Leading Like A Team Coach With Harvey Smith, VP Partners Get Amplified podcast

Leading Like a Team Coach with Harvey Smith, VP Partners

23d ago 52:17

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What happens when a leader embraces the role of team coach?

In this episode, we sit down with Harvey Smith, VP Partners, who shares his experience leading partner teams across EMEA through his natural team coaching approach.

Harvey opens up about the delicate balance between authority and humility that defines great team coaching leadership. Drawing on his extensive experience at DocuSign, Salesforce, Tableau, and VMware, Harvey reveals how he transformed disparate teams into cohesive units through simple but powerful approaches.

His mantra? “If you’ve got 27 priorities, you haven’t got any.” By focusing on no more than three clearly ranked objectives, Harvey empowered his team to stay aligned, and say no to distractions. The phrase “Harvey says no” became a cultural shorthand for protecting priorities and staying on mission.

We delve into how genuine trust is built within teams. Harvey shares his belief in vulnerability and accessibility, implementing skip-level meetings where team members could speak freely and career development sessions that demonstrated his commitment to their growth. This created psychological safety that allowed honest communication to flourish.

Harvey's innovative approaches to breaking down silos include his "pod model" for cross-functional collaboration and strategic use of "stretch projects" that deliberately positioned team members to connect teams.

When it comes to conflict, Harvey doesn’t shy away. His take? “Partners are like a car accident – everyone slows down to look but no one wants to get involved.” His solution? Proactive education, clear communication channels, and shared understanding of roles and responsibilities.

Book Picks

Rebel Ideas by Matthew Syed – on the power of diverse thinking
The Culture Map by Erin Meyer – a must-read for navigating global teams.

Whether you're managing partners, leading through change, or simply trying to create more effective teams, this episode offers practical wisdom for balancing the human element with unwavering focus on business outcomes.

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Chapters

1. Introduction to Team Coaching Leadership (00:00:00)

2. Harvey's Career Journey in Tech (00:07:39)

3. Partners as Critical Growth Engines (00:15:29)

4. Trust, Humility and Authentic Leadership (00:20:50)

5. The Power of Simplicity and Prioritization (00:27:35)

6. Creating Safe Spaces and Cross-Team Bonds (00:35:42)

7. Managing Channel Conflict and Alignment (00:43:14)

8. Book Recommendations and Final Thoughts (00:48:56)

95 episodes