Improving Sales Performance

Hosted by Matt Sunshine

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Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Looking for sales performance strategies? Hoping to grow revenue? Join Matt Sunshine, CEO at The Center for Sales Strategy, where he and industry experts work toward a singular goal: Improving Sales Performance.

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60 recent

August 6, 2026Episode 988 min

3 Ways Sales Leaders Can Actually Make AI Useful

Nearly every sales organization is experimenting with AI. Very few are seeing its full potential. In this episode of Improving Sales Performance , Matt Sunshine explores why most companies remain stuck in "AI experimentation mode" and what sales leaders can do to turn AI into a practical advantage. Drawing on insights from LeadG2's Revenue Enablement in the AI Era report, he shares actionable strategies for embedding AI into everyday sales activities, increasing adoption, and building the foundation for long-term success. You'll learn how to: Integrate AI into existing sales workflows instead of treating it as a separate initiative Train sales teams with practical, real-world use cases that drive adoption Strengthen CRM data, messaging, and playbooks so AI delivers better results Focus AI on the daily activities that improve rep productivity and sales performance Move beyond experimentation to create measurable, lasting business impact If your organization has started using AI but hasn't seen the transformational results you expected, this episode will show you how to bridge the gap between trying AI and truly leveraging it. Revenue Enablement in the AI Era Matt Sunshine The Center for Sales Strategy

July 30, 2026Episode 967 min

How to Tell If a Deal Is Real (Before It's Too Late)

Not every opportunity in your pipeline is a real opportunity. In this episode of Improving Sales Performance , Matt Sunshine shares how top sales managers separate qualified deals from wishful thinking before inaccurate forecasts and stalled opportunities become costly surprises. Learn how to pressure test your pipeline, ask better coaching questions, and build forecasts based on evidence instead of optimism. You'll learn how to: Confirm the prospect has a real business problem worth solving Verify you're connected to the people who can actually make a buying decision Recognize the signs of genuine buyer commitment versus one-sided momentum Identify concrete next steps that indicate a deal is truly moving forward Run risk-focused deal reviews that improve qualification and forecasting accuracy Build a culture where evidence, discipline, and objective coaching drive stronger pipeline decisions If you want more accurate forecasts, higher-quality opportunities, and fewer end-of-quarter surprises, this episode offers practical strategies to help you determine whether a deal is truly real before it's too late. Matt Sunshine The Center for Sales Strategy

July 23, 2026Episode 957 min

How to Create Accountability Without Creating Pressure

Holding your team accountable doesn't have to create stress or fear. In this episode of Improving Sales Performance , Matt Sunshine explores the difference between accountability and pressure, and why the best sales managers know how to create one without the other. Instead of relying on urgency or micromanagement, top-performing leaders build accountability through clear expectations, consistent coaching, collaborative conversations, and meaningful support. You'll learn how to: Set clear expectations that reduce uncertainty and build confidence Coach behaviors that drive results instead of focusing only on numbers Use language that encourages ownership rather than defensiveness Create consistent coaching rhythms that make feedback feel normal Balance high standards with the support your team needs to succeed Ask coaching questions that help salespeople solve problems for themselves If you want to strengthen accountability while building trust, confidence, and long-term performance, this episode shares practical coaching strategies you can put to work right away. Matt Sunshine The Center for Sales Strategy

July 16, 2026Episode 947 min

The One Habit That Separates Top Sales Managers from the Rest

The best sales managers aren't defined by charisma or motivational speeches. They're defined by consistency. In this episode of Improving Sales Performance , Matt Sunshine explores why a consistent coaching cadence is one of the biggest differentiators between average and top-performing sales managers. Rather than coaching only when problems arise, high-performing leaders build regular coaching rhythms that develop their people, strengthen deal strategy, and improve performance over time. You'll learn how consistent coaching can help you: Shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive development Turn deal reviews into strategic coaching conversations instead of pipeline inspections Create accountability without micromanaging your team Spot performance trends before they impact results Build a culture where coaching is expected, valued, and embraced If you're looking to develop stronger salespeople, improve forecasting, and create more consistent team performance, this episode offers practical leadership habits you can start implementing today. Matt Sunshine The Center for Sales Strategy

