@chrispupia.bsky.social
Culture isn’t built by memos, it’s built by principles leaders actually live. Involving your team in creating them drives ownership. Principles guide decisions, shape behavior, and inspire action. Get them right, and everything else in your org gets easier.
Leadership Principles: How Inspiration Pays Off
Developing organizational leadership principles yielded four lessons on boosting employees’ and leaders’ performance.
sloanreview.mit.edu
February 12, 2026 at 2:32 PM
Culture isn’t built by memos, it’s built by principles leaders actually live. Involving your team in creating them drives ownership. Principles guide decisions, shape behavior, and inspire action. Get them right, and everything else in your org gets easier.
A new study shows compassion, patience, and self-control don’t just help others - they boost your own well-being. In teams, modeling these virtues strengthens mental health, resilience, and performance. Virtue feeds back into your own well-being, and in leadership, that cycle matters.
February 11, 2026 at 2:40 PM
A new study shows compassion, patience, and self-control don’t just help others - they boost your own well-being. In teams, modeling these virtues strengthens mental health, resilience, and performance. Virtue feeds back into your own well-being, and in leadership, that cycle matters.
Sales vs. finance tension isn’t about performance, it’s timing. 49% of sales deals rejected, only 18% pay on time. Giving credit risk insight earlier aligns teams, reduces frustration, and keeps reps motivated. Revenue works best when we collaborate, not clash.
New report outlines benefits of collaboration between finance and sales
Could finance now be a part of the revenue engine?
www.revenuebrew.com
February 9, 2026 at 2:16 PM
Sales vs. finance tension isn’t about performance, it’s timing. 49% of sales deals rejected, only 18% pay on time. Giving credit risk insight earlier aligns teams, reduces frustration, and keeps reps motivated. Revenue works best when we collaborate, not clash.
Marc Andreessen spends 3 hrs/day on podcasts & audiobooks, almost a full day a week. I get why. The right podcasts reward focus and perspective. Mix business, history, culture -- and it keeps thinking sharp and curious. What are you listening to lately?
February 5, 2026 at 2:35 PM
Marc Andreessen spends 3 hrs/day on podcasts & audiobooks, almost a full day a week. I get why. The right podcasts reward focus and perspective. Mix business, history, culture -- and it keeps thinking sharp and curious. What are you listening to lately?
You can show up to impress, or show up to understand. Polished slides might get praise, but understanding takes humility, questions, and listening. Slow down, focus on their reality, build trust -- and the results follow.
Stop Pitching, Start Listening: The Sales Discipline Behind Big Deals
Before you tell your story, make sure you understand and document theirs. Until you’ve earned that right, your "pitch" is premature.
www.forbes.com
February 2, 2026 at 2:20 PM
You can show up to impress, or show up to understand. Polished slides might get praise, but understanding takes humility, questions, and listening. Slow down, focus on their reality, build trust -- and the results follow.
This was a good reminder that performance lives in the environment people work in every day.
When stress becomes the default, teams pull back. When energy and clarity are intentional, people show up differently. A people- and energy-first workplace is how sustainable performance actually happens.
When stress becomes the default, teams pull back. When energy and clarity are intentional, people show up differently. A people- and energy-first workplace is how sustainable performance actually happens.
Stop exporting stress and build a workplace people enjoy
The biggest performance unlock wasn’t a new tool or process, but learning to regulate my emotional state. You can stop that leak in your leadership, too.
www.fastcompany.com
January 29, 2026 at 2:15 PM
This was a good reminder that performance lives in the environment people work in every day.
When stress becomes the default, teams pull back. When energy and clarity are intentional, people show up differently. A people- and energy-first workplace is how sustainable performance actually happens.
When stress becomes the default, teams pull back. When energy and clarity are intentional, people show up differently. A people- and energy-first workplace is how sustainable performance actually happens.
Been thinking about calm and leadership. It’s rare, but it’s a multiplier. Leaders who stay steady under pressure make better decisions, set clear priorities, and create teams that feel safe to take risks. Calm isn’t innate—it’s something we can build, one deliberate shift at a time.
Calm: The Underrated Capability Every Leader Needs Now | Lynda Gratton
Some people stay steady no matter how much work accelerates. Here’s how they do it — and what we can learn from them.
sloanreview.mit.edu
January 22, 2026 at 2:28 PM
Been thinking about calm and leadership. It’s rare, but it’s a multiplier. Leaders who stay steady under pressure make better decisions, set clear priorities, and create teams that feel safe to take risks. Calm isn’t innate—it’s something we can build, one deliberate shift at a time.
AI sales simulations could be a way to close a real gap. Skilled execution needs repetition and practice. Done right, simulations can help test new messaging, handle tougher buyer conversations, & connect strategy to what actually happens in a sales call.
AI Sales Simulations: Turning Sales Kickoffs Into Everyday Execution
The SKO can be a defining moment where strategy meets motivation, but it should be viewed as the start of a performance journey, not the finish line.
www.forbes.com
January 19, 2026 at 3:00 PM
AI sales simulations could be a way to close a real gap. Skilled execution needs repetition and practice. Done right, simulations can help test new messaging, handle tougher buyer conversations, & connect strategy to what actually happens in a sales call.
