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Australia, Feb 21, 2025
Lisa Fortey, Acting General Manager, Logicalis Australia
Stepping into the Acting General Manager (GM) role, from a National Sales Director position has been both an exciting and challenging transition. While sales leadership equips you with strategic thinking, relationship management, and revenue growth skills, the GM role demands a broader business perspective. Here’s what I’ve learned on my journey so far.
Expanding the Leadership Lens
As a Sales Director, my primary focus was driving revenue, managing key accounts, and ensuring my team met their sales targets. As a GM, I’ve had to shift from a revenue-centric mindset to a holistic business approach, balancing sales, operations, finance, and people management. My day is incredibly varied, and I feel like the more I get into this, the more there is to learn and my excitement levels keep increasing.
One of the biggest adjustments has been viewing the company’s success beyond just top-line growth. Profitability, operational efficiency, customer experience, and employee engagement now hold equal weight in decision-making.
Developing Financial Acumen
Understanding financial performance at a deeper level is crucial. As a sales leader I’m very familiar with revenue targets and margins, whereas as a GM I have to dive into Profit and Loss (P&L) statements, cash flow management, cost control; and Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA).
I’ve found it beneficial to engage closely with my Finance Director. I’ve asked many questions and am embarking on more structured learning outside of the office with the Australian Institute of Management. This will help me in gaining fluency in the financial language of the business, which will ensure I am able to be well informed when required to make critical decisions.
Balancing Strategic and Tactical Leadership
In sales, agility is key—adjusting strategies to market shifts, competitive pressures, and customer needs. As a GM, the challenge is maintaining that agility while also focusing on long-term strategic goals.
I’ve had to learn when to be hands-on and when to delegate. Something that doesn’t come easy to me. Trusting in my leadership team to execute effectively while ensuring alignment with the company’s vision is vital.
Shaping Culture and People Development
As a sales leader I have been used to driving performance through motivation, incentives, and coaching. Whereas as a GM, I must influence the culture across the entire business. Employee engagement, cross-functional collaboration, and leadership development become priorities. This is a conscious change in my mindset. Operationally minded people aren’t going to be motivated by leaderboards, like sellers are, so finding a way to adapt quickly to motivate everyone across the organisation is key to shaping our culture.
Investing in development will be something I introduce across the organisation. I want to create an environment where people feel empowered, heard, and valued, which will have a positive impact to business performance.
Managing Stakeholder Expectations
As a GM, the range of stakeholders expands— customers, partners, and employees all require attention. Each group has different priorities, and managing expectations effectively requires effective communication and diplomacy.
One approach that’s worked for me in these early days has been ensuring transparency and alignment. I’ve set clear expectations, fostering open dialogue with employees. I am a big believer that clarity and consistency in communication drives trust and alignment.
The Legacy I Want to Leave
While I’m only in my first month as GM and I plan to be here for a long time, I believe the legacy I want to leave, must be built on the vision I have from the very start. My goal is to create a business that thrives on innovation, collaboration, and a people-first culture. I want to be remembered not just for driving financial success, but for developing future leaders, fostering a strong company culture, and ensuring the organisation continues to grow sustainably well beyond my tenure.
Final Thoughts
The transition from Sales Director to General Manager has been a significant step. It has required a shift in mindset, skill set, and leadership approach. While my sales expertise provides a solid foundation, embracing financial literacy, strategic thinking, operational excellence, and cultural leadership will be key to me thriving in this role.
I’m also learning the art of patience. Some initiatives are taking longer to launch than I would like. But planning, preparation and reviewing data are vital to the decision-making process. I’m learning to have an appreciation for the process, reminding myself it will only serve to better our organisation.
For those on a similar path, my advice is to stay curious, seek mentorship, and be willing to evolve. The learning never stops, and the impact you can have as a GM goes far beyond just sales—it’s about shaping the future of the business.