Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 22/07/2026open.substack.com/pub/thesales...open.substack.com"I Say It Like It Is." The Badge of Honour That's Quietly Costing You.Where communication is actually judged — and why the responsibility to adjust sits with the leader, not the listener. 011
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 04/07/2026There is a 25% off my book until 31 August via my publisher – practicalinspiration.com/book/stop-ma... Code SMSL25 at checkout. 011
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 19/06/2026The Ladder Problem: If AI Replaces the Bottom Rung, What Happens Next? substack.com/@thesaleslea...substack.comThe Ladder Problem: If AI Replaces the Bottom Rung, What Happens Next?The Ladder Problem: If AI Replaces the Bottom Rung, What Happens Next? 011
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 08/06/2026thesalesleaderscoach.substack.com/p/your-role-...thesalesleaderscoach.substack.comYour Role Will End. The Question Is: How?Most leaders plan for the beginning. Very few plan for the end. 000
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 29/05/2026open.substack.com/pub/thesales...open.substack.comExperience Isn't Enough. It's How and Why That Matter Most.Job experience is one of the weakest predictors of future performance. Here's what to look for instead. 031
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 27/05/2026Hire Like It Matters (Because It Does) open.substack.com/pub/thesales...open.substack.comHire Like It Matters (Because It Does)Hiring is the first system in your culture. Most leaders treat it like an emergency. 031
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 30/04/2026open.substack.com/pub/thesales...open.substack.comThe Trouble Is… There's No Accountability.Why demanding accountability without building responsibility and ownership first is a losing strategy. 021
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 13/04/2026"That feels like micromanaging." Three clients. Same word. Same fear. Same retreat from the very things that make leaders effective. My newsletter unpacks why the label is doing too much work. www.linkedin.com/pulse/feels-... #StopManagingStartLeading #TheSalesLeadersCoach #SalesLeadershiplinkedin.com"That Feels Like Micromanaging." Does It?I try to write these newsletters in real time based on conversations I'm having, patterns I'm seeing in clients, things that keep repeating until I can't ignore them. It isn't the most efficient way t... 021
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 30/03/2026Six months ago today, Stop Managing, Start Leading was published. Grateful for the feedback, reviews, and, most importantly, how people are using it in practice. It’s also been put forward for the Business Book Awards 2026. A small ask: 121
Reposted by Simon JacksonPractical Inspiration Publishing @practicalinspiration.com · 30/03/2026Happy 6-month book-aversary to Simon Jackson and Stop Managing, Start Leading! 🥂🍾 The ultimate guide for sales managers and leaders ready to elevate their game. #businessbook 022
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 18/03/2026A small milestone I’m pleased to share. Stop Managing, Start Leading has been entered into the Business Book Awards 2026. Great to be alongside so many strong titles and authors. If it helps sales leaders build better environments for their teams, it’s doing its job. #BBA2026 #SalesLeadership 021
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 14/03/2026The average CRO tenure is 18 months. It isn’t a performance problem. It’s a structural one, accountability for revenue without control of the drivers behind it. This week’s newsletter explores why, and what shifts the odds. #SalesLeadership www.linkedin.com/pulse/eighte...linkedin.comEighteen Months. Is That Really All a CRO Gets?I recently had the pleasure of being a guest on the next + future podcast with Joel and Matt . One of the questions they asked me has stayed with me since. 011
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 09/02/2026Every role ends. This isn't being pessimistic, it’s just how careers work. The more interesting question is how it ends… and what you leave behind as a leader. I’ve shared a few reflections on that in this week’s newsletter. Over to you once you’ve read it. www.linkedin.com/pulse/your-r...linkedin.comYour Role Will End. The Question Is: How? | Simon JacksonEvery February, LinkedIn fills up with two very different stories. People delighted to be starting new roles. And others quietly navigating a tough job market. Both are real. And both got me thinki... 011