I’ve always valued relationships at work, but this is a good reminder of how powerful real friendships can be. Teams that feel safe, supported, and human take bigger swings, share feedback honestly, and perform better. This year, I’m focusing on nurturing those bonds.
Don’t Underestimate the Value of Professional Friendships
Most people try to keep work and friendship in separate boxes, but that division is counterproductive. Professionals now spend more time with colleagues than with anyone else, and strong personal ties at work are directly linked to trust, learning, creativity, and performance. The real obstacle to productive business friendships is the widespread belief that mixing the personal and professional in
hbr.org
January 14, 2026 at 2:46 PM
I’ve always valued relationships at work, but this is a good reminder of how powerful real friendships can be. Teams that feel safe, supported, and human take bigger swings, share feedback honestly, and perform better. This year, I’m focusing on nurturing those bonds.
One of the best leadership lessons I’ve learned: Get a hobby that makes you a beginner again.
Stepping away from the "expert" role to struggle with something new builds more empathy and clarity than any business book. To lead better, sometimes you have to stop leading for a bit.
Stepping away from the "expert" role to struggle with something new builds more empathy and clarity than any business book. To lead better, sometimes you have to stop leading for a bit.
January 12, 2026 at 2:26 PM
One of the best leadership lessons I’ve learned: Get a hobby that makes you a beginner again.
Stepping away from the "expert" role to struggle with something new builds more empathy and clarity than any business book. To lead better, sometimes you have to stop leading for a bit.
Stepping away from the "expert" role to struggle with something new builds more empathy and clarity than any business book. To lead better, sometimes you have to stop leading for a bit.
In sales and leadership, it rarely comes down to talent or tech - it comes down to clarity. So, I start with the basics. I ask myself these Four Whats constantly: problem, why it matters, impact, credibility. Do that and teams align, customers trust, momentum grows.
The Four Whats Of Sales And Leadership
When you can answer these four questions with precision, you don't simply communicate—you influence.
www.forbes.com
January 6, 2026 at 2:37 AM
In sales and leadership, it rarely comes down to talent or tech - it comes down to clarity. So, I start with the basics. I ask myself these Four Whats constantly: problem, why it matters, impact, credibility. Do that and teams align, customers trust, momentum grows.
As 2025 wraps, I’m grateful for a year of learning, resilience, and growth -- especially through fractional work. Focusing on impact in concentrated bursts has let me mentor, experiment, and help teams succeed in ways a traditional setup sometimes can’t. Excited for 2026.
December 31, 2025 at 2:27 AM
As 2025 wraps, I’m grateful for a year of learning, resilience, and growth -- especially through fractional work. Focusing on impact in concentrated bursts has let me mentor, experiment, and help teams succeed in ways a traditional setup sometimes can’t. Excited for 2026.
In B2B, trust is essential. @Forrester calls trust the hard currency of partner ecosystems: buyers who trust you are far more likely to recommend or pay a premium.
Trust is built through 7 levers including competence, consistency, and dependability. When it’s there, it compounds.
Trust is built through 7 levers including competence, consistency, and dependability. When it’s there, it compounds.
December 22, 2025 at 2:48 PM
In B2B, trust is essential. @Forrester calls trust the hard currency of partner ecosystems: buyers who trust you are far more likely to recommend or pay a premium.
Trust is built through 7 levers including competence, consistency, and dependability. When it’s there, it compounds.
Trust is built through 7 levers including competence, consistency, and dependability. When it’s there, it compounds.
AI is changing sales, but it’s not replacing humans. SDRs and BDRs still learn the fundamentals, leaders still manage complexity, and human judgment is key. Sales is still a training ground -- AI just helps us focus on what only humans can do.
December 17, 2025 at 3:00 PM
AI is changing sales, but it’s not replacing humans. SDRs and BDRs still learn the fundamentals, leaders still manage complexity, and human judgment is key. Sales is still a training ground -- AI just helps us focus on what only humans can do.
In sales and leadership, real impact comes from looking beyond your immediate customer—understanding the people they serve, the challenges they face, and the outcomes they care about. Serve your customer’s customer, and everything else follows.
Leadership Through Your Customer’s Customer
Serve the customer’s customer, coach as a leader, and treat strategy as dialogue. Executive coach Shakeel Bharmal shows how to deepen your leadership.
www.forbes.com
December 16, 2025 at 2:47 AM
In sales and leadership, real impact comes from looking beyond your immediate customer—understanding the people they serve, the challenges they face, and the outcomes they care about. Serve your customer’s customer, and everything else follows.
A brand isn’t just a product, it’s the experience you create. Hands-on moments, smart partnerships, tech + gamification, and exceptional service turn interactions into loyalty. Treat every touchpoint as a chance to delight, not just sell.
