In this short segment of the Revenue Builders Podcast, we revisit the discussion with John True, General Partner at Cultivation Capital, to explore the critical role of emotional intelligence (EQ) in sales leadership. From reading the room to eliminating partial listening, John shares insights on why understanding personal and professional wins is as important as the deal itself. He reveals why active listening is a lost art, how group interviews can reveal a candidate’s EQ, and why being fully present is the foundation for leadership and influence.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

[00:00:47] EQ is not optional—it's a core characteristic of great sales leaders.
[00:01:16] Understanding personal and professional wins is essential to influence without dictating
[00:03:11] Active listening, note-taking, and reading the room set elite salespeople apart
[00:04:00] Asking "How do you know?" reveals deeper self-awareness in interviews
[00:05:12] Group interviews can uncover a seller’s ability to assess multiple stakeholders
[00:06:21] Reading the political landscape in the room helps tailor your message effectively
[00:07:24] Distractions kill EQ—presence is the foundation of emotional intelligence.

QUOTES

[00:01:00] "A big part of every interaction as a leader is understanding personal and professional wins as much as what you’re up to."
[00:03:11] "Active listening is about showing you’re engaged—taking notes, bringing insights back into the conversation.
[00:04:00] "How are you doing? How do you think you’re doing? And most importantly—how do you know?"
[00:07:24] "To have EQ, you first have to be here—in the moment, with no distractions."

Listen to the full conversation through the link below.
https://revenue-builders.simplecast.com/episodes/the-role-of-emotional-intelligence-and-authentic-leadership-in-b2b-sales-with-john-true

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Check out John McMahon’s book here:
Amazon Link: https://a.co/d/1K7DDC4

Check out Force Management’s Ascender platform here:
https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/

Listening, Engaging and Winning with John True

Revenue Builders