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 03/02/2026If you’ve read Stop Managing, Start Leading, I’d genuinely love to hear what resonated, or even what challenged you. Reviews and comments help bring the book to leaders who might benefit from it, so if you’re open to sharing your thoughts, I’d really appreciate it. 🙏 011
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 02/02/2026A couple of things I saw and heard last week made me stop and think. If AI starts replacing entry-level roles, where do future senior salespeople and leaders actually come from? This isn’t a scare piece. More a reflection, and an open question. www.linkedin.com/pulse/ladder...linkedin.comThe Ladder Problem: If AI Replaces the Bottom Rung, What Happens Next?I try to write these newsletters in real time, based on conversations I’m having, things I’m seeing in clients, and the quiet patterns that keep repeating. It isn’t the most efficient way of doing it,... 012
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 29/01/2026An overview of my work with CROs, Sales VPs, and sales leaders – from 1:1 leadership coaching to sales transformation and leadership facilitation. 011
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 28/01/2026Sales attrition. Engagement. Leadership pressure. I’ve shared some thinking in this week’s LinkedIn newsletter – what the numbers might really be telling us, and why engagement deserves far more attention than it gets. Link below 👇 www.linkedin.com/pulse/employ...linkedin.comEmployee Engagement Isn’t Soft. It’s a Leadership Responsibility.January is always an interesting time to be a sales leader. Sales Kick-Offs are happening everywhere. 021
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 19/01/2026January doesn’t always unfold the way the deck said it would. That doesn’t mean the plan has failed – it means it needs adjusting. This week’s newsletter is about staying focused, adaptable, and human as a sales leader. Read it here 👉 www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-y...linkedin.comWhat a year 2026, huh?Happy New Year – even if it feels a little late to be saying it. January has been full-on. 011
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 07/01/2026Contrary to popular belief, it isn’t always raining in Manchester. Although it was a bit gloomy and wet when I arrived in town this morning (all windswept). Had the privilege of talking at the Supporting Women in Sales event — the first of many inperson events this busy January. Happy New Year! 021
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 17/12/2025Who’s accountable when things don’t go to plan? I’ve published a new LinkedIn newsletter exploring responsibility, ownership, and accountability, and why accountability shouldn’t feel like a threat, but a natural outcome of good leadership. www.linkedin.com/pulse/troubl... #TheSalesLeadersCoachlinkedin.comThe Trouble Is… There’s No Accountability.I remember a sales leader saying that to me in a moment of real frustration: “The trouble is… there’s just no accountability.” He’d spent a US holiday weekend on the phone with his AVP trying to land ... 021
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 11/12/2025Who’s really in your corner? I wrote this week about the quiet isolation many sales leaders feel – and why the smartest move isn’t pushing harder, but building the right support around you. 111
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 09/12/2025I'm thinking of running a monthly sales leadership webinar – live, short, and practical. First one in January. Which topic would you find most useful? Details, and vote for the first topic on LinkedIn 👇 www.linkedin.com/posts/simonj... #StopManagingStartLeading #SalesLeadershiplinkedin.com#stopmanagingstartleading #thesalesleaderscoach #salesleadership | Simon JacksonI'm thinking of launching a new monthly webinar series for Sales Leaders – but I’d love your input. I’m planning to run a free 45-minute live webinar at the start of January, as a companion to my boo... 010
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 08/12/2025I’ve been thinking a lot about the reality of leading sales, especially the parts we rarely discuss. This week’s newsletter explores the personal side: support, isolation, and who we turn to when it counts. Read it here 👉 www.linkedin.com/pulse/who-do... #StopManagingStartLeading #SalesLeadershiplinkedin.comWho Do You Turn To When You’re the One in Charge?It’s early December, which means my feed is full of “Top Sales Challenges for 2026”. Most of them say similar things: economic pressure and cautious buyers AI reshaping the way customers research and ... 011