4 Expert Techniques to Strengthen Your Brand
Your brand is about more than what you offer—it is about your relationship with customers.
www.inc.com
December 8, 2025 at 2:50 PM
A brand isn’t just a product, it’s the experience you create. Hands-on moments, smart partnerships, tech + gamification, and exceptional service turn interactions into loyalty. Treat every touchpoint as a chance to delight, not just sell.
Tough quarters aren’t fun, but they’re defining. The best teams rise on rigor and mindset - clean pipelines, fresh plays, and a belief that adversity builds strength. Anyone can lead when it’s easy. The real test is how you show up when it’s not.
How elite sales leaders drive growth in down quarters
The playbook for leadership under pressure is rigor, innovation, and mindset.
www.fastcompany.com
December 4, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Tough quarters aren’t fun, but they’re defining. The best teams rise on rigor and mindset - clean pipelines, fresh plays, and a belief that adversity builds strength. Anyone can lead when it’s easy. The real test is how you show up when it’s not.
AI is rewriting sales -- from how teams work to how buyers decide. The edge in 2026 goes to leaders who use AI for real impact, meet buyers with relevance, and back their managers with clarity + tools to scale performance.
Three Critical Trends for Sales Leaders to Address in the Age of AI
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www.gartner.com
December 1, 2025 at 2:41 PM
AI is rewriting sales -- from how teams work to how buyers decide. The edge in 2026 goes to leaders who use AI for real impact, meet buyers with relevance, and back their managers with clarity + tools to scale performance.
Gartner’s 2026 predictions highlight two key shifts I'm following: B2B buying via AI agents could hit $15T by 2028, and human judgment, empathy, and independent thinking are more valuable than ever. Leaders must act and keep people central.
November 24, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Gartner’s 2026 predictions highlight two key shifts I'm following: B2B buying via AI agents could hit $15T by 2028, and human judgment, empathy, and independent thinking are more valuable than ever. Leaders must act and keep people central.
Prospecting used to be a grind - hours chasing leads, cold messaging, hoping something sticks. AI flips that: it predicts who’ll convert, prioritizes outreach, and personalizes messages.
Smarter prospecting = better conversations, faster trust, stronger results.
Smarter prospecting = better conversations, faster trust, stronger results.
November 17, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Prospecting used to be a grind - hours chasing leads, cold messaging, hoping something sticks. AI flips that: it predicts who’ll convert, prioritizes outreach, and personalizes messages.
Smarter prospecting = better conversations, faster trust, stronger results.
Smarter prospecting = better conversations, faster trust, stronger results.
Decades in telecom & tech taught me this: the real currency isn’t revenue -- it’s relationships. Investing in trust, follow-through, and authenticity compounds faster than any metric. And I help leaders turn that relationship equity into real business results.
November 14, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Decades in telecom & tech taught me this: the real currency isn’t revenue -- it’s relationships. Investing in trust, follow-through, and authenticity compounds faster than any metric. And I help leaders turn that relationship equity into real business results.
AI is changing everything in software -- per-seat licenses are fading, and outcomes matter more than ever. Sales teams and CROs need to shift from volume to impact, guiding adoption and proving results. I help leaders navigate this post-SaaS world -- let’s connect.
So long, SaaS: Why AI spells the end of per-seat software licenses - and what comes next
The AI surge is forcing application vendors to restructure how they deliver and charge for solutions. Software companies will need to sell outcomes, not licenses.
www.zdnet.com
November 12, 2025 at 2:16 PM
AI is changing everything in software -- per-seat licenses are fading, and outcomes matter more than ever. Sales teams and CROs need to shift from volume to impact, guiding adoption and proving results. I help leaders navigate this post-SaaS world -- let’s connect.
Discipline, patience, and clarity are essentials in the sales world. Teams that cultivate focus, follow-through, and thoughtful pacing don’t just survive uncertainty -- they turn it into opportunity and outperform the competition.
November 6, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Discipline, patience, and clarity are essentials in the sales world. Teams that cultivate focus, follow-through, and thoughtful pacing don’t just survive uncertainty -- they turn it into opportunity and outperform the competition.
Innovation without responsibility isn’t progress, it’s risk. True leaders use responsibility as a rudder -- asking should we build this? who does it serve? Bold ideas plus foresight leads to growth that matters, and impact that lasts.
November 5, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Innovation without responsibility isn’t progress, it’s risk. True leaders use responsibility as a rudder -- asking should we build this? who does it serve? Bold ideas plus foresight leads to growth that matters, and impact that lasts.
For #CROs, global expansion is exciting but high stakes. It's not just about product -it’s about trust, local insight, and adapting to buyer needs. From market readiness to local teams to retention, strategy matters. I’m open to fractional CRO work to help teams scale globally.
October 29, 2025 at 1:58 PM
For #CROs, global expansion is exciting but high stakes. It's not just about product -it’s about trust, local insight, and adapting to buyer needs. From market readiness to local teams to retention, strategy matters. I’m open to fractional CRO work to help teams scale globally.