Welcome To Theinquisitor Podcast

"What would your leadership report card look like today? A's across the board?" asks Antonio Garrido, CEO of My Daily Leadership and author of the book My Daily Leadership - a powerful roadmap for leadership success. We discuss the surprising power of journalling for leaders.  "If you aspire to leadership start journalling" he advises. "You'll stumble at first trying to understand what you want to write, how much time to invest in your journal. You'll wonder about the ROI (it may be worth calculating the COI (cost of inaction), how and if it will help you. You'll never know until you give it a go" He invites you to ask yourself, "Am I future-proofing myself, my people and my business? How close to achieving my full potential am I? How close to our full potential are we achieving collectively as a team? How do I know I am learning what I need to learn?" Antonio highlights 4 core components in need of a leader's special and consistent  attention - * People * Company * Self * Strategy I took 2 pages of no

Ricky Pearl, founder of Pointer, #SalesAsAService and I discuss how to use outbound most effectively. It's not what you think and it's not what you are doing at the moment. Most of you are going through the motions of outbound but your haste is getting in the way of your success. Patience is lacking. Deep thinking and joint attention on the real problems and true intended, shared outcome is needed because at the moment the VAST majority (97-99% of the effort, money and time is WASTED TRYING TO CUT THROUGH THE NOISE marketers and salespeople have created. Think about it for a moment. Playing the "numbers game" works for a very few. Playing the "long game" works for everyone except those who get churned through the machine and spat out the other side. Ricky and I explore a much better way, a more thoughtful way and a way that gets more of you to the intended destination with substantially fewer casualties, significantly lower costs, eliminate the majority of your unwanted staff turnover, provide a steady stream

Dr Darryl Stickel is a specialist in building trust in high conflict environments. Darryl talks to me about how perceived risk is created by multiplying uncertainty by vulnerability. Vulnerability is putting yourself in harms way, knowing you might be hurt. The problem is when someone is uncertain enough and their risk threshold is breached, they stop thinking rationally, and they go into self-preservation mode. If you go back and listen to my interview with Matt Dixon on the JOLT effect, my interviews with Moeed Amin, Mark Herbert, Mark Goulston, TRUST is at the heart of all of them. Some things that separates great salespeople and leaders from average and weak performers are their empathy and compassion. Darryl's online course is excellent BTW. Just going through it now and I have learned SO much. Contact Darryl on https://linkedin.com/darryl-stickel-phd-b544b Website: https://www.trustunlimited.com/ Trust Building Online Course: https://courses.trustunlimited.com/ ***** 5-Star programme, highly recommended

Kate Laine-Toner is #neurodivergent. She spent 30 years hiding in plain sight as a marketing professional rising to the level of Marketing Director. Inside she was having to be who she wasn't on the outside to hide her condition, her gift. In part it made her good at what she did. But she didn't much like to socialise and party with the troops. It's not that she's antisocial but noisy places and lots of people are not how she relaxes or does her best thinking. Be clear about what you need and leave her get on with it. Odds are you know many neurodivergent people, perhaps you write them off because they lack the verve of their more dynamic, socially lubricated, extraverted colleagues. Perhaps you don't hear their suggestions because they haven't found their voice. What a waste of perfectly good talent. Listening to those who make the most noise over those who say the thing you need to hear. Contact Kate via linkedin.com/in/katelainetoner Websites theautismtrainingcompany.com/ (Company) wdiscourse.com/the-maste

Carole Mahoney of Unbound Growth and author of Buyer First chats to me about why buyers really buy and how salespeople get in their own way. Friction and uncertainty are created in the buyer's mind through selfish, ill considered sales motions and behaviours that are ill timed with the buyers buying journey. Frank, unfluffy and packed with usable insights, Carole rips the scales from your eyes, leaves you nowhere to hide when it comes to excuses and does so without making you feel like a fool. This episode is a belter. Thank you Carole. Please come back. We'd love to hear from you. Please please your comments, questions, thoughts and challenges. We love to be wrong. If you have strong and well founded opinions, or you hit upon a lucky experiment and have worked out how to systematise it, drop me a line via the link below Carole's contact details. Contact Carole via linkedin.com/in/carolemahoney Websites unboundgrowth.com (Company) unboundgrowth.com/blog (Blog) Phone: +1 207-604-6287 (Mobile) Email: e@carolem

