In the tech industry, continuous learning is paramount — especially when you’re leading a team.
Reading is a quick and accessible way to knowledge, and a powerful book has the ability to challenge and inform the way a person thinks, manages and scales a company.
We caught up with some of the managers leading sales teams at NYC tech companies to find out the books that had a significant impact on them. Here are the results:
Director of Sales Tyler Jones recommends...
The One Thing by Gary Keller
“Our Co-CEO Matt Stuart actually recommended it to me. I am the type of person that tries to do everything, for everyone, all the time. Often, this can distract me from the most important things in my job or even in my personal life. This book asks the question, ‘What’s the ONE thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?’ It has helped me stay clear—headed and focused on the right things. As sales managers, we live in a world of multitasking, and I think it's such an amazing skill to be able to consciously focus yourself on the most important action that will make the most meaningful change. The book is also available in our office library and I HIGHLY recommend reading it!”
Regional Sales Director Angela McManamonm recommends...
Coaching Salespeople into Sales Champions: A Tactical Playbook for Managers and Executives by Keith Rosen
“It's practical and easy to get through. One of my goals as a leader is to ensure I take B players to the A level, and this has given me knowledge and confidence to do so.”
Regional Sales Manager Derek Still recommends...
Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore
“It walks you through the process of bringing a product to the mainstream and the different type of buyers you meet throughout. It was designed for marketing folks but I actually thought it was really good and totally applicable to sales.”
Sales Development Manager Ryan McCulloch recommends...
The Sales Challenger by Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson and How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
“The Sales Challenger is a pretty standard industry book for anyone in sales, a classic. Dale Carnegie's book is also a standard but important especially for our sales folks since their entire role consists of influencing strangers over the phone to trust them and build rapport in a short period of time. Especially with doctors, it’s a very different kind of sale. We are talking to highly educated people that apply logic, data and science to any decision they make. Building rapport is key in order to influence a decision.”
Chief Revenue Officer Chris Morgan recommends...
The Leadership Challenge by Barry Posner
“It's not specifically related to sales management, but more generally a book on the core principles of leadership. It was originally published in 1987, but I believe the fundamentals outlined are timeless, remain relevant today and are great concepts for any aspiring leaders (sales or otherwise) It outlines concepts like modeling great behaviors, creating a shared vision for the future, building an environment where others are empowered to act — and celebrating wins.”
Images via LinkedIn.
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