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Sales Culture = Safety Culture: The Key to Business Growth

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Emotional Intelligence, Everybody Lives By Selling Something, Sales Culture, Sales Growth

In 30 seconds

Just like safety, sales should be a shared responsibility across all teams—not just the sales department. When organisations embed a sales culture the way they do safety, every employee understands how to spot opportunities, communicate value, and contribute to growth. Research shows that effective communication training boosts productivity by 25% and companies with strong internal alignment see a 20% performance increase. Additionally, businesses investing in training see up to $33 ROI for every $1 spent. By equipping all employees with critical communication, collaboration, and commercial skills, organisations improve client retention, operational efficiency, and long-term success. Just as safety …

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The Most Human Wins: Lessons from Sun Tzu Part 5

By / / Business Growth, Emotional Intelligence, Ethics & Values, Sales Psychology, Value Based Selling

In 30 seconds

In an AI-driven world, businesses that prioritise trust, emotional intelligence, and genuine relationships will thrive. Sun Tzu teaches that “The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.” The most effective sales strategies win through credibility, not force.

Buyers seek insight and connection, not just efficiency. A motivated sales team that values relationships over transactions will always outperform automation alone. AI should enhance, not replace human interactions. Success lies in balancing technology with meaningful engagement.

The businesses that will flourish are those that embrace human connection as their greatest competitive advantage. If you’re ready to build a trust-driven, strategic sales …

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2025 Summer Reading & Podcast List

By / / Emotional Intelligence, Leadership, Life Skills, Sales Leadership, Sales Research, Sales Strategy

Just as the Australian summer holiday season is wrapping up and children are going back to school, many are turning their minds to the year ahead. 2024 had a lot of ups and downs, so in preparation for 2025, we’ve prepared a selection of some of our most popular articles and podcasts plus a video that will help you navigate your way forward with more clarity, confidence, and courage.

A Selection of Articles

Navigating the Brave New World of Sales

Sue Barrett and Alex Fein (Researcher, RedBridge) unpack the major shifts transforming the sales and business landscape. From navigating political volatility and …

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Quick Start Guide to Dealing With Narcissists at Work

By / / Blog, Emotional Intelligence, Ethics & Values, Human-centred, Soft skills, Wellbeing

In 30 seconds

Dealing with narcissists in the workplace requires vigilance, assertiveness, and a commitment to fostering a positive, ethical work environment. You can minimise their impact on productivity and team morale by recognising narcissistic traits early, setting firm boundaries, and focusing on collaborative goals. Narcissists may bring disruption, but with the right approach, you can keep them from compromising the integrity and effectiveness of your professional space.

Setting clear boundaries, documenting interactions and decisions, and promoting a human-centred culture can reduce the impact of narcissistic traits in the work environment.

In 2.5 minutes

People with narcissistic tendencies have a significant impact in the …

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Why Didn’t We Learn This at School? – The Importance of Clear Communication

By / / Blog, Business Growth, Communication, Customer Service, Emotional Intelligence, Everybody Lives By Selling Something, Human-centred

In 30 seconds

Effective communication is critical for business success, yet it’s often overlooked in favour of technical skills. Miscommunication creates confusion, inefficiencies, and strains relationships, hindering progress. To thrive, organisations must embrace human-centred communication focused on clarity, empathy, and understanding. This involves providing precise instructions, using diverse communication modes, and keeping messages concise and digestible. With communication happening across multiple platforms, mastering professional online interactions is essential as well. Prioritising clear and empathetic communication fosters collaboration, strengthens relationships, and drives productivity and innovation within teams.

In 2.5 minutes

In school, we were taught how to solve equations, conduct experiments, memorise historical facts, …

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Deep Practice – The Path to Soft Skills & Sales Mastery

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Blog, Brain Science, Coaching, Education in Sales, Emotional Intelligence, Learning and Development, Sales Coaching, Sales Skills, Sales Training, Selling Better, Soft skills

In 30 seconds

Mastering soft skills, such as empathy, emotional intelligence, and active listening, is key to success in sales and service. These skills foster strong customer connections and help create value-driven solutions. Deep practice, a focused approach to skill-building, involves breaking down complex tasks outside of a person’s comfort zone into manageable steps and practising them intentionally and repeatedly. Sales and service professionals can refine their techniques through purposeful practice and immediate feedback. Leaders and coaches play a crucial role by guiding their teams through actionable steps, providing feedback, and fostering continuous improvement that translates into better performance.

In 2.5 minutes

Mastering …

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Trend 10 – Self AND Other Awareness

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Blog, Common Ground, Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Human-centred, Life Skills, Sales Trends, Self Development, Soft skills, Success, Wellbeing

This is Trend 10 from Barrett’s 12 Business and Sales Trends for 2024. You can download the full report here.

In 30 seconds

In successful businesses, the dual focus on self-awareness and consideration for others fosters leadership effectiveness, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. It shapes collaborative team dynamics, customer relations, and conflict resolution. The intersection of self-awareness and consideration, witnessing enhanced communication, stronger relationships, and practical implementations in sales teams has a huge transformative power.

In 2.5 minutes

One of the things we noticed this year in successful businesses and sales teams is that their people are both self-aware …

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Striking Balance – Barrett’s 12 Sales & Business Trends for 2024

By / / Blog, Business Growth, Collaboration, Communication, Customer experience, Customer Service, Customer-centric, Digital credentials, Education in Sales, Emotional Intelligence, Ethics & Values, Human-centred, Hybrid Selling, Leadership, Learning and Development, Opportunity, Sales Consulting, Sales Culture, Sales Driven Organisations, Sales Growth, Sales Leadership, Sales Management, Sales Methodology, Sales Operations, Sales Results, Sales Skills, Sales Strategy, Sales Tips, Sales Training, Sales Trends, Selling Better, Soft skills, Solution Selling, Strategy, Success, Value Based Selling

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 …

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Unlocking Human Potential in the Age of Tech

By / / Blog, Emotional Intelligence, Human-centred, Sales Skills, Soft skills

In 30 seconds

Soft skills are now essential for everyone, not just salespeople. In a complex, connected world, automation threatens certain tasks, but people crave human connection. From building trust with clients to leading diverse teams, soft skills like communication, empathy, and ethical influence equip you to succeed.

These skills go beyond just getting ahead; they’re crucial for building a better future. Imagine businesses fuelled by trust, leaders driven by empathy, and teams excelling through collaboration. Invest in your soft skills development, share the message, and join the movement towards a brighter, more human-centred future.

In 1.5 minutes

The landscape of success is shifting. …

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Why Humanity Sells Better

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Business Growth, Education in Sales, Emotional Intelligence, Ethics & Values, Human-centred, Sales Methodology, Sales Psychology, Selling Better

In 30 Seconds

The idea for the Selling Better movement and sales methodology started back on 9 January 1995, when I launched Barrett Consulting Group with just $3,000. I wanted to put humanity back on the corporate map which is why Selling Better isn’t about manipulation or pressure, but about genuine connection and shared value. This philosophy and its sales methodology replaces pushy sales tactics with authentic listening, building trust, and offering real benefits. Selling Better is a business savvy and emotionally intelligent way of selling.

Key advantages:

  • Personal Touch: Build strong relationships and understand your client’s needs.
  • Professional Powerhouse: Master sales skills …

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