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 04/12/2025Early’ish start and a coffee at Piccadilly. Edinburgh next. Catching up with a client I normally see on Zoom - and a few others flying in. Finalising January’s Atlanta RKO. Funny how a quick in-person chat can unlock more in 10 minutes than an hour online. #StopManagingStartLeading #SalesLeaders 021
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 01/12/2025When a team loses its direction, everything starts to wobble. This week’s newsletter is about building a North Star your people can steer by – especially when you’re not in the room. Read it here 👉 www.linkedin.com/pulse/quotas... #StopManagingStartLeading #TheSalesLeadersCoach #SalesLeadershiplinkedin.comQuotas Change. Your North Star Shouldn’t.Last week we explored why standards beat expectations, and why clarity beats corporate speak. This week, we move to another pillar of the Vision, Clarity & Culture system. 121
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 01/12/2025An offer from my Publisher... practicalinspiration.com/book/stop-ma...practicalinspiration.comStop Managing, Start Leading – Practical Inspiration Publishing 011
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 30/11/2025My book Stop Managing, Start Leading was published two months ago today. Thank you to everyone who’s picked up a copy. If you enjoyed it, a short review would really help others discover it too. Grateful for all the support so far. 🙏 121
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 03/11/2025Most business problems are people problems. That’s why the People System – how you hire and who you hire – shapes everything. This week’s edition: Hire for Attitude. Train for Aptitude. Read it here 👉 www.linkedin.com/pulse/hire-l... #TheSalesLeadersCoach #StopManagingStartLeadinglinkedin.comHire Like It Matters (Because It Does): Building the People SystemThe great American philosopher, Homer Simpson, once decreed that alcohol is the cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems. Tempting as that sounds, I think he’s wrong. 011
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 28/10/2025Ange Postecoglou lasted 39 days at Forest. Different philosophy, same players, no alignment. In leadership or sales, it’s the same truth: you can’t build a new system on old habits. Culture doesn’t change in 39 days. I unpack this idea in my latest newsletter: www.linkedin.com/pulse/you-do... 021
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 27/10/2025If culture really eats strategy for breakfast, why do so few leaders feed it? My latest newsletter explores how intentional culture design separates high-performing teams from the rest. 👉 Read the full piece here: www.linkedin.com/posts/simonj... #StopManagingStartLeading #SalesLeadershiplinkedin.comYou Don’t Get the Culture You Want. You Get the One You Build. | Simon JacksonIf culture really eats strategy for breakfast, why do so few leaders spend time feeding it? Most can tell you their strategy, KPIs, and quarterly goals, but struggle to describe what their culture fe... 011
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 24/10/2025"I really enjoyed reading this book" "Amazing book 📖" "Helpful book" 5-Star reviews all-round on Amazon. But don't just take my Mum, my eldest daughter, and one of my nephew's word for it, check out my book for yourself. Have a great weekend everyone 😄 131
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 14/10/2025Unashamed plug for my book. Too many leaders still dread their forecast calls - endless prep meetings, more scrutiny, less impact. We don’t need more pressure. We need better leadership. That’s what Stop Managing, Start Leading is all about. #StopManagingStartLeading #SalesLeadership 021
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 13/10/2025Lately I’ve seen too many managers turning forecasting into FORCEcasting - telling people what number they must call, rather than asking for their best read of reality. I get the intent: stretch people, push for more, create urgency. But here’s the problem... www.linkedin.com/pulse/forcec...linkedin.com“FORCECASTING”: When ‘Stretch’ Breaks the ForecastSome of you won’t agree with this. And that’s exactly why I’m writing it. 021
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 11/10/2025The last 10 minutes of a football match. One–nil down. Panic mode. Long balls, the big striker thrown up front, even the keeper wandering into the box. For many sales teams, Q4 looks exactly like that. Check out my latest LinkedIn Newsletter. www.linkedin.com/pulse/hidden...linkedin.comThe Hidden Quarter: How to Escape the Q4 PanicIt’s the 80th minute, you’re one–nil down. You need at least a point to save your season. 021