July 9, 2026Episode 935 min

Five Questions Every Sales Manager Should Ask During One-on-Ones

Most sales managers know regular one-on-ones are important. But too often, those conversations turn into status updates, pipeline inspections, or rushed check-ins, leaving little room for meaningful development. In this episode, Matt Sunshine breaks down five simple questions that can transform one-on-ones into stronger coaching conversations. You’ll learn how to: Reinforce what is already working Uncover where salespeople are getting stuck Encourage reps to take ownership of their next steps Make skill development more focused and measurable Identify the support each salesperson needs to succeed The best one-on-ones do more than review performance. They create reflection, accountability, trust, and long-term growth. Because when managers ask better questions, salespeople give better answers, and better answers lead to better performance. Matt Sunshine The Center for Sales Strategy

March 19, 2026Episode 926 min

Quick Take: Coaching Vs. Micromanaging - The Manager’s Role in New Hire Success

In this Quick Take episode, we're drawing a hard line between two approaches that can look similar in the moment but produce very different results over time: coaching and micromanagement. Matt breaks down how managers can develop new salespeople without creating dependence, including: Why micromanagement feels productive and why that feeling is exactly what makes it so dangerous to long-term performance The difference between what coaching sounds like and what micromanaging sounds like, and why that distinction changes everything How to use a guided reps model that gradually shifts from structure to independence as confidence and competence grow And, finally, why the manager's real job isn't to produce deals; it's to produce salespeople who can produce deals on their own LINKS: New Hire Fast Start Matt Sunshine The Center for Sales Strategy

March 12, 2026Episode 915 min

Quick Take: Three Reasons Why High-Performing Sales Leaders Feel Stuck

In this Quick Take episode, we're redefining what it means to feel stuck and why the leaders most likely to experience it are often the strongest ones in the room. Janelle Grove, VP Managing Director of the Growth Collective at The Center for Sales Strategy, takes the mic for this quick but powerful solo take. Janelle breaks down three reasons high-performing leaders lose momentum, including: Why success itself creates isolation and how shrinking peer circles quietly slow execution Why decision fatigue at the senior level is often disguised as strategy (and how indecision drains momentum faster than a bad decision ever could) And, finally, why the fix isn't trying harder; it's changing the environment around decision-making entirely LINKS: The Growth Collective Janelle Grove The Center for Sales Strategy

March 5, 2026Episode 907 min

Quick Take: How to Set Clear Expectations for New Salespeople (Without Overwhelming Them)

In this Quick Take episode, we're breaking down what it really takes to set new salespeople up for success and why clarity, not just enthusiasm, is what drives early performance. Matt shares six ways to set clear expectations for new salespeople without overwhelming them, including: Why leaders should start with outcomes, not activities. Because when new hires understand what success looks like, the checklist finally makes sense How breaking the first 90 days into three distinct phases reduces anxiety and eliminates information overload And, finally, why specific standards always beat vague motivation LINKS New Hire Fast Start Matt Sunshine The Center for Sales Strategy

February 26, 2026Episode 8919 min

Why Smart Sales Leaders Still Struggle to Execute with Janelle Grove

In this episode, we're diving into the gap between insight and action and why even the smartest, most experienced sales leaders get stuck there. Joining Matt is Janelle Grove, VP/Managing Director of the Growth Collective at The Center for Sales Strategy. Janelle shares powerful insights, including: Why execution problems are rarely a strategy problem (and what's actually getting in the way) How leadership isolation silently kills momentum, and why even high performers stall without a safe place to pressure test decisions Why consuming content, attending conferences, and reading all the right books still won't move the needle without accountability and peer challenge And, finally, why joining a peer group might just be the missing ingredient to breaking indecision and reigniting execution momentum LINKS: Janelle Grove The Growth Collective Matt Sunshine The Center for Sales Strategy

August 28, 2025Episode 8825 min

Caped (and Coaching) Crusaders: Building Teams Like a Talent Superhero with Allison Delagrange

In this episode, we’re shining a spotlight on what it means to lead like a Talent Superhero and how prioritizing people fuels consistent performance. Joining Matt is Allison Delagrange, a 2X Talent Superhero and Senior Consultant at The Center for Sales Strategy. Allison shares incredible insights, including: How to be a collaborative leader, not a condescending one (Hint, hint: Instead of criticizing weaknesses, empower through strengths) How it pays to communicate with your existing team exactly WHY you are recruiting And, finally, how recruiting raw talent means hiring for impact: both in what they’ll bring to the team AND how you’ll help them grow LINKS: 2025 Talent Magazine Allison Delagrange Matt Sunshine The Center for Sales Strategy