Episode 446: Your Product Is Your Team: Milton Corsey on Building Leaders Who Thrive

Milton Corsey (00:00)
Human beings are feeling beings that think, not thinking beings that feel. So it’s important that we make that connection with the human being.

Intro (00:08)
Welcome to the Making Sales Social Podcast, featuring the top voices in sales, marketing, and business. Join Brynne Tillman and me, Bob Woods, as we each bring you the best tips and strategies our guests are teaching their clients so you can leverage them for your own virtual and social selling. Enjoy the show.

Brynne Tillman (00:34)
Welcome back to Making Sales Social! I’m Brynne Tillman, and I’m very excited to introduce you to my guest, Milton Corsey. He’s not just my guest but also my friend, and I really love hanging out with him.

I’m excited to talk about how Milton works with new and emerging leaders to ensure that they turn potential into performance. Many new leaders face the daunting transition from individual contributor to team leader, navigating uncertainties while managing team dynamics. The shift can significantly impact their effectiveness, often leading to feelings of overwhelm, decreased performance, team dissatisfaction, and missed business opportunities.

Milton is dedicated to equipping these leaders with essential strategies and tools to overcome these challenges and thrive in their roles. Today, we’re going to focus on sales leaders—because we’re making sales social. So, Milton, welcome to the show!

Milton Corsey (01:39)
Brynne, thank you so much for having me. I’m excited to be here with you as well. It’s always a pleasure to have a conversation.

Brynne Tillman (01:45)
We hang out a lot, and I love it! I’m excited to introduce you to our podcast listeners. Before we jump into your genius, share with us—what does making sales social mean to you?

Milton Corsey (02:03)
Great question. I remember when I first heard about your community and the whole making sales social concept. What really excited me—and made me want to become part of the community—was an axiom I fundamentally believe in and often share with new and sales leaders: human beings are feeling beings that think, not thinking beings that feel.

It’s important that we make that connection with the human being. We’re social beings, and we connect to people that way. That’s a powerful thing—it’s much more conducive to positive results than leading with facts, figures, and numbers, or how my widget is better than your widget. That’s what drew me to this community—you really built something around that paradigm.

Brynne Tillman (02:53)
Wonderful. You certainly make our whole world much more social, and we appreciate that so much.

Let’s jump into your major area of genius—helping new leaders become great leaders faster than they would on their own. What are some of the challenges you’ve observed that new leaders face when transitioning from doing to leading?

Milton Corsey (03:30)
Absolutely. The biggest one is this: we typically promote people into leadership because they’re fantastic individual contributors—they’re great at the thing. Since we’re talking about sales, let’s say someone transitions from a sales representative to the manager or leader of the overall sales team.

One of the biggest challenges is that the skills that make you a great salesperson don’t necessarily make you a great leader of people. What changes is what your job actually is.

I often ask new clients or cohorts, “What’s your product or your business?” They’ll typically say, “We sell widgets.” And I’ll say, “Interesting. As a sales rep, yes. But as a leader—absolutely not. Your product is your team.”

Selling widgets becomes a derivative of that. Your focus has to shift. It’s not about selling things anymore; it’s about helping people build the skills and capabilities to sell those things, creating a cohesive unit that gets everyone over the finish line. Whatever the customer receives is a derivative of that process.

Brynne Tillman (05:07)
I absolutely love that concept—your product is your team. That shift alone is a major “aha” moment. So, would you say the number one challenge is making that mindset shift?

Milton Corsey (05:27)
Yes, absolutely. First, it’s making the mindset shift. Then, once you’ve made it, the question becomes: how do I do it?

I often take people through what I call an empowerment framework matrix. It’s about figuring out how to get someone up to speed. How does Brynne, the sales expert, help Milton become more effective as a salesperson?

It starts with clarity—being crystal clear about expectations. It sounds simple, but it’s not. Then, ensuring the person has access to the right tools, information, and the authority to make decisions.

Next, you put them in a safe framework where they can grow. I often compare it to when children begin to explore the world. As parents, it’s nerve-wracking, so we put them in a playpen—a safe space where they can explore and learn without getting hurt.

As a leader, you have to create that same kind of safe space. Allow your people to make mistakes—mistakes are part of learning and growth. Then, you gradually expand that space as they develop, until they reach a level of autonomy.

Brynne Tillman (07:33)
That’s awesome. You’re really nurturing your team, raising them up step by step—giving them a safe space to grow. I love that concept and the clarity it brings to how you grow a human being.

You’ve mentioned that part of your magic is helping teams identify the unique strengths of each member and leverage them for performance. How do you identify those strengths when working with new leaders?

