Sales and Storytelling With Craig Wortmann | Charu Sharma

I came across a job post for a director of sales role on a startup’s website, and the required skills and experience section enlisted:

i) emotional intelligence,
ii) self-awareness,
iii) active listening,
iv) conflict resolution.

These are precisely the skills, along with storytelling, that I want to master at this stage of my career, and I am lucky to be in a sales position at LinkedIn. Learning to problem solve, deliver value and communicate effectively as a salesperson will greatly benefit me in any and every professional and personal pursuit in future.

I recently had the opportunity to meet with Craig Wortmann, a three-time star CEO, clinical professor of the award-winning Entrepreneurial Selling MBA course at Booth, and bestselling author of What’s Your Story?, a book that looks at how leaders and sales professionals use stories to connect, engage and inspire. Just like my mentors and peers at LinkedIn, Craig advocates for transparency and authenticity while “selling,” and because I remain fascinated by the concepts of selling and storytelling, Craig generously let me pick his brain.