The Sales Leader Of Influence Show

Episode 18 - THE 5 LESSONS 2025 TAUGHT ME (That Shifted My Identity & My Leadership)

2025 wasn’t a pivot year for me — it was an iteration and identity year (and for others).
A year of stepping back, listening deeper, and upgrading the version of me that leads my business and my work with CEOs and Sales Leaders.
In this last episode of The Sales Leader of Influence SHOW for 2025, I’m sharing the 5 lessons that began to change everything for me — personally, commercially, and creatively.
Real lessons. Human lessons. Leadership lessons we don’t always say out loud.
Here’s what I’m diving into:
🔥 Step Back to Level UpWhy space — not strategy — gave me the clarity I’d been missing.
🔥 Metrics and Money Doesn't Fix ConditioningThe shift from numbers and targets to identity, congruence, and alignment.
🔥 Listen To Your “Yeah — Nah.”What happened when I ignored my gut… and what happened when I finally honoured it.
🔥 New Identity, New MarketHow my internal shift led me into CEO and VP-level rooms (and validated my own IP, Frameworks, and Thought Leadership).
🔥 Upgrade You → Upgrade EverythingThe OS-level identity work that is changing the entire trajectory of my business and outcomes.
If you’re a CEO, VP, or Sales Leader navigating your own next level, this conversation will hit home and is a baseline for growth.
Join me live — and bring the version of you who’s ready for 2026.
WHEN: 5PM ETWHERE: LinkedIn, YouTube, Podcast Platforms

Episode 17 - HOW REAL LEADERS LEAD WHEN THEIR BACK IS AGAINST THE WALL

 
HOW REAL LEADERS LEAD WHEN THEIR BACK IS AGAINST THE WALL
When life gets hectic, leaders don’t just feel the pressure – they often show it.Not publicly. Not in the boardroom.But internally, in the identity they lead from.
In this week’s episode of The Sales Leader of Influence SHOW, I’m unpacking what leadership looks like when you feel like your back is against the wall… and you are still expected to make clear decisions, keep people aligned, and stay steady.
We’ll dive into:
How pressure exposes the old version of you that you’ve potentially outgrown
How to leverage 'The Gap' before reacting
Why uncertainty isn’t destabilising – it’s often the arena for your next level
What your team actually needs from you in this season
This is NOT a conversation about burnout or struggle.It’s a grounded look at the moments no one sees – and how to navigate them with strength, presence, and influence.
If you’re in a season where you’re juggling decisions, carrying expectations, and holding the line… I'm sure this episode will land.
LinkedInLIVE, YouTube and Podcast Platforms

Episode 16 - The One Lie Sales Leaders Can't Afford To Tell - Literally!

I’m calling out a behaviour too many leaders overlook and I believe quietly undermines more results than market conditions ever will.
In leadership, it could be a lie, it could also be a sign.
Whatever you call it,  people retreat because of it and revenue is impacted … teams hold back information, individuals resist being honest, and people will protect themselves instead of the business.
Why This Matters Right Now
Today’s revenue challenges aren’t just market-driven.
They’re leadership-driven.
When your actions and your words don’t match, your team stops doing a number of things... escalating risks, owning timelines, and trusting you, their leader.
And this silence comes with a commercial price tag – stalled deals, hidden problems, and revenue that looks predictable until it suddenly isn’t.
Three Takeaways from this episode of The Sales Leader of Influence SHOW
1️⃣ The financial impact of misalignment at the topHow one leader’s inconsistency can create downstream delays, missed opportunities, and a pipeline that ‘looks fine’ right up until the last week of the quarter.
2️⃣ The leadership standard that changes performance immediatelyA clear, uncompromising expectation that sharpens execution, lifts truth-telling, and resets how your team communicates under pressure.
3️⃣ How to recover credibility when trust is disappearingDirect, practical steps to restore confidence and turn your follow-through into a competitive advantage.
Join Us...
And if you want even more alignment between expectations and execution, head to SalesLeaderOfInfluence.com.
Explore the Revenue & Role Clarity System and download the Sales Leadership Paradigm Report to see what’s really driving (or draining) performance in today’s environment.