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 10/10/2025Lat week I published the very first edition of The Sales Leader’s Coach, my new weekly LinkedIn newsletter. www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-im...linkedin.comWhy I’m Launching The Sales Leader’s CoachWelcome to the very first edition of The Sales Leader’s Coach. Every Sunday evening, I’ll share one idea to sharpen your leadership for the week ahead. 011
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 01/10/2025The buzz of launch day has just sunk in… and now comes the bit that matters most. If you do grab a copy of Stop Managing, Start Leading, I’d love to know what you think. Reviews, reflections, or even a quick DM, it all helps and means a lot. #StopManagingStartLeading #SalesLeadership #BookReviews 021
Reposted by Simon JacksonPractical Inspiration Publishing @practicalinspiration.com · 30/09/2025What a month! 😮💨 Here are the books we published in the month of September: 'What Next?' by Jane Moffett 'Smart Conflict' by Alice Driscoll and Louise van Haarst 'Stop Managing, Start Leading' by Simon Jackson Incredibly proud to have worked alongside these authors to bring their titles to life! 022
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 29/09/2025Day one and already #1 Hot New Release in Business & Sales on Amazon. Surreal. 🙏 Thanks to everyone who’s bought so far. If you read it, reviews help more than you know. Kindle’s still just £/$/€0.99 today. 011
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 27/09/2025Big week ahead… 📚 Stop Managing, Start Leading officially launches Tuesday, but the Kindle version is out Monday for just £/$/€0.99. Kindle: mybook.to/SMSL-eb Print: mybook.to/SMSL @practicalinspiration.com 011
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 25/09/2025Stop Managing, Start Leading lands Sept 30. The book I wish I’d had starting out in sales leadership, 30 years of lessons, wins, mistakes, and coaching conversations distilled into one book. Excited (and a little surreal) that it’s nearly here. #StopManagingStartLeading #SalesLeadership 011
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 10/09/2025✈️ At Dublin Airport, Guinness in hand, reflecting on a moment from today’s workshop… 🗣️ “Honestly, I don’t agree with any of that. I couldn’t disagree more.” A strong comment—but I welcomed it. 111
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 08/09/2025Just read this research on the rise of the “accidental manager” and it hit home. It resonates as it's one of the reasons I wrote Stop Managing, Start Leading. Not a self-help book. A help-others guide. www.managers.org.uk/knowledge-an...managers.org.ukBetter Management Report: Take Responsibility, Take ActionThis report explores the impact of good management and consequences of bad management. It's time for managers to take responsibility and take action. 100
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 04/09/2025Just read one of the best @hbr.org pieces I’ve seen in ages hbr.org/2025/08/6-wa... It nails what I keep seeing in sales leadership: The challenge isn’t knowledge. It’s mindset. And courage might just be a sales leader’s most important quality. #Leadership #Sales #Couragehbr.org6 Ways to Practice Everyday CourageIn today’s volatile environment, leaders face high‑stakes decisions amid economic shocks, ethical dilemmas, and public scrutiny. Strong leadership requires more than expertise—it demands everyday cour... 110
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 03/09/2025Leaving Sweden after two days with senior sales leaders working through change. Not just strategy - mindset. Great reminder: You don’t lead change by piling on more. You lead it by shifting how people think, feel, and act. More in the book soon. 📸 sorry, schoolboy humour, couldn’t resist. 011
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 02/09/2025Why do so many sales managers struggle? It’s not capability—it’s where they’re focused. Too many are stuck in rescue mode. Reacting. Firefighting. “Managing.” 111
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 01/09/2025In 30 days, a new chapter opens for me (pun fully intended). My first book—Stop Managing, Start Leading—launches on 30 Sept. Still feels surreal. But I’m proud of it. It’s the book I wish I’d had when I stepped into sales leadership. 100
Simon Jackson @simonjackson.co.uk · 31/08/2025Hi. Like many of you, I’m an exile from the other place, and yes, I’ll only ever call it Twitter. I’m hoping this becomes a bit of a community, somewhere we can swap thoughts, share what’s working, and maybe even have a laugh while we’re at it. 100