A report from the National Sales Conference Leadership Edition, Hyatt Regency London Blackfriars
Setting the Scene: A Sales Community with Purpose
At London’s Hyatt Regency in Blackfriars, the National Sales Conference (NSC) Leadership Edition gathered together sales leaders, coaches, and commercial trailblazers under one key theme: recognition: of talent, of leadership, of courage, and, most of all, of what makes us human in a rapidly transforming sales world.
While awards and nominations were a key driver (a timely reminder: nominations for the upcoming National Sales Awards close Friday 11th July), the deeper current flowing through the day was the vital role of trust, emotional intelligence, and accountability in sales leadership. With roundtables, standout keynotes, and honest conversations, the message was clear: we’re not just enabling sales; we’re enabling people.
Sarah Furness: Flying Low, Leading High
One of the most memorable moments came courtesy of Sarah Furness, the first female helicopter pilot to fly Special Forces missions. Her keynote was a masterclass in vulnerability, accountability and decision-making under extreme pressure.
Her stories, whether navigating Kenyan mountain ranges in pitch-black skies or preparing hostage rescue missions in Kabul, weren’t told to celebrate heroics, but to challenge the myth of perfect leadership.
“There is no point having brilliant people in your team if they don’t feel safe to speak up,” Sarah said. “Being brave is not about knowing everything—it’s about inviting dissent.”
She introduced the concept of the “brave question,” a deliberate shift from “Are we okay?” to “What am I not seeing?,” as a leadership tool designed to empower teams to speak truth to power. As Sarah reminded us, real courage lies not in having all the answers, but in admitting when we don’t.
Her talk also spotlighted the relationship between discomfort and growth: “You want to grow a high-performing team? Then delegate into discomfort. Give them slightly more autonomy than feels comfortable. That’s where the magic happens.”
Nigel Risner: If You’re in the Room, Be in the Room
Leadership coach and communication expert Nigel Risner delivered a performance that was equal parts punchy, practical, and a little provocative.
From the outset, Risner’s message cut through: if you’re leading people, you’d better know what makes them tick. “People don’t come to work for money, they come to get their personal needs met,” he argued. “If you don’t know their top five needs, how can you expect loyalty?”
He challenged the audience with three key lessons:
- Be present – “If you’re in the room, be in the room.”
- Know your team’s personal needs – From Diet Coke and chocolate to flexible hours, what people value is individual.
- Make the routine fun – Leadership is about injecting energy into the everyday.
He also called for more immediacy in recognition: “Reward people in the moment, not in the month.”
Risner’s animal-based metaphor system: Monkeys, Dolphins, Lions, and Elephants—helped the audience understand different communication styles and the importance of tailoring your leadership approach to different personalities.
Roundtables: Real Conversations, Shared Challenges
Throughout the day, roundtable sessions invited honest discussion about real-world challenges. A few core themes stood out:
1. AI for Coaching
Sales leaders are embracing AI—but cautiously.
“The digital labour revolution is here,” said one attendee. “But the biggest shift isn’t tech—it’s cultural. People need to understand AI is here to enable them, not replace them.”
Trust, transparency, and ethical data use were front and centre. Coaching with AI only works when reps feel psychologically safe.
2. Onboarding & Scaling Teams
With hybrid models becoming the norm, early culture creation is everything.
“Intentional connection is key, if you’re onboarding someone remotely, start building their internal network before day one.”
The importance of ownership, peer connection, and early wins were emphasised as essential tools for retention and performance.
3. High-Performance Culture
Transforming teams starts with trust and listening.
“Listen to understand, not to reply,” one participant said. “That’s how you influence change in a resistant team.”
Authentic leadership, expectation-setting, and clear values were seen as non-negotiable for scale.
4. Customer Success as a Human Discipline
Customer success isn’t a department—it’s a mindset.
“Long sales cycles can make value hard to prove,” said one contributor. “But when you co-create a success plan with your customer, the conversation changes.”
Many tables noted that customer success should reflect how customers want to measure progress, not how we want to.
5. Mentorship & Leadership
Mentorship came up again and again as a tool for growth—for mentors and mentees alike.
“Leadership is a privilege,” one attendee said. “It impacts how others experience work. We owe it to our teams to do it better.”
There was a collective call to action for leaders in the room: find someone to mentor, and be mentored. Share your lessons. Share your mistakes.
Recognition: More Than Awards
With nominations closing soon for the National Sales Awards (don’t forget—Friday 11th July), the day served as a timely reminder that recognition is not about ego. It’s about momentum. Celebrating wins. Sharing growth. Acknowledging progress.
In Sarah’s words: “Make sure you don’t skip the celebration part. Leadership is tough—but there are moments to be proud of. Let’s recognise them.”
Speaking of recognition: The Top 100 Sales Influencers Index: Congratulations to Sean McPheat
A highlight of the day was the announcement of the inaugural Top 100 Sales Influencers Index rankings, a new benchmark celebrating the people shaping the sales industry through content, coaching, and thought leadership. Huge congratulations go to Sean McPheat, Founder & CEO of MTD Sales Training, who secured 1st place in these rankings. Sean’s achievement exemplifies the power of relentless development, community-building, and insight-driven influence—an inspiration to all in the NSC community.
View the full rankings.
Breaking New Ground: The Inaugural Revenue Growth Summit
The momentum continued the very next day with the debut of the Revenue Growth Summit, held on Friday 4th July, also at London Blackfriars. Positioned as the UK’s premier gathering for GTM leaders, sales directors, business developers and territory managers, this inaugural event set a high bar for the future of revenue strategy in a tech-driven world.
Bringing together top voices in sales innovation, including Julie Holmes, George Sandford, Deborah Watson, Tim Gale, and Tom Lavery, the summit focused on one central goal: winning business through intelligent growth. Whether it was Sandford’s vision for AI-powered sales or Holmes’ hands-on AI Masterclass (complete with the “PREPARED Prompting Method” and live prompt engineering), the day blended strategic insight with tactical execution.
Attendees explored the 5 E’s Framework, learned how to balance human skill with automation using the 20-60-20 Rule, and left armed with their own personalised prompt libraries—ready to boost pipeline, sharpen proposals, and cut through the noise.
“If your competitors are still figuring out what AI can do,” said Holmes, “this workshop will ensure you’re already doing it.”
The summit reinforced that growth today doesn’t come from grinding harder—but from working smarter. Through AI, behavioural science, and fresh strategic thinking, the Revenue Growth Summit carved out a new space for future-fit sales teams to thrive.
Looking Ahead: November’s NSC Event
This Leadership Edition wasn’t just a standalone gathering, it was in advance of the National Sales Conference in November, where many of these themes will return in even greater depth. Expect more conversations on coaching, AI, performance, diversity, and, above all, leadership with humanity.
So whether you’re a frontline manager or seasoned CSO, now’s the time to reflect:
- Who in your team deserves to be recognised?
- What mistake can you share to help someone else learn?
- Are you listening as much as you’re leading?
Nominate your peers. Nominate your leaders. Nominate yourself.
The NSC community is growing—and your voice, your story, your impact, deserve to be part of it.
