In this episode of Coach to Scale, host Matt Benelli interviews Michelle Benfer, the SVP of Revenue at Bill.com. Michelle shares insights on leadership, coaching, and the shift from a linear career perspective to a portfolio approach. They delve into the importance of developing teams, breaking free from the 'sink or swim' mentality, and using data and scorecards to enhance sales performance. Michelle emphasizes the significance of unlocking potential in team members, leveraging AI for productivity, and fostering a supportive company culture. Aspiring leaders are encouraged to focus on impact, both quantitatively and qualitatively, and Michelle highlights her personal journey influenced by mentorship from family and peers in the industry.

Takeaways:

• Shift from a "sink or swim" mindset to focusing on developing and coaching team members.
• Use data to diagnose weak areas and provide targeted coaching.
• Recognize the crucial role of frontline sales managers in a sales organization. Invest in their training, particularly in performance management and proactive performance management skills.
• Address performance issues without inducing guilt or fear, focusing on improvement and support.
• Invest in and utilize tools like conversational intelligence (Gong, Chorus) to gather data that can inform coaching and performance improvements.
• Establish a unified team culture where all members are working towards a common goal.
• Stay intellectually curious and continue to learn from industry peers, technological advancements, and new methodologies.

Quote of the Show:

• “I'm a goal-setter. At various points in my life, I've had different goals and I write them down and I share them loudly.” - Michelle Benfer

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellehughesbenfer/ 
• Website: https://www.bill.com/ 
• Careers at BILL: https://www.bill.com/about-us/careers 

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Yb1wPzUxyrfR0Dx35ym1A 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coach2scale-how-modern-leaders-build-a-coaching-culture/id1699901434 
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL2NvYWNoMnNjYWxlLWhvdy1tb2Rlcm4tbGVhZGVycy1idWlsZC1hLWNvYWNoaW5nLWN1bHR1cmU 
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fd188af6-7c17-4b2e-a0b2-196ecd6fdf77 
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/coach2scale-how-modern-leaders-5419703 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Coach2Scale 

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