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Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/828160/open_sms] What happens when a leader embraces the role of team coach?  In this episode, we sit down with Harvey Smith, VP Partners, who shares his experience leading partner teams across EMEA through his natural team coaching approach.   Harvey opens up about the delicate balance between authority and humility that defines great team coaching leadership. Drawing on his extensive experience at DocuSign, Salesforce, Tableau, and VMware, Harvey reveals how he transformed disparate teams into cohesive units through simple but powerful approaches. His mantra? “If you’ve got 27 priorities, you haven’t got any.” By focusing on no more than three clearly ranked objectives, Harvey empowered his team to stay aligned, and say no to distractions. The phrase “Harvey says no” became a cultural shorthand for protecting priorities and staying on mission.  We delve into how genuine trust is built within teams. Harvey shares his belief in vulnerability and accessibility, implementing skip-level meetings where team members could speak freely and career development sessions that demonstrated his commitment to their growth. This created psychological safety that allowed honest communication to flourish. Harvey's innovative approaches to breaking down silos include his "pod model" for cross-functional collaboration and strategic use of "stretch projects" that deliberately positioned team members to connect teams. When it comes to conflict, Harvey doesn’t shy away. His take? “Partners are like a car accident – everyone slows down to look but no one wants to get involved.” His solution? Proactive education, clear communication channels, and shared understanding of roles and responsibilities. Book Picks * Rebel Ideas by Matthew Syed – on the power of diverse thinking * The Culture Map by Erin Meyer – a must-read for navigating global teams. Whether you're managing partners, leading through change, or simply trying to create more effective teams, this episode offers practical wisdom for balancing the human element with unwavering focus on business outcomes. We would love you to follow us on LinkedIn! https://www.linkedin.com/company/amplified-group/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/amplified-group/]

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/828160/open_sms] Dan Waters brings decades of partnership expertise to this fascinating conversation about building effective tech ecosystems. Working from sales roles at  distributors to VP of Partnerships at Snowflake EMEA, Dan shares unique perspectives from both sides of the vendor-partner relationship. The conversation explores how truly successful partnerships require bilateral investment and commitment. "Partnerships are a two-way street," Dan emphasizes, explaining how Snowflake partners serve as extensions of the company, bringing specialized expertise and expanded reach to complex customer engagements.  Using a compelling car analogy, Dan illustrates how every component must work in harmony, just as every department and partner plays an essential role in business success.  The discussion culminates with Dan's three leadership principles:   * Being present and accountable,  * Developing trust through consistent execution * Practicing empathy by understanding partners' business challenges.  Dan also shares a fascinating "Zander letter" concept from Jake Humphrey and Damian Hughes' book on high performance, where teams envision success by writing from a future perspective of achievement. Whether you're managing partnerships, leading teams, or simply interested in effective collaboration, Dan's insights offer a practical roadmap for creating "shared wins" in today's interconnected business landscape. We would love you to follow us on LinkedIn! https://www.linkedin.com/company/amplified-group/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/amplified-group/]

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/828160/open_sms] What happens when a promising startup faces challenges that threaten its very existence? For Stephanie Windsor, CEO of Cloud Benefits, the answer lay in understanding the diverse strengths of her leadership team through DISC profiling. Founded in 2021 as businesses emerged from the pandemic, Cloud Benefits offers a digital employee benefits platform with unique features like free financial advice and animated benefit explanations. But by mid-2023, despite positive market feedback, communication breakdowns threatened their progress. The leadership team—who remarkably had never met in person—struggled to collaborate effectively as summer targets loomed. In this revealing conversation, Stephanie shares how she personally funded DISC profiling sessions with Amplified Group when company finances were tight, convinced this investment would transform team dynamics. The results were extraordinary: team members gained profound insights into their communication styles, working preferences, and natural strengths. Rather than forcing everyone into predetermined roles,  Stephanie's conviction paid off dramatically as the team exceeded their targets following the sessions. Now, as Cloud Benefits enters a new growth phase, they're scheduling follow-up workshops to maintain this momentum.  This conversation might just change how you think about team performance forever. We would love you to follow us on LinkedIn! https://www.linkedin.com/company/amplified-group/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/amplified-group/]

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/828160/open_sms] In the fast-paced world of technology, career longevity often depends on finding your niche and building meaningful relationships within it. Jim Moyle [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmoyle/], Principal Product Manager at Microsoft, is a brilliant example of this with his two-decade journey through the EUC landscape, offering valuable insights for tech professionals at any career stage. Jim shares how community engagement and knowledge sharing have been central to his career success. Through thoughtful boundary-setting and relationship building, he's found balance and purpose in a role spanning global time zones and competing priorities. It was super interesting to hear how Jim, as Microsoft's first remote team member in his division, intentionally sets boundaries. He chooses one day of shifted hours per week and refuses recurring meetings outside core times—not just for himself, but to establish sustainable patterns for those who follow. Join us for this thought-provoking conversation about setting healthy boundaries in global teams, reframing your value, and seeking better work-life integration.  We would love you to follow us on LinkedIn! https://www.linkedin.com/company/amplified-group/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/amplified-group/]

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/828160/open_sms] This episode explores the evolution of customer success in the SaaS industry, highlighting the shift from a cost centre to a key driver of revenue growth.  Bob Burke, whose journey from the heart of San Francisco's dot-com boom to a Customer-First thought leader, shares insights on aligning customer success with sales, breaking down silos and adapting to market changes in order to sustain durable growth within SaaS organisations.  We delve into the: • Necessity of breaking down silos and aligning roles around the customer journey, ensuring a seamless experience for clients.  • Challenges of transitioning customer success from a cost center to a revenue driver. • Concept of collaborative "pods" that bridge sales and customer success teams. • Insights on measuring customer success effectiveness. Bob sheds light on how customer success has transformed from an afterthought to a vital component in modern business strategies.  We discuss the complexities of aligning customer success with revenue generation, especially in today's scrutinised financial environments, offering insights into evolving strategies and the critical role of customer success. We hope you enjoy listening! We would love you to follow us on LinkedIn! https://www.linkedin.com/company/amplified-group/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/amplified-group/]