Milton Corsey (08:41)
Sure. We all bring different skills and abilities to the table. I love working with you, Brynne—but you’re not me, and I’m not you. That’s a good thing. For a team to function at its highest level, you don’t want ten of the same people, because you’d amplify both strengths and weaknesses.

Former Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid—blasphemous now that he’s in Kansas City—used to say that his job was to put his players in a position to be successful. As the leader, your role is to build your team within the context of your environment and challenges, and then organize it so that it operates seamlessly.

A great team does two things: everyone is clear on their role, and everyone trusts each other. If I’m worried about whether my teammate will do their job, it reduces my ability to do mine. So as a leader, you’re building trust, clarity, and synergy.

And as Mike Tyson once said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” Life and the marketplace will punch you in the face. When that happens, your job as a leader is to adapt—rearrange, adjust, and keep your team moving forward.

Brynne Tillman (11:34)
I love that. A manager once told me, “Hire for the gaps.” It reminds me of what you’re saying—you can have the best quarterback in the NFL, but if you put them on the defensive line, they’ll perform below average.

Milton Corsey (12:15)
Exactly. You have to put people in the right position to succeed. Tom Brady might be the greatest quarterback ever, but if you made him a linebacker or a defensive back, he wouldn’t even make the team. As a leader, your team is your product. You build it so it achieves the collective goal—individuals succeed within that, but the team wins as a whole.

Brynne Tillman (13:09)
Fabulous. You said earlier that we’re “feeling people who think,” which ties into emotional intelligence.

Most people have to learn emotional intelligence—it doesn’t always come naturally. How do you help new leaders develop empathy for team members who aren’t performing at the highest level or who might be in the wrong position?

Milton Corsey (14:25)
First, I want to reinforce what you said—emotional intelligence absolutely can be learned. One of the simplest ways to build it is through active listening.

There are two types of listening: listening to respond and listening to understand. Most of us default to the first—we’re already preparing our reply before the other person finishes speaking.

Listening to understand means focusing on what’s being said and asking good questions. For example: “Let me make sure I understand what you said. Is this accurate?”

Two things happen: if your understanding is correct, you’ve validated it; if not, you’ve given the other person a chance to clarify. Either way, the other person feels heard and understood. That builds trust.

Active listening is one of the best exercises I use with teams. It helps them process information, ask the right questions, and connect on a human level.

It’s like what legendary UCLA coach John Wooden did—he focused on the fundamentals, like teaching players how to put on socks and tie their shoes. It seemed trivial, but he knew that blisters or poor preparation could sideline a player and impact the whole team.

It’s the same for leaders—the little things make the big difference. Practicing the fundamentals, like active listening, is a simple yet powerful way to express emotional intelligence.

Brynne Tillman (18:42)
I think that’s amazing. I’ll tell you something — I was always someone who listened to respond. That’s my nature. I want to teach, I want to tell, I want to jump in.

So now, when you’re talking, I repeat your words in my head. That keeps my brain focused on what you’re saying instead of wandering off to how I’ll respond to something you said two minutes ago. For someone who’s wired to listen to respond, that tip someone gave me years ago has been fantastic.

Now, when you mentioned John Wooden earlier — I knew the name, but I was trying to recall it. And while my brain was searching, I probably missed a line or two of what you said. In a sales role, that can happen when you’re listening to respond — you lose track. But in a leadership role, if you miss something, that could be the critical thing.

Milton Corsey (20:03)
Absolutely — it could be the critical thing. Another point you touched on is that you can’t beat yourself up when it happens. That’s another powerful leadership trait: vulnerability.

By that, I mean being willing to own your mistakes. That does two things — it humanizes you and creates a safe space for your team. Mistakes are part of the process. Nobody’s perfect.

I talk about active listening all the time, but there are moments when I get caught too — especially in a contentious issue. I love a good debate, so I might start planning my counterargument while someone’s still talking. It happens!

It’s not about being perfect; it’s about getting better. When you’re willing to own your mistakes or admit when you didn’t live up to your own standards, it humanizes you and builds psychological safety. Nobody expects perfection. If your team knows it’s okay to make mistakes, they’ll feel comfortable coming to you when they do. And that’s how the whole team gets better.

Brynne Tillman (21:34)
Vulnerability as an asset — that’s such a Brené Brown concept, and I love it. Embracing vulnerability helps you improve instead of focusing on how to make everyone think you’re doing well.

I want to talk for a moment about a unique challenge sales teams face compared to most others: rejection. Salespeople hear “no” all day long — probably more than anyone else, except maybe people pitching to investors. So, what can leaders do to support their teams emotionally through all that rejection?

