In this episode of GTM Insider, Lesley Ronaldson—VP of EMEA at Gong—shares her blueprint for building, maintaining, and scaling high-performing sales teams.

From culture and hiring to deal execution and post-sale collaboration, Lesley offers a masterclass in modern revenue leadership.
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TL;DR

• Sales excellence today requires high standards for hiring, onboarding, and ongoing coaching.

• Culture isn't an afterthought—it directly impacts sales performance and retention.

• Pipeline is lifeline: pipeline creation, quality, and inspection are daily rituals for elite teams.

• Forecast accuracy builds leadership trust and organizational alignment.

• Multi-threading and stakeholder mapping are critical to winning complex B2B deals.

• Top sellers today are more project managers than just relationship builders.

• AI, digital collaboration, and mutual action plans now power modern revenue teams.

• Sellers must personalize at every touchpoint and respect the buyer's intelligence and time.

Hiring & Onboarding: The Foundation of Excellence

“If it’s not a hell yes, it’s a hell no,” says Lesley about Gong’s hiring bar.

She explains why cultural fit interviews, programmatic onboarding, and fast coaching loops drive faster ramp and longer retention.

We explore similar principles in building a winning business case for great hires and onboarding success.

Pipeline, Forecasting, and Inspections Matter More Than Ever

Lesley is maniacal about pipeline health: 'Pipeline is lifeline.' She tracks daily creation, quality, net gains, and closes lost.

Forecasting isn't guesswork either: “We aim for 90% accuracy with a 10% swing.”

Multi-threading in B2B deals plays a massive role in increasing forecast confidence and close rates.

Selling Change, Not Just Software

Modern sales means helping buyers manage complexity, not adding to it.

“You’re not just selling a product anymore—you’re managing a post-sale project,” Lesley explains.

Learn more about simplifying buyer journeys to reduce risk and increase momentum.

The Power of Mutual Action Plans

Clear, buyer-centric mutual action plans aren't optional at Gong—they’re standard.

Lesley emphasizes that a signature isn’t the goal: 'Success post-sale is the real finish line.'

See how mutual action plans guide deals to close with trust and structure.

Digital Sales Rooms: Selling When You’re Not in the Room

As buyers demand more self-service and asynchronous journeys, Gong uses platforms like Trumpet to deliver curated buyer experiences.

Digital sales rooms house stakeholder maps, business cases, pricing, and custom content in one place, keeping deals moving.

Explore how digital sales rooms transform modern B2B buying experiences.

Final Thought: Excellence is a Daily Choice

Lesley leaves us with a reminder: 'You can’t manage what you can’t measure.'

Great sales teams are built on a culture of curiosity, hustle, coaching, and radical respect for the modern buyer.