want some kind of inspirational vision and high-level strategy. However, the reality is that y...

Continue Reading >
SKO Series Part 2: Place - The Location's Role in Outcomes #location #sko #training Oct 13, 2024

I have been part of so many SKOs for clients. So, I realize just how much difference a good place makes. Yet, many management teams still regard choosing the location for their sales kickoff SKO as nothing more than a logistics puzzle to be solved. But the place chosen is more than just a location f...

Continue Reading >
How to Choose the Perfect Keynote Speaker for Your SKO #sko Oct 08, 2024

You realize how essential a Sales Kickoff (SKO) is in laying the foundation for your sales year. It's more than an event; it's a golden opportunity to ignite your team, educate them, and get everybody in line! But this gathering is centered around a crucial choice — who should be the keynote speaker...

Continue Reading >
SKO Series Part 1: Purpose - The Northstar for an Impactful Event Oct 04, 2024

As a revenue enablement firm, we have seen the very best and worst-run sales kickoff (SKO) events, We’ve seen it all. … from PowerPoint marathons to experiences that unite teams for the year ahead. The difference? Purpose: The whole event serves as a North Star. Without the crowd-focused, achievable...

Continue Reading >