Gahn Lane is a seasoned sales and channel management professional who understands the importance of doing his homework before a meeting. To Lane, that homework includes getting to know the history behind everything from a location where a meeting is being held to the backgrounds of those attending it. It’s a method that has not only served Gahn well throughout his career, but also brought him an incredible amount of knowledge and growth.
The Gahn Lane of today is focused on technology, security, Cloud management, Chatbot, and AI technology. There is a tremendous amount of focus and excitement around each of these areas because they are evolving so quickly. And what do each have in common – an application or integration into the SaaS world.
“I see all of these increasingly becoming fully ingrained in the fabric of all facets of human interaction, some already are obviously,” said Lane. “Like the Internet and IP, they are changing the way we transact business, our expectations, and the very nature of our professional, let alone personal lives. They are here to stay and grow and it takes a different way of thinking to stay in touch and keep up.”
Keeping up is exactly what he plans to do. “Changes in technology, OpEx versus CapEx priorities and (an) omniscient infrastructure point to a permanent and never-ending trend of growth for Saas,” noted Lane.
That complexity is due to a wealth of new products and services which aim to change the trajectory of how we work. These technologies are moving faster than we, as humans, traditionally do. Change is constant and we need to continue to do our homework, keep up with the newer developments and technologies, and always engage in a forward-thinking mindset. These are the real best practices to be mindful of.
Lane is a proven leader. His style is one of growth, a focus on results, and a commitment to building high-performance teams. As a seasoned professional, he believes that the key to success in sales and channel leadership is a relentless focus on his customer’s real needs.
“I find that the ultimate point of positive return begins when I have instituted an agreed adoption and execution of a joint Partner and Alliances strategy,” said Lane. “It works because you begin to not only see success and ROI for your firm, but also for your partners. The impact becomes a noticeable trend surprisingly quickly and creates a ripple effect across all organizations: sales, finance, marketing, operations, and product management. Literally, all parties are impacted and win (or lose) together.”
And win he does. By always striving for a better result, even when it is already a good one, Lane demonstrates what it means to be a true leader and mentor. His lessons have changed the lives of many. His human-centric focus makes technology both usable and accessible in ways many never considered.
Focusing on the human side of our interaction is always the right way to go according to Lane. ”Engage with everyone you can and learn from their experiences – both good and bad. There is no reason to make the same mistakes they did. You will make plenty of your own. Remember: you can never have enough allies or partners, or positively influence enough people by being always gracious. It pays dividends that are greater than you can imagine.”