Episode 15 - From Blackjack To Boardrooms: With Joel Block

In Las Vegas, they say you can’t beat the house - but a few rare players know how to change the game.
This week on The Sales Leader of Influence SHOW, join Bernadette McClelland and Joel Block, former professional blackjack player turned venture capitalist and hedge-fund manager who’s closed over $1 billion in deals.
Joel learned what it takes to win when the stakes are highest - first at the blackjack table, then in the boardroom.
Now, he shows leaders how to rewire their decision patterns so that success isn’t left to chance - it’s designed.
In this fast-paced 30-minute conversation, we’ll explore:
• How elite performers tilt the odds in their favour - and how sales leaders can, too.• The unseen thinking patterns that create consistent wins (and how to build them into your leadership)• The bold choices that separate those who play to win from those who merely play not to lose
If you lead a team, drive revenue, or make high-stakes decisions, this session will sharpen your instincts and remind you that the real game is never played on the table - it’s played in your head.
Join us for some unique insights on how to expand your influence, invite more business and build an even higher performing team.
🎙 Hosted by Bernadette McClelland, Creator of The Sales Leader of Influence Method™

Episode 14 - Why Deal Coaching Isn't Enough Anymore

This week’s… .🎙 WHY DEAL COACHING ISN’T ENOUGH ANYMORE
In sales leadership, the biggest performance gaps aren’t in the pipeline - they’re in the people.
We review deals, update CRMs, and chase forecasts…
But what if what’s stalling revenue isn’t the deal itself?
Because deals don’t die in the CRM.And that’s where leadership has to evolve as much as the deal.
What We’ll Cover
In this episode of The Sales Leader of Influence SHOW, Bernadette McClelland - keynote speaker, executive coach, and creator of The Sales Leader of Influence Method™,  unpacks:
• The invisible factor killing good deals before they ever hit the forecast• The new motivator driving performance (hint: it’s not metrics)• The one leadership skill AI can’t replace - and why it matters more than ever
When leaders only coach the deal, sure they might generate a bit of activity.
When they coach the human behind it, however, they create ownership.
In a world where AI automates the transactional work, human leadership will always be the differentiator.
This conversation will help you shift from managing pipeline to mobilizing the potential of your team – so they move from compliance to conviction.
Date: Wednesday, 5th November at 5 PM ET
Where: LinkedIn Live | YouTube | Podcast Platforms
Bring a notebook. Bring your self-awareness.
This is for leaders ready to coach at a transformational level, not just transactional or tactical.

Episode 13 - What's Playing Small Costing You?

In a world obsessed with strategy, tactics, and KPIs, many leaders forget the most important arena they play in — their own mind.This week, Bernadette pulls back the curtain on one of the most overlooked leadership blind spots: the cost of playing small.
Are you showing up fully in your career, your relationships, your life?Or are you staying safe — wearing the mask of professionalism while quietly holding yourself back?
Through her signature philosophy of Deliberate Disruption, Bernadette invites leaders to rethink how they think — to challenge their own thought addictions, emotional comfort zones, and self-limiting stories. Because the real barrier isn’t your skillset… it’s your mindset.
💭 “We’re addicted to our thoughts,” she says. “The way you think shapes how you feel, and how you feel shapes how you act. Change your thoughts — change your game.”
In this episode, you’ll discover:* The subtle ways high-performers “play small” without realizing it* How negative thought loops sabotage leadership and influence*  Why compartmentalizing your life fragments your impact*  The power of bringing your whole self to the table*  Practical ways to name, claim, and reframe the stories keeping you stuck
Bernadette shares powerful real-world insights — from boardrooms to personal breakthroughs — reminding us that authentic leadership isn’t about being louder or bolder. It’s about being fully congruent, aligned, and unapologetically yourself.
Takeaway:Stop asking “How can I play bigger?” and start asking “Where am I playing small?”Because the moment you get honest — everything shifts.