Milton Corsey (22:55)
Fantastic question. You’re right — salespeople face rejection in a very direct way. Other departments might make mistakes, but it’s not the same kind of blunt-force “no” sales teams get.

The key is reframing failure. Just like we talked about creating safe spaces for growth, failure is also part of the process. In sales, every “no” brings you closer to a “yes.”

You have to play a mental game with yourself. Maybe you get five no’s before one yes. Sometimes you’ll have a great streak, and sometimes it’ll be all no’s. But if you stay consistent, you’ll reach those yeses. Every “no” means you’re one step closer to the next “yes.”

Here’s a sports analogy: Ted Williams, one of the greatest hitters ever, batted .400 — meaning he failed twice as often as he succeeded. Yet he’s a Hall of Famer. Failure is an inescapable part of success.

Michael Jordan got cut from his high school basketball team. If he’d let that stop him, we’d never know his name. Instead, he used that as fuel — and became arguably the greatest basketball player ever.

Brynne Tillman (25:41)
I would argue yes on that!

Milton Corsey (25:45)
Exactly! The key is reframing what failure and rejection mean. When someone rejects your proposal, they’re not rejecting you. Often, it’s not personal — it could be timing, budget, or something completely unrelated.

So instead of taking it personally, evaluate: Did I target the right person or company? If not, I can adjust my process. Or, did I miss something in the conversation?

If you lead with facts and features — say, talking about how fast your copier prints or how easy it clears jams — you’re missing the connection. It’s not about bells and whistles. It’s about solving the customer’s problem. How does what you’re offering make their life easier or better?

One of my colleagues, Ed Wallace, calls this relational GPS: Goals, Passions, and Struggles. If you can connect with a prospect on one of those three things, you’ve built a meaningful relationship.

And by the way, Ed is offering a free electronic copy of his book Relational GPS for anyone interested. Just drop me an email, and I’ll make sure you get it.

Brynne Tillman (28:30)
That’s awesome. Reach out to Milton directly — that’s really brilliant.

We’re over time, but I want to squeeze in one more question. What advice would you give to an emerging leader — one piece of advice that would help them become a better leader faster?

Milton Corsey (29:04)
Great question. There’s an old saying: What got you here won’t get you there.

Understand that becoming a leader is a new beginning. You have to learn how to lead people — what made you successful before won’t necessarily make you successful now.

It reminds me of a Bruce Lee story. A student approached a master to learn, and the master filled a glass of water to the brim — representing the student’s current knowledge. The master then tried to pour more water in, and it overflowed. The student said, “Stop! It’s full!” The master smiled, emptied both glasses, and said, “Now we can begin.”

That’s what leadership is like. Empty your cup. Be humble. Be open to learning.

Brynne Tillman (30:22)
That’s such a great analogy. It reminds me of Pac-Man — I was really good at it in the arcades. I’d get to a certain level easily, but it would take me forever to get past that next one. Once I finally did, I’d have to start all over again to master the new level.

It’s like that in sales and leadership. You can crush your goals and get promoted, but the next level requires new skills. You have to start over and learn again.

Milton Corsey (31:41)
Exactly. And one question I get a lot is, “Can you really learn to be a good leader?” Some people think leaders are born, not made — and that’s the biggest myth ever.

Leadership is absolutely a learned skill. Sure, some people are naturally more social or charismatic, but anyone can become a great leader by learning and applying the fundamentals.

Understand your product — your team. Remember that people are feeling beings that think, not thinking beings that feel. Learn your team’s “GPS” — their Goals, Passions, and Struggles — and connect with them authentically.

When you apply those fundamentals consistently, you’ll become a great leader.

Brynne Tillman (33:48)
This was so much fun. Even though I know you and what you do, I took away so many great nuggets and “aha” moments today.

For anyone listening who wants to connect with you — especially if they have emerging leaders or are preparing to promote people into leadership roles — how can they reach you?

Milton Corsey (34:35)
I’d love to talk with anyone interested. You can reach me at milton.corsey@achievenext.com or visit our website at achievenext.com.

Also, if you’d like a free digital copy of Ed Wallace’s Relational GPS book, email me and I’ll send it to you.

Brynne Tillman (35:05)
Awesome. And Milton’s also on LinkedIn — go connect with him there. Thank you, my friend. This has been so much fun.

And to all our listeners — when you’re out and about, don’t forget to make your sales social.

Outro (35:19)
Thanks for watching, and join us again for more special guest instructors, bringing you marketing, sales training, and social selling strategies that will set you apart. Hit the subscribe button below to get the latest episodes from the Making Sales Social podcast, give this video a thumbs up, and comment down below on what you want to hear from us next. You can also listen to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube Music, and Amazon Music. Visit our website, socialsaleslink.com for more information.