Amal Ismail is a functional medicine practitioner. What is #functionalmedicine? Functional Medicine is a systems biology–based approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of disease. Each symptom or differential diagnosis may be one of many contributing to an individual’s illness. Can you see the link between FM and functional selling? We only help the customer solve their problem by treating the causes. By uncovering the root causes of stress and inflammation FM practitioners get to solve "wicked problems" - multiple causes, multiple influence(r)s, changing context and priorities, timing, motivation, commitment, (in)consistency . The parallels between healthy living and healthy business become clear very quickly in this conversation. Prescription before diagnosis is malpractice. When you listen to Amal's process she seeks to understand the interplay between complex physiological, psychological and environmental factors to understand the problems at their cause. These have been formed a

Before you sign another contract for a major purchase, get a loan or seek investment, listen to this episode with THE REAL Chris Martin from #OriginFinance, who turns the world of commercial finance on its head. The range of options open to many businesses who instead eat into personal finances, make personal guarantees, give away equity, is vast. It can be confusing. Chris clears the fog with jargon or fluff.  Chris discusses a range of commercial finance options that don't involve giving away equity or control of your business, offer flexibility and help you to manage your cash flow. I had my eyes opened to so many useful options I'd previously not considered before. Chris's refreshing approach to advising about finance turns the whole experience of being a buyer into a valuable education. Chris has invited anyone who wants to discuss their finances and commercial alternatives to funding without any pressure, drop him a DM on linkedin.com/in/chris-martin-origin   Website: originfinance.co.uk (Company) Phon

Daniel Hulme, CEO @ SATALIA, Chief AI Officer @ WPP, Investor, Speaker @ TEDx & SingularityU, EIR @ UCL, Lecturer @ LSE, Co-founder @ Faculty, Advisor @ CogX & Syntropy - phew. After that build up, once you listen, I think you'll agree, Daniel doesn't disappoint. Pragmatic, realistic, experienced and humane, this snappy interview covers more ground in 40 minutes than you'll get in a week in English politics (maybe not quite that much but close!). We cover: 1. Rethinking what AI is actually useful for 2. Challenging the noise around AI ethics 3. Macro problems Contact Daniel via linkedin.com/in/danielhulme Websites: satalia.com (Company) hulme.ai (Personal) Phone: +447773765097 (Mobile) Email: daniel@satalia.com Twitter: TheSolveEngine IM: daniel@satalia.com (Skype) -- If you'd like to be a guest on #TheInquisitorPodcast let's explore producing an episode together - https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/theinquisitor-podcast-2023 To explore training and coaching for you and your team, https://calendly.com

Tash Cleeve is an old school headhunter who takes care of her candidate's careers by matching them with the right company, in the right role in the right team to do the right job at the right time, where they can succeed and stay. This means investing time in her relationships with candidates, hiring managers, Boards, investors, potential reports. She's not afraid to get down into the weeds, because she knows that no one wants to make a hire. People want to hire someone who is a good fit with the team, succeeds, improves over time as they grow into the role, and stays. When they leave they want to leave a strong and positive legacy having done the job for which they were hired and successors who will surpass their achievements. And they will delight in their being eclipsed. We discuss how to make that possible. Great chat with someone who is totally sincere and committed to excellence. No wonder Tash and the ineffable @Martin Ellis are like peas in a pod. Contact Tash via linkedin.com/in/natasha-cleeve-a151b3

Chris Bogue is a former stand up comedian and salesman who eats his own dog food (I reckon he would for a laugh!)   Chris says that you must be clear about your answers to these questions:   "What do you say?" "How do you get people to respond?" "Can you explain to me, how is what you promise possible?"   "When you're addressing the camera, are you treating it as if it's another person? Do you realise that the voice you use on stage is different to the voice you use on camera?" We spend time exploring the difference between #digitalnatives and #analoguenatives use of the technology. Funny, practical and something you might want to spend some time over Christmas putting into action while you have some down time. Check out his video course below. I'm going to be learning how myself so you can see how stupid and inept I am when I release my new video channel in 2023.   Contact Chris via linkedin.com/in/chris-bogue Websites: christopherbogue.com (Company) tiktok.com/@chrissellshissoul (Personal) twitter.com/Chris

"Take action in December before you close the books for the year", says Dan Goodman, founder of #TruCommish. Dan's a man on a mission - to make salespeople's pay transparent and fair and help employers attract and retain their top sales talent. Imagine a brand that could say that all commissions are subject to independent verification that they are complete, paid on time and fair. What effect would that have on attracting and keeping top talent? Dan offers this for free for now for salespeople so if you want to be certain you are being paid what you are owed, and if you feel you aren't ... to be able to evidence your case unequivocally and irrefutably. He's built an algorithm he claims can decipher any compensation plan and push out accurate commission statements If you earned it, you should be paid. If you didn't it helps to know why so you don't make the same mistakes again. If your contract is 36 pages long or you have a 12 page dress code, odds are you compensation plan looks like a PhD thesis in astrophy

"If you’re nice to someone’s detriment you are a manipulator", says Eloise Leeson, founder of #OlimComms and a world leading linguistic strategic consultant. Eloise advises global institutions, NGOs, global advertising agencies and technology companies on their communication to improve performance and results. Poor communication can at best slow things down, at worst, sow confusion, division and create unhelpful and preventable friction and conflict. Eloise and I discuss how to make your communication accomplish what you intended. We dig into the critical nature of your internal communication and the ripple effect poorly chosen language can create. "Self awareness is your beginning to understand of the other person", says Eloise. We dig into the effects of entitlement in your communication. "Unless you think about the other person twice as much as yourself, then you probably aren’t self aware at all." She warns us of the dangers of "ASSUMING YOU KNOW!" Have you done your research? When was the last time you c

Stacey Hall, author of Selling From Your Comfort Zone says, "People need to stop getting out of their comfort zone, and get back into their power zone." Being comfortable selling without artifice, without trying to fit in with what you're guessing are the expectations or norms, without clumsy attempts manipulation requires a rethink.   "Too many people suffer from a lack of confidence in self to find own way to make sales, so there's an unhealthy over reliance on gurus. Only around 3% make a real living, the rest are frozen in place. And then they being blamed or are blaming themselves instead of looking at what's wrong with the system!" says Stacey. When choosing companies to represent and managers to work with, beware those who choose to follow those tactics that create at best inconsistent results. It's time to stop teaching manipulation and focus on fundamentals - overcoming objections - give it a rest! We discuss these 5 pillars of success in sales, management and life 1. Quality questions 2. Quality ans

David Heinemeier Hansson has achieved something seemingly rare in tech - a stable, highly profitable tech software company with a huge customer footprint and no VC or PE money. He and his co-founder, Jason Fried escaped corporate careers with a view that taking money from investors would be bad for building a profitable, sustainable business. Three times in the past 20 years, they've been proven right. With just 80 people on the team they produce the same revenues as companies with hundreds even thousands of employees.  An uncompromising and pragmatic conversation that will challenge the status quo with the question, "What if growth is not the goal?"  Contact David via  linkedin.com/in/david-heinemeier-hansson-374b18221 Email: david@basecamp.com -- Contact me on marcus@laughs-last.com or DM on me on LinkedIm to discus: 1. Coaching and training 2. Predictive hiring 3. Selling hot not cold

Roaul Monks of Flume Sales Training and I discuss the Peter Principle at work. It is  alive and well in too many sales operations. What are the common acts of idiocy and self-sabotage so many salespeople, managers and leaders exhibit that cost them sales, lose them customers and drive them into the arms of your competition? Are you performing them? They say making the same mistake twice is a decision ... We have a laugh, often at our own expense, sometimes you'll see yourself reflected in the stupidity. Take heed. It's all fixable. See the link at the bottom if you want to talk about how Raoul Monks linkedin.com/in/raoulmonks Website: flumetraining.com (Other) Phone: +44 (0)7523 951558 (Mobile) Email: raoul@flumetraining.com Twitter: RaoulMonks1 Flumetraining -- To be a guest on the show send me an email at marcus@laughs-last.com. To explore how we might work together to help you achieve what you want in life by finding success, happiness and balance in all areas of your life - you, business & career, fam

