MSP Sales Advice: Leadership Advice From A Four-Star General

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It takes more than a strong-armed leader to create a successful business. Especially when it comes to leading MSPs.Stanley McChrystal is the former commander of U.S. and International Forces in Afghanistan. A four-star general and TED talk speaker, he shares his definition of a true leader and offers MSP sales advice for leadership at the IT Sales & Marketing Bootcamp. It was valuable advice then, and is still one of our most popular talks today.

Here are a few highlights of his talk — MSP Sales Advice: Leadership Advice From A Four-Star General.  You can watch the rest of the video above or on our MSP sales video blog.

Leadership Advice From A Four-Star General That Will Help You Make More MSP Sales

Leadership isn’t straightforward.

“I grew up thinking leadership was like being a chess master.” You have the same number of pieces; the only difference is the skill of the strategist. But not everyone has the same chess pieces.

Once you get to the top, hard skills aren’t as important.
We’re taught science, engineering and IT. Those skills got us in the door. But when you get to be senior level, those skills aren’t as important. All military is trained to shoot weapons precisely and accurately. But if a four-star general is shooting his weapon, you have a serious problem. As leaders develop, their skill sets need to shift.

Stop thinking of leaders as generals on the battlefield.

Leaders aren’t generals barking out orders. They’re more akin to gardeners. They prepare the ground, plant the seeds, water, protect the plants and harvest them. Leaders can’t make the plants grow, but they can nurture the ecosystem and build an environment where the plants can thrive. Same concept applies to leadership.

Check your ego at the door.

Leadership is not about ego. You’re not the most important person making decisions. You’re the orchestrator, enabling people to perform at the best of their abilities.

The Key To Leading A Successful MSP

It’s no secret that there are a lot of moving parts in an MSP organization. You’ve got the executive team, administrative team, sales team, customer support and tech team working together to provide IT services for clients.

If you want to maximize MSP sales and lead a successful company, it’s your job to enable your team to perform to the best of their ability.

Want more MSP sales advice for leadership? Check out the The Advanced MSP Sales And Persuasion Blueprint.