Episode 12 - Positioning Yourself For Opportunity

Are you truly ready for the opportunities life and leadership are trying to hand you — or are you waiting for them to “arrive”?
In this powerful episode of The Sales Leader of Influence Show, host Bernardette McClellan unpacks what it really means to position yourself — not just strategically, but emotionally, practically, and energetically — so that when opportunity knocks, you don’t just answer… you own it. 💥
🔑 Inside this episode:✨ The difference between waiting for opportunities and being positioned to receive them.🧭 How unrecognized “blind spots” keep us from seeing what’s right in front of us.💼 A classic Xerox story on the power of readiness — and how one missing pen could cost you the deal.🧠 The three dimensions of readiness that separate leaders from followers: 1️⃣ Emotional Readiness – Letting go of outcomes and leading from calm confidence. 2️⃣ Practical Readiness – Building micro-moments of momentum through daily discipline. 3️⃣ Energetic Readiness – Tapping into creativity and alignment to magnetize opportunity.⚡ How to lead your sales team (and yourself) with soul, spirit, and spine — no waiting room required.
Bernardet reminds us that “you don’t get ready, you stay ready.” 🚀Because in today’s fast-moving world, opportunities don’t pause while we prepare — they pass us by if we’re not positioned to respond.
🎧 Tune in now to learn how to raise your level of readiness — emotionally, practically, and energetically — and lead from a place of presence, conviction, and power.

Episode 11- The Leadership Trap Of Need

🎙 Are You Leading from Power — or from Need?
In this week’s episode of The Sales Leader of Influence Show, Bernardette McClellan uncovers one of the most overlooked traps in leadership — operating from need instead of want.
We may think we’re chasing success, pipeline, and performance… but often, what we’re really doing is living in survival mode, even when our basic needs are already met. We say:
“I need to hit my number.”“My team needs to perform.”“I need more pipeline.”
But that mindset breeds pressure, resistance, and scarcity — and whether we realize it or not, our teams feel it. When leaders lead from need, they project stress. When they lead from want, they project possibility.
In this powerful deep dive, you’ll learn:
✅ Why need-based leadership blocks opportunities and repels talent✅ How to switch into presence and neutrality — the state where creativity and solutions emerge✅ The secret to attracting opportunities instead of chasing them✅ How legends like Richard Branson and Steve Jobs transformed their lives by swapping need for want✅ A practical exercise to identify where your resistance is coming from — and dissolve it
This isn’t fluff. It’s emotional intelligence at its highest level.
If you're a leader feeling pressure, or a salesperson pushing hard and seeing little return, this episode is your reset button. 🎧Check out the following page for Decision Making Strategies:https://tinyurl.com/mr28w6h

Episode 10 - Expand Your Influence - True Colours. True North. True Grit.

EXPAND YOUR INFLUENCE – True Colours. True North. True Grit.
The Sales Leader of Influence Show
When markets shift, teams tighten, and confidence wavers - the leaders who rise aren't the loudest… they're the ones with the most clarity and conviction.
Because your influence isn't built on authority or title - it's built on how you show up when things are uncertain.
In this live session of The Sales Leader of Influence Show, Bernadette McClelland will unpack how to expand your influence as a sales leader - from the inside out.
You'll learn:
👉 How to lead with True Colours - aligning your true self and your trained self so your leadership feels authentic and trusted.
👉 How to recalibrate your True North - making decisive, values-based choices instead of waiting for "normal" to return.
👉 How to build True Grit - sustaining conviction, energy, and standards when pressure hits and the path gets messy.
👉 Why influence is less about visibility - and more about credibility, consistency, and congruence.
And yes - Bernadette will share stories from Vegas, from working alongside global leaders, and from moments where being 'not ready' became the exact reason for the next opportunity.
Because when your colours are true, your north is clear, and your grit is real - you don't chase influence. You become it.

Episode 9 -Resourcefulness Over Resources - Leading When Budgets Are Tight

Resourcefulness Over Resources - Leading When Budgets Are Tight
The Sales Leader of Influence Show
When the budget gets slashed, the travel freezes hit, and your team is asked to 'do more with less'… most sales leaders panic. But here's the truth: your influence isn't built on the size of your resources - it's built on your ability to be resourceful.
In this live session of The Sales Leader of Influence Show, Bernadette McClelland will unpack how leaders can thrive when the usual crutches aren't there.
You'll learn:
👉 Strategies for maximizing pipeline generation despite budget constraints.
👉 Developing and upskilling your team with zero-cost solutions.
👉 Techniques for cultivating a resilient, high-energy culture without relying on external rewards.
👉 Why 'Who Not How' is your lifeline in lean times
And yes - she'll share stories from COVID, her Camino walk in Spain, and how constraints often become the catalyst for innovation. Because when resources run dry, resourcefulness is what turns leaders into multipliers.