As we step into 2025, it’s clear that the fundamentals of trust, empathy, and delivering value remain timeless. However, the tools, methods, and contexts in which we operate are changing rapidly. Success lies in balancing these enduring principles with a willingness to adapt, innovate, and lead with clarity, commitment, and courage.
2025: Top 10 Action Plan for Leaders, Teams & Capability Builders Read Post »
Key Insights from the Barrett Event (28/11/24) with Alex Fein, RedBridge and Sue Barrett, Barrett:
Erosion of Trust:
AI in Business:
Building Trust:
Modern Sales Practices:
Navigating the Brave New World of Sales Read Post »
This is Trend 12 from Barrett’s 12 Business and Sales Trends for 2024. You can download the full report here.
Trend 12 highlights the vital fusion of rhetoric and action in upholding integrity in businesses. Beyond verbal claims, companies must incorporate integrity into their culture, led by authentic, transparent, and accountable leadership. Key attributes include authenticity, transparency, accountability, ethical decision-making, and employee empowerment. Leaders with integrity build trust, loyalty, and long-term success. The consequences of compromising integrity can include loss of credibility, decreased morale, legal issues, and financial repercussions. Rebuilding trust is possible …
Trend 12 – Talking AND Walking Integrity Read Post »
It’s the end of Q1 here in Australia and these have been the five most read blogs this quarter.
1) In a fast-paced sales environment, reflection is often overlooked. However, taking time to analyse experiences is crucial for growth.
The Power of Reflection for Sales Success
2) Excellence in sales team performance relies on a balance between well-established processes and individual agency.
3) The revelations of corruption in the building industry highlight longstanding issues such as kickbacks and bribery, which erode public trust and fair competition. A corruption-free industry …
The Top Five of Q1 Read Post »
Leaders who maintain predictable and consistent approaches foster trust and safety within their teams. While charismatic leadership might seem appealing, it’s the discipline of being clear, transparent, and consistent that drives team success. Psychological safety and strong communication are also crucial as people feel more comfortable expressing concerns and collaborating openly. Authenticity and a focus on team success over individual outcomes further strengthen leadership effectiveness. Consistency is the key to building strong, cohesive teams.
Better to Be Consistent Than Feared or Loved Read Post »
Businesses seem to be paralysed by indecision these days. The number of people involved in the decision-making process, the amount of information available, and the risk-averse culture plaguing many businesses keep them stuck in a valley of indecision. To climb out, companies need to have clear goals, a defined strategy, and foster a culture that encourages taking calculated risks without fear of retribution for honest mistakes.
As Richard Pratt wisely noted, “Timing isn’t everything. It’s the only thing. It’s better to be approximately right at exactly the right time, than exactly right at the completely wrong time.”
In …
Stuck in the Valley of Indecision? Read Post »
The recent corruption revelations in the building industry highlight longstanding issues such as kickbacks and bribery, which erode public trust and fair competition. Having witnessed my father face these corrupt practices daily in dealing with the building industry, I understand the personal toll they take. It’s crucial to eliminate corruption and foster ethical business conduct. Leaders must embody integrity, transparency, and accountability, inspiring ethical behaviour throughout their organisations. Sales teams should focus on genuine, trust-based relationships rather than aggressive tactics.
A corruption-free industry requires a multifaceted approach: strong regulations, enhanced transparency, ethical leadership, fair compensation, and public awareness. It also requires the collective effort of all stakeholders.
Game Over: How Fair Play Can Rebuild the Construction Industry Read Post »
To wrap up the end of the financial year here in Australia, we looked at the ten most-read articles of FY2324. The results are an interesting mix of all we do at Barrett: from sales strategy to communication and engagement with internal teams.
Here they are:
1) A reflection on the work that we have been doing with internal teams. Further proof that everybody lives by selling something.
We’re All in Sales – An Internal Team’s Journey
2) A practical exercise we like to do at Barrett to help us understand where we are at and what we need …
Promoting salespeople to managing positions without upskilling them appropriately is like putting someone who is great at cooking for their family in charge of a full-scale restaurant kitchen.
When top salespeople are promoted to leadership positions, they need a different skillset to be successful in this new role, like conflict resolution, coaching, delegation and empowerment, and strategy.
Sales leadership is not just another obvious step up the sales career ladder. It’s a transition into an entirely different role.
When an employee moves to a different department or needs to operate new equipment or software, upskilling them through training is …
Are They Ready to Lead? Read Post »
In December 2023 we published Barrett’s 12 Sales & Business Trends for 2024. This is a summary of that report, in case you missed it.
For decades, the business world has been dominated by what looked like opposites to choose from. You could be a hunter or a gatherer, a manager or a leader.
These concepts have been pitched to the business community as opposing and mutually exclusive choices, forcing a binary mindset. These polarisations don’t apply to modern businesses and sales operations – and they haven’t served us well for some time now.
In 2023 we’ve worked with businesses across industries and …
Striking Balance – Barrett’s 12 Sales & Business Trends for 2024 Read Post »