Alex Levin, founder of Regal.io and I talk about customers, product development, looking outside of what is comfortable and familiar. We dig into culture, blindspots, limited thinking and hubris. Alex brings #D2C thinking to #B2B #customerengagement. Contact Alex via linkedin.com/in/alexlevin1 Website: alexrlevin.com/ (Alex Levin) Twitter: alexrlevin -- Contact me on marcus@laughs-last.com To explore how you can help your team meet their full potential or to discuss carving your own path in advancing your career https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-explore-coaching-training Do you rate #TheInquisitorPodcast and believe others should be listening to our fabulous guest? Please leave an honest review of the podcast on your favourite platform. If you use Apple Podcasts, please leave one on there. What do you love about it? Hate about? Best lesson(s)? How have you applied something to your advantage? Tell us about a personal advancement. Why should others listen? I love making the show. I hope you're finding it

WARNING: Deeply personal episode delving into topics many of you will find familiar and very uncomfortable to discuss. A bit of a look into the ugly mirror around success, ambition, and painful personal growth. “When we don’t put the brakes on our self-absorption, we have nothing stopping us from total self-destruction. We become the fruits of our actions.” ~ Zeena Schreck Ian Koniak has the t-shirt - $100m in sales at Salesforce, at the time, their highest ever performing salesperson ... and he was miserable and on a path to self-destruction. Fortunately, Ian caught himself at rock bottom when everything looked perfect on the surface. But underneath, he was going through a personal crisis that had him behaving in ways he hated, and that ate into his self-concept. “Self destroyer, wreck your health, destroy friends, destroy yourself. The time device of self-destruction, lies, confusion, start eruption.” ~ Ray Davies We explore mental health and top performers, the danger of becoming complicit in creating the

Mark Choueke, CMO and author of #Boring2Brave says, "You need to be braver about decision making as we head into recession. If your share of voice larger than share of market. You will grow. If your share of voice is less than share of market you will shrink." We dig into the process of developing a customer centric marketing strategy. What is the job to be done by marketing? We explore how clever companies become stupid overnight. And we investigate the chains of stupidity that include over measurement, measuring the wrong things, doubling down on stuff that doesn't work, playing the numbers game Are you using marketing in the right ways and when you need it? Contact Mark via linkedin.com/in/markchoueke Website: boring2brave.com/ (Personal) Phone: +44 7832 139827 (Mobile) Email: mark.choueke@mention-me.com Twitter: MarkChoueke -- Contact me if you want to come on the show via marcus@laughs-last.com with "Inquisitor Guest" in the subject line If you want to talk about accelerating or revitalising your sales,

Mark Raffan, the negotiation ninja discusses negotiation, and some of the really stupid things folks like you and I do when "negotiating". We explore what negotiation is and what it isn't. We argue over whether you can produce a true win-win, and when to pick your ground and when to walk away from a negotiation. We talk blindspots, strategy, the role of emotions, planning, rehearsal, pre- and post-mortems and learning. Robust and frank talk about an area of sales most of us are bad at and end up leaving a lot of money and goodwill on the table through lack of knowhow, lack of preparation and lack of thinking. Mark’s LI Profile: linkedin.com/in/markraffan Websites: contentcallout.com (Company) negotiations.ninja (Company) Phone: +1 403-993-1468 (Mobile) Email: mark@negotiations.ninja Twitter: MarkRaffan -- Contact me on marcus@laughs-last.com if you'd like to be a guest on the show.  If you want to explore personal coaching or training for you and your team let's talk https://calendly.com/marcuscauchi/let-s-e

Mitch Sullivan, creator of Copywriting For Recruiters, talks to me about the importance of selling your job if you want to attract the right candidates. "Job adverts have an audience of one", says Mitch. "Why should a successful candidate who has no need to move, leave a job they are successful and happy in to join your business?" If you make your advert like everyone else's, and you focus on you, your company and what you think is important, you might attract applicants but you will find the experience disappointing. Recruiting well is every managers' number 1 responsibility.  Contact Mitch on linkedin.com/in/mitchsullivan Websites copywritingforrecruiters.com (Company) fasttrackrecruitment.com (Company) Phone: 07725 185395 (Mobile) Email: mitch@fasttrackrecruitment.com Twitter: mitchsullivan Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/copywriting-for-recruiters/ Company Website: https://www.copywritingforrecruiters.com/