From Anxiety to Accountability: How Empathy That Delivers Results with John Walston

Why "Just Push Through It" Is Killing Your Leadership

When sales teams miss targets, most leaders look at pipeline, process, or personnel. But what if the real issue is psychological safety?

In this episode of Coach to Scale, host Matt Benelli explores this question with John Walston, author and founder of the Keep On Movement. Their conversation reveals how vulnerability and empathy in leadership directly impact sales performance—and why "get over it" is the fastest way to lose both trust and results.

Key insights from their discussion:

• Empathy isn't a soft skill—it's a performance multiplier that impacts your bottom line
• Physical movement drives mental clarity and better decision-making under pressure
• High standards and human connection aren't opposites—they're what make teams thrive
• Culture gets built in the small moments between the big numbers

Walston shares how his own struggle with anxiety transformed his leadership approach, making him more effective at building teams that consistently perform. The conversation offers practical strategies for CROs, VPs of Sales, and frontline managers dealing with burnout, underperformance, or high turnover.

Listen to the full episode in the link above.

The bottom line? You can't lead people effectively if you don't understand what they're carrying. This conversation shows how to balance accountability with genuine support—without sacrificing results.