185: This Is Why 99% of Sales Leaders Never Create Their Own IP | Bernadette McClelland

Rethinking Sales Leadership: Disrupting the Status Quo and Multiplying Your Impact 

In this energizing episode, Damon sits down with Bernadette McClelland—global sales leadership consultant, keynote speaker, and founder of the Sales Leadership Academy—to explore why the most dangerous thing a leader can do is stick with “the way we’ve always done it.” Bernadette shares her personal evolution from top corporate sales leader in Australia to transformative coach and framework creator, urging sales leaders to move beyond comfort zones, drive self-mastery, and codify their unique expertise for the market of tomorrow. From breaking free of outdated identities to embracing a balance of competitive and creative energies, this conversation is packed with actionable strategies and fresh perspectives for anyone looking to stay relevant, multiply their impact, and future-proof their sales leadership. 

Whether you’re a new manager or a seasoned pro, you’ll find practical tools and inspiration to rewrite your own story, build frameworks that differentiate you, and lead teams with more conviction, clarity, and compassion. 

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• Why disruption is essential for sales leaders—and the steep cost of doing nothing 
• The crucial link between identity, intention, and self-influence in transforming leadership 
• How to shift from managing deals to inspiring and mobilizing teams at a human level 
• Why codifying your unique expertise (IP) creates massive value and market differentiation 
• The rising importance of balancing competitive (masculine) and creative (feminine) leadership energies 
• How to coach teams for belief and behavioral change—not just business outcomes 

Timestamps: 

00:00 – Why “we’ve always done it this way” is so dangerous for leaders 

01:41 – The importance of curiosity and self-disruption 

03:06 – Identity, intentionality, and influence: the trilogy of self-leadership 

07:16 – Bernadette’s journey: overcoming adversity, shifting out of “shallow” work 

13:37 – Position, people, process, performance, proof: the framework for multiplying impact 

16:42 – The perception trap: why pipeline problems go deeper than the numbers 

17:02 – Balancing competitive and creative energies in sales leadership 

19:41 – Why not every high-performing rep should be a leader 

22:00 – From managing to mobilizing: inspiring belief in your team 

24:49 – Coaching limiting beliefs around money and authority 

30:18 – Codifying your IP: why your expertise is your commercial asset 

32:58 – What the Sales Leadership Academy delivers for its graduates 

33:09 – Who Bernadette’s academy is for (and who it isn’t) 

34:18 – Human skills and the future of sales leadership in the AI era 

37:11 – Using AI wisely: avoiding “copycat” content while leveraging tech 

39:27 – Bernadette’s last takeaway: stay open, curious, and true to yourself 

40:43 – Where to connect with Bernadette and access her Academy 

About Bernadette McClelland 

Bernadette McClelland is an international sales leadership consultant, keynote speaker, and founder of the Sales Leadership Academy. From humble beginnings and overcoming setbacks, Bernadette rose to become a senior sales leader at Xerox Australia, master coach for Tony Robbins in Asia Pacific, and a trusted advisor to Harvard MBA students and business schools across the globe. Today, she’s renowned for helping leaders coadify their unique value, systemize sales strategy, and double down on impact—whether working with corporate clients, mentoring undergraduates, or volunteering with the incarcerated in their inhouse entrepreneurial and personal transformation programs. 

Resources & Mentions: 

• Bernadette’s website: https://bernadettemcclelland.com 
• Bernadette on LinkedIn: Bernadette McClelland 
• Book: Shift and Disrupt: Stop Selling Widgets, Start Selling Wisdom by Bernadette McClelland 
• Byron Katie’s “The Work”: thework.com 
• World Economic Forum: Top 10 Job Skills of the Future 
• Sales Leader of Influence Academy - Use code "LEARNIT" at checkout for a 100% discount! (valid until 7/1/2026): https://salesleadershipacademy.com/revenue 

Podcast Contact Information: 

Website: www.learnit.com 

Email: podcast@learnit.com 

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