In this episode, Sara interviews Carrie Aguilar, a coach and consultant specializing in tech startup sales strategy. Carrie shares her background in tech sales and her experience in managing and training sales teams. They discuss the challenges of remote work and the importance of trust but verify in managing sales teams. Carrie emphasizes the need for a sales strategy in startups and the importance of understanding the problem the product solves. They also discuss the importance of delivering honest feedback and the impact of having a deliberate sales strategy in a startup environment.
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23:01
Research Reveled: Embracing Ambiguity
In this episode, Sara discusses the importance of leaders being able to embrace ambiguity and uncertainty in today's rapidly evolving business world. She shares three steps to foster this ability in organizations: developing agility and adaptability, fostering a culture of innovation and learning, and enhancing communication and transparency. Sara also provides questions for self-assessment and strategies to help teams navigate change and remain productive. By focusing on these steps, leaders can enhance their teams' capability to thrive in uncertain conditions and guide organizations through complexity.
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6:33
Meaningful Fact Based Feedback
In this new episode of Can I Offer You Some Feedback, Sara brings on Courtney, a program development manager at a nonprofit. They discuss their initial reactions to feedback, preferences for giving and receiving feedback, and the importance of empathy and meaningful feedback. Courtney shares examples of receiving feedback in a remote work setting and emphasizes the need to check biases when giving feedback. They also discuss the importance of leading by example and creating a culture of feedback within teams.
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21:03
Business Bites: Mind Mapping
This week Sara gives us a new Business Bite on mind mapping. A visual diagramming technique used to represent different words, ideas, tasks, and concepts branching out from a central idea. It was first popularized by Tony Buzan in the 1960s as a way to enhance memory and creativity. Mind mapping can be used for project planning, brainstorming, and problem-solving. Two key considerations when starting with mind mapping are identifying the central idea and using colors and images to enhance visualization. Mind mapping can help organize information, make connections more apparent, and stimulate creative thinking. Stream more episodes wherever you get your podcasts!
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5:49
Consultant Insights: Helping Clients See the Unseen
In this episode, Sara interviews Ginny Nemchick, a principal consultant of people operations, about the challenges and changes in HR and people operations in the past four years. They discuss the impact of COVID-19 on workplaces, the importance of values alignment, and the need for clear policies and practices. Ginny shares examples of clients who are successfully implementing positive changes and offers insights on delivering hard-to-hear feedback. They also discuss the value of investing in people operations and the role of external consultants in providing a fresh perspective. Stream more episodes wherever you get your podcasts!
Can I Offer You Some Feedback? is a production of Evergreen Podcasts hosted by Sara Ismail-Beigi Bartlett. Each guest shares their ideas, perspectives, and best practices on feedback. For some, this process can be alarming but it is essential and a key basis for improvement. Sara also shares with you “Business Bites” for busy professionals that want quick hits on business terminology, historical context, and strategies for integration.