Driving Accountability and Building Trust with Chris Riley

Chris Riley serves as President of Worldwide Field Operations of DataRobot, where he is responsible for accelerating the company’s revenue growth and global footprint, bringing DataRobot to organizations across all industries and geographies. Riley previously served as Chief Revenue Officer for Robotic Process Automation (RPA) leader Automation Anywhere, where he led global sales in over 90 countries and managed an ecosystem of over 1,900 partners. Prior to Automation Anywhere, Riley served as President of Global Sales at Dell Technologies, where he was responsible for a multi-billion dollar route to market. Riley also served as Vice President and General Manager for HP’s storage business at HPE. Riley lives in Naples, FL with his family.

In this conversation with John McMahon, Chris discusses the importance of understanding the culture and processes of a new organization when stepping into a leadership role. He emphasizes the need for leaders to be adaptable and willing to learn from their teams. Chris also highlights the significance of metrics and productivity in managing a sales organization, as well as the importance of hiring the right people and providing them with the necessary training and development. He shares insights on building trust with the sales team, prioritizing pipeline generation, and the role of mentors, coaches, and godfathers in a leader's career.

HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT:

[00:01:51] Overview of what DataRobot does and its applications

[00:15:13] The importance of work ethic, coachability, and aptitude in hiring

[00:23:47] Characteristics of successful leaders and the consequences of failure

[00:38:48] The most critical step in the sales process and the importance of a champion

[00:47:26] Navigating a sluggish economy and advice for salespeople

[00:54:15] The importance of hard work, generating pipeline, and following the process

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

[00:22:02] "A mentor is somebody you can speak openly without fear of judgment." - Chris Riley

[00:36:35] “A good leader builds trust with the team and shows genuine interest in their success.” - Chris Riley

Learn more about Chris through this link:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisriley3/

Check out John McMahon’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064