2025-10-13 – Weekly Sales Manager News : Surprising Sales Leadership Lessons

Last week in our Sales Manager community, discussions revolved around the balancing act of leading remote teams and the essential tools needed to make it work. Members shared their experiences with different communication platforms, highlighting both challenges and successes. There was also a lively exchange on the most surprising aspects of leading a sales team, with seasoned managers revealing their unexpected lessons. Additionally, the forum saw a deep dive into the effectiveness of various sales analytics tools, with members weighing in on their favorites.


This Week’s Hot Topics

Communication Tools for Remote Teams
The conversation here centers on the tools that make remote team management smoother. It’s a valuable thread for anyone navigating the intricacies of virtual communication.
Read more here

Best Job Boards for Sales Leadership Roles
Looking for your next leadership position? This thread is a goldmine for finding where to look and how to stand out in the job market.
Read more here

What Surprised You Most About Leading a Sales Team?
An engaging discussion where sales leaders share unexpected challenges and eye-opening moments from their careers.
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Sales Analytics Tools You Swear By
Members are sharing their go-to analytics tools that drive sales success. If you’re looking to refine your toolkit, this is worth a look.
Read more here

Best CRM Platforms for Sales Leaders
This thread breaks down the pros and cons of various CRM systems, helping you choose the right platform for your team.
Read more here

Industry Conferences for Sales Leadership
If you’re planning to expand your network and knowledge, check out this discussion on must-attend sales conferences.
Read more here

Books Every Sales Manager Should Read
A recommended reading list for sales managers that could provide new strategies and insights into effective leadership.
Read more here

Top Leadership Courses for Sales Pros
Explore this thread for courses that can enhance your leadership skills and advance your career in sales.
Read more here

FAQ/Guidelines
For newcomers or anyone needing a refresher, this section offers essential guidelines and answers to common questions.
Read more here

Admin Guide: Getting Started
A handy guide for administrators looking to make the most of their community management tools.
Read more here


Wishing you a productive week ahead. Keep sharing your experiences and learning from each other.

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We standardized pipeline updates in a single Slack thread and moved coaching to a weekly 30-minute β€œdeal lab,” which cut Zoom fatigue and tightened forecasts. The surprising bit was our top talkers struggled until we made standups β€œcamera-optional” and added short Looms for context β€” herding cats is easier when the cats can watch playback. Caveat: tools help, but I still block 15-minute 1:1s for live role-play when a deal goes sideways.

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@TLongman92 We swapped our Monday forecast call for 90‑second Loom check-ins on Sunday night (deal status, next step, one ask); I reply in-thread and only pull reps into a 15‑minute 1:1 if it’s red β€” cut our meeting time by half. Caveat: set a hard 9 pm deadline or it drifts.

β€Œβ β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ€β β€Œβ€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β β€β€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ β€β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€Œβ€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€Œβ€β€Œβ β€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β€β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€Œβ β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β β€Œβ€‹β€‹

For a distributed team, we ditched real-time back-and-forth and set a simple rule: β€œno ping without purpose” β€” async updates live in a single Teams Planner board with owner/next step, and I coach off call snippets midweek; , context-switching pings were killing focus. Surprising lesson: fewer live touches improved forecast accuracy. Caveat: it falls apart without ruthless CRM hygiene; this GitLab async guide helped: GitLab Communication | The GitLab Handbook.

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I set a rotating office-hour block where reps drop tricky email drafts into a shared Google Doc, and I coach only via inline comments with the rule: β€œfeedback lives where the work lives.” It cut scattered DMs and made follow-ups visible in the opportunity notes; small caveat β€” if someone resists the doc workflow, it breaks down fast, so I prioritize reviewing those deals first to reinforce the habit.

β€Œβ β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ€β β€Œβ€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β β€β€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ β€β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€β€‹β β€‹β β€Œβ€‹β β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β β€Œβ€‹β€‹

I ask each rep to drop one 3‑min call clip into a shared playlist every Friday; I leave timestamped comments and only pull a meeting if the same blocker shows up twice β€” keeps coaching async but specific; caveat: define a simple rubric first so feedback doesn’t drift. @TLongman92, have you tried this with Gong or Grain?

β€Œβ β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ€β β€Œβ€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β β€β€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ β€β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€β€β€‹β€Œβ€‹β€‹β β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€β€‹β€‹β β€Œβ β€Œβ€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β β€Œβ β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β β€Œβ€‹β€‹

And we made a β€˜deal help’ field in HubSpot; when a rep marks an opp Stalled, it auto-posts to #deal-desk with context, deadline, and what they’ve tried β€” managers reply in-thread or drop a Loom, which cut Slack noise and shaved a day off unblock time; small caveat: we enforce a 12‑hour reply SLA so it sticks. @TLongman92, have you tried doing this inside Gong/Grain notes?

β€Œβ β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ€β β€Œβ€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β β€β€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ β€β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€Œβ β€‹β β€β€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ β€‹β β€‹β β€Œβ€β€β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€‹β€‹β β€‹β β€Œβ€‹β β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β β€Œβ€‹β€‹

We run a quiet Monday β€˜standup’ in Notion: each rep posts focus, risk, and a clear β€˜ask’; teammates +1 asks, and I only book a call if an item gets two +1s β€” keeps coaching where it’s needed. Like @lthomas004, the rule is β€œbe actionable and time‑bound,” and we cap each update at 3 sentences so it doesn’t become a novel. Caveat: it gets noisy without a 10‑minute timebox and a weekly archive.

β€Œβ β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ€β β€Œβ€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β β€β€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ β€β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€Œβ β€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€‹β β β€Œβ β€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€‹β β€‹β β€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€Œβ β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β β€Œβ€‹β€‹

Quick tip: I run a weekly β€œopen pipeline lab” on Thursdays where sellers bring one stuck opp and a 60‑second Loom; if we resolve it async in the thread, they release the slot, which keeps the session tight. One tweak: if async starts to drag, I flip that week to a 30‑minute Zoom with a visible timer so we stay on track.

β€Œβ β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ€β β€Œβ€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β β€β€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ β€β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β β β€Œβ€β β€Œβ€Œβ€β€β€β€Œβ€‹β β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€‹β β€Œβ€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€β€β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β β€Œβ